Pigs in Heaven Chapters 6–8 Summary & Analysis

Her character is initially presented to the reader through Jinny's consciousness, that is, through the thoughts of one who knows Annawake only in terms of her persona at work, and her role in the community. Jinny sees Annawake as an invincible character, one who no one would ever gossip about because she is so beautiful and such a "super brain." The reader should note the resentment inherent in Jinny's thought-process. Jinny sees Annawake as too superior to be able to appreciate Oprah and too perfect to know what it feels like to be criticized. It is fitting that Annawake should win the bet over whether Turtle is Navajo or Cherokee. In this context, Annawake is the expert and Jinny merely the ordinary secretary.

Annawake gains more sympathy from the reader by the second half of the chapter. At home, she lets down her guard a little bit. She enjoys her niece and appreciates having more personal conversation with Millie. Annawake recognizes that other people see her as a perfect untouchable, a fact that makes her feel lonelier. Most importantly, the reader learns of her pain associated with losing her brother. She becomes a more human character for us and someone who has endured suffering like everyone else.

The character of Franklin Turnbo serves an important role in the novel. A self- described born-again Cherokee, Turnbo feels like an "ungenuine article," one not so certain about his Indian identity as Annawake seems to be about hers. His age and experience mean that he sees the Turtle case in a more complex way than Annawake. He knows that the line between right and wrong is not so clear as Annawake imagines it. In spite of his "ungenuine" conception of himself, he still identifies with what it means to live on Cherokee land, and in their community. When all is said and done, he agrees with Annawake that this world is one Turtle could not experience anywhere else.

The symbolic significance of Annawake Fourkiller's name is revealed while Annawake is talking to Taylor. This revelation suggests hostility even before Taylor knows the identity of Annawake. The name was a misunderstanding between Annawake's great-great-grandfather and the white men. The four notches on his rifle represented his four children, but white guys assumed that he had killed four men. Annawake's tone suggests that she takes some kind of pleasure in the thought that her grandfather never explained the truth. Taylor notes that something "dangerous" passes between them when the story is related, as if Annawake's tone is threatening. In any case, Annawake does not seem to mind that her name precedes her—that is, that some one may perceive her as a somewhat aggressive, powerful personality.

The birds in the apricot tree in Chapter Eight further develop the theme of "free breakfast" in Chapter Seven. We recall that Annawake likens the Cherokee Nation to "a world of free breakfast," as she talks of her uncle's lake teeming with perch. In Chapter Eight, Taylor is frustrated that their apricots—the one food Turtle loves—are being eaten by the birds. The abundance of food in the Cherokee Nation is thus juxtaposed with underutilized fruit tree in Taylor's yard. Symbolically, Taylor's house is a place where there is no "free" food. The reader should think about how the idea of food is being used in these chapters. The abundance of food is a sign of physical wellness. Metaphorically, food symbolizes the presence of spiritual wellness. The Nation filled with "free breakfast" has provided a sense of community and a strong spiritual presence for Annawake. In her view, Taylor's world lacks the kind of spiritual growth that Turtle will need. The fact that Taylor cannot fix the bird problem implies that she cannot provide Turtle with everything the Cherokee child needs.

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