Where the Heart Is- Theme

The theme of the novel 'Where The Heart Is' is in the title it's self, which is home is where the heart is. At the beginning of the book Sister Husband says to Novalle "Home is where your history begins", also near the end of the book the two women make a home together for themselves and Novalle's daughter, Americus. Also another theme is that family means more than blood relations. Lettes shows in the book how people that are not blood relatives can be more of a family than your own parents and siblings. The author portrays this theme by showing readers that Novalle's own family, including the father of her baby, fail at their roles as family members, while the people Novalle meets (Sister Husband, Mr.Sprock, Lexie, Forney Hull, and the Whitecottons) treat her more like family and actually become her only family.

Questions:

1. What is the main themes?

2. How does Sister Husband say to Novalle early on in the book that relates to one of the themes?

3. What eventually happens with Novalle and Sister Husband that relates to the theme?

4. Do you believe that the themes that the author portrayed in the book are true?

5. How does the author show the themes? 

6. How is the people Novalle met more of a family to her than her real family?

7. How is one of the themes related to the title? 

8. Do you think it was good choice of Lettes to relate the theme to the title?

9. Does you think the themes are clear?

10. Why do you think Lettes choice those as the main themes to portray?

Where the Heart Is - Characters

The main character in this book is named Novalee Nation. During the novel, we find out about the crazy adventures she has been/is going through. Her boyfriend, Willy-Jack, is a self centered, rude and inconsiderate redneck that doesn't show Novalee enough respect. Sister Husband is a very kind lady who brings Novalee back to her place after she found her abandoned in the local Walmart, and shows much courtesy towards Novalee's terrible situation. Forney is also a very important character in this book, he is an awkward guy but he means no harm. He is also a father figure to Novalee's daughter, Americus. He'll spend his days playing with and reading to Americus, and showed his loyalty to Novalee by supporting her through her pregnancy and caring for her child when she couldn't. The characters in this book are (for the most part) very caring towards Novalee and her pregnancy.

Question one: What significance does the number 7 have in Novalee's life?

Question two: What does Novalee do when she has figured out she was abandonned? 

Question three: When do we first meet Sister Husband?

Question four: What does Sister Husband say to Novalee when she sees her in Walmart?

Question five: When do we first meet Forney?

Question six: What does Forney's sister do for a living?

Question seven: Why does Novalee name her child Americus?

Question eight: Why does Willie-Jack get arrested?

Question nine: Why does he have to see the doctor so many times during his stay in jail?

Question ten: What conversation do Forney and Novalee have near the end of the book?

Plot- Where The Heart Is

Novalee Nation is a 17 year old girl who found herself stranded at a walmart in Sequoyah, Oklahoma after asking her boyfriend Willie Jack to stop so she could go to the washroom and pick up some new shoes, since hers fell through the hole in the bottom of the cheap car Willie Jack had bought. Novalee had a superstition about 7's. She was 7 months pregnant, gained 37 pounds during the pregnancy and was left at Walmart with only $7.77. The story behind the sevens is that when Novalee was seven her mom left her for a baseball empire named Fred. With no where to go Novalee finds herself in Walmart all day. She then meets Sister Husband, a women who owns the "Welcome Wagon". Sister Husband has a love for religion and gives out pieces from the bible everytime she meets someone. She mistakes Novalee for someone else and gives her a welcoming present from "Welcome Wagon". She then meet Moses Whitecotton a photograph tells Novalee to name her baby something that is meaningful. He later becomes Novaless mentor and help her persue her carrer in photography. She then meets Benny Goodluck, a Native American who gives Novalee a buckeye tree as a present for goodluck. When Novalee continues to live in walmart she watches the tree die. She goes to the library to study up on buckeye trees and meets Forney Hull who guides her to the right books. Forney is from a good family but dropped out of college to take care of his alcoholic sister. She thinks he's crazy as he shouts out facts from the book at Novalee. Novalee takes a trip to sister husbands house, because she was told that she was welcome anytime, to ask if she may plant her buckeye tree at her house. Novalee went into labor and had her baby in Walmart, but lucky for her Forney the librarians brother, break through the window to help her. In the hospital she soon finds out that her and her baby are famous for living in Walmart and in the news.

1.Why did Novalee have to stop at Walmart?
2.Why does she have a superstion about the number seven?
3.Why did her mother leave?
4.Why did Novalee go to the library?
5.Why did Novalee go to Sister Husbands house?
6.Why was Novalee stuck in Walmart?
7.Why did Forney drop out of College?
8.What is Sister Husband love?
9.How did Novalee meet Moses?
10.How did Forney help Novalee at the end of the book?


Samantha Brie

Setting- Where The Heart Is

The setting of this book starts in the car of Novalee Nation's boyfriend Willy-Jack. They are fleeing a town they once called home. The setting quickly changes, to a little town in Oklahoma named Sequoyah, in the local Wal-Mart. The story of Novalee’s unforgettable journey takes place in the years 1987-1994.

 Setting Questions:

1.       What was the name of the town Novalee and Willy-Jack once called home?

2.       What are the differences between the two sides of town?

3.       What kind of setting is this?

4.       What does this setting create for the characters and readers?

5.       Do you think this is a good setting for this book? Why?

6.       What does the setting symbolise?

7.       How is Wal-Mart an important part in the setting?

8.   Would you change the setting? Why? What would you change it to?

9.   Why do you think Billie Letts (author) started the story in the middle of a setting then changed it?

10.   Why do you think Letts made Sister Husband's house so similar to Novalee’s previous house?