Caleb's Crossing

As the heading of this part of the book indicates, almost 55 years have passed since the events of the previous part of the novel. Elderly Bethia often cannot sleep through the night. Indeed, she is ill and will die soon.

She has recently been rereading the journal entries she wrote many years ago. She feels both pained and freed at reading these entries. Bethia is about to die, and she feels almost relieved as dying is easier than mourning the dead.

Bethia recalls that she remained at her job at the buttery for one year. She educated herself during this time by listening to lectures through the buttery hatch and read as much as possible before going to bed.

There were many social hardships. Most conspicuously, Caleb and Joel suffer because there is a scarcity of food for those who do not receive extra supplies from their families. Bethia does supply her hungry friends with some scraps of food when she can.

Caleb suffers additional persecution because he refuses to participate in the system of serving an upperclassman. However, good fortune comes to Joel and Caleb when their low-paid tutor turns out to be an alcoholic, and Chauncy finds it necessary to take charge of Caleb and Joel himself.