58 pages • 1 hour read
Counting Miracles
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Chapters 7-9Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 7 Summary
I
Jasper sees a report about the white deer on the news. He fears it will draw too much attention to the deer and further endanger it. He takes out an old forest map and marks where he thinks the deer might be. Then while making coffee and breakfast, he thinks more about Audrey. After she left for college and he lost his job, Jasper started working as a contractor. Meanwhile, he began cultivating pear trees and planting them throughout the region. By May of 1962, Jasper had significant savings and Audrey had graduated from college. They married in 1963 and moved onto Jasper’s property. Within a year, they had their first child and Jasper was still having success with his pears.
II
Jasper takes Arlo and his map out towards the Uwharrie. He drives around, marking the deer’s range and parking on Scenic Road to wait for poachers.
III
Jasper waits in the truck until dark. Finally he returns home and lies in bed thinking about his past. He and Audrey named their first child David. They later had three more children, Mary, Deborah, and Paul. He remembers each child and how their lives unfurled as they grew up. Their family felt blessed “by the good Lord Himself. Until, of course, it wasn’t” (179).
IV
Jasper heads back out to the Uwharrie in the morning. He parks the truck and takes Arlo into the woods. He carries deer repellent and an ultrasonic device with him. He finds sneaker prints and corn on the ground and guesses the Littleton brothers are baiting the white deer. Finally he returns to the truck, where he sits waiting for darkness and remembering the past. When Jasper was 46 his business started failing when his crops suffered. He prayed often, confident he and Audrey would be okay. However, fickle weather ruined his crop and he declared bankruptcy.
V
After dark, Jasper hears sounds in the distance. He’s convinced the boys are in the woods firing shots. He heads out in search of them. Finding no one, he drives home.
VI
The next morning, Jasper returns to the forest despite feeling unwell. Back in the woods, he finds more deer bait and collects the kernels. When his back starts hurting, his mind returns to “a Fourth of July weekend in 1983” (191). His whole family was home for the holiday. Paul had friends over for a bonfire and Jasper and Audrey went to bed. Jasper woke in the middle of the night, choking on smoke. He tried saving Audrey, but she, Dave, Mary, and Deborah died in the fire. Outside, the police apprehended Paul for starting the fire, which had destroyed several neighboring homes.
VII
Jasper starts crying remembering his family’s fate. He still blames himself for failing to save them. Jasper was so badly injured by the fire, he was hospitalized for months and didn’t realize what had happened for several weeks. He had several surgeries for his burns and was in the ICU and rehab for nearly a year. He later learned that Paul was arrested for starting the firing and killing his family. The judge wanted to be lenient, but Paul demanded the harshest punishment. The judge gave him just six years anyway. However, Paul died by suicideon his first night in prison. Hearing the news, Jasper felt like Job from the Bible.
VIII
Arlo’s whining interrupts Jasper’s thoughts. The sun starts coming up and he realizes the Littletons are nearby. Arlo runs away and Jasper fears Josh will shoot him.
Chapter 8 Summary
I
Casey exclaims at Kaitlyn and Tanner’s kiss after watching them in the driveway. She also offers to babysit Mitch if Kaitlyn wants to see Tanner again.
II
Kaitlyn showers, studies her naked reflection in the mirror, and reflects on her night with Tanner. She hasn’t been intimate with anyone in years and only ever slept with George. She wonders if she and Tanner will have sex on their next date, feeling excited and nervous as she gets into bed naked.
III
Kaitlyn makes arrangements with Casey to watch Mitch while she goes out with Tanner the next evening.
IV
Kaitlyn gets ready for her date. Casey joins her, offering to do her hair and makeup.
V
Casey encourages Kaitlyn while helping her get ready. She also offers to help Kaitlyn get out of the date if it isn’t going well.
VI
Tanner arrives at the house in a limo. Casey and Mitch look outside and exclaim at the car.
VII
Casey and Mitch race outside to see the limo before Kaitlyn and Tanner leave.
VIII
Kaitlyn and Tanner drink champagne on their way to the date. They talk about their families and pasts in the meantime. Tanner reveals that his grandfather’s mother was Black and his grandfather faced racism throughout his life. His grandmother’s family rejected her when she married his grandfather. Because of this adversity, his grandfather enjoyed being in the army and preferred living overseas. Kaitlyn listens intently, marveling at Tanner’s past. She also silently wishes he weren’t moving away because she wants more time together. However, she’s glad they’re going out.
They arrive at a large house at the end of a long driveway. Tanner rented the house for the night and brought a catered dinner from a local restaurant. He says they can have dinner elsewhere if she’s uncomfortable. Kaitlyn assures him this is perfect.
Inside, Kaitlyn and Tanner drink wine and talk. Casey calls to check in on Kaitlyn and Kaitlyn assures her the date is going well. Afterwards, Kaitlyn and Tanner talk about Tanner’s past relationships. Then they kiss, undress each other, and adjourn to the bedroom.
IX
Kaitlyn and Tanner have sex twice. Afterwards, they have dinner and continue talking. Meanwhile, Kaitlyn silently reminds herself Tanner is leaving and she shouldn’t get attached.
X
Over dessert, Tanner tells Kaitlyn his plans before his remaining weeks in the States. He wants to travel to Virginia, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota. Kaitlyn feels disappointed he doesn’t want to spend more time with her in North Carolina before heading overseas. He then reveals that he doesn’t technically have to keep working because he’s invested money over the years and is now independently wealthy. Kaitlyn gets upset, insisting she doesn’t understand Tanner. She feels betrayed that he said he has to go overseas when there’s no real reason for him to leave. She’s hurt that he slept with her and doesn’t seem interested in their future. Tanner gets defensive, confused as to why Kaitlyn is so frustrated. Finally Kaitlyn cleans up and leaves.
XI
Casey is surprised Kaitlyn is home so early. Kaitlyn doesn’t explain what happened but says she isn’t going to see Tanner again. Casey comforts her and makes her a cup of cocoa. In her room, Kaitlyn studies her reflection, feeling foolish. She gets into bed and cries.
Chapter 9 Summary
I
Jasper watches Josh, Eric, and Carl from his hiding place in the bushes. The boys smell his deer repellent and accuse Jasper of stealing their bait.
II
Jasper’s thoughts drift back to his time in the burn center. He suffered constantly and often doubted he’d be able to recover from losing his family. After his surgeries, he got a job in the grocery store stock room. In years past, he depended on his faith but now believed God didn’t care about him.
III
Jasper continues eavesdropping on the boys. Meanwhile, his mind drifts in and out of memories of David. Jasper often worried about him and frequently reminded him how proud he was of him.
IV
The boys find Jasper’s ultrasonic gadget in the woods. Josh yells out a threat in Jasper’s direction.
V
Jasper waits for the boys to leave. Meanwhile, he remembers Mary and how she changed as she grew up. He wishes he had more memories of her.
VI
In the morning, Jasper hears the boys in the woods again. He follows them over ridges and rocks, struggling to keep his breath and footing along the way.
VII
As Jasper continues tracking the boys, his mind drifts to memories of Deborah. She was different from Mary but always close with Audrey. He wishes he’d had more time with her, too.
VIII
Jasper continues wending his way through the woods, feeling depleted and sore. He starts thinking about Paul. He realizes Paul died by suicide because he could’t live with his guilt.
IX
The more he walks, the weaker Jasper feels. Finally he runs into the boys. They get into a chase and Jasper falls over the edge of a rock wall. He lies on the ground looking up to see Jasper’s taunting face. He leaves without helping Jasper.
X
Jasper lies on the ground drifting in and out of consciousness. Then it starts to rain.
XI
The storm worsens. Jasper wakes up intermittently with Arlo by his side but can’t maintain consciousness.
Chapters 7-9 Analysis
Tanner’s, Kaitlyn’s, and Jasper’s fraught relationships with the past complicate their Search for Identity and Belonging and their Journey Towards Healing. Tanner’s fear of settling down complicates his ability to commit to his new relationships and to own his internal experience. Kaitlyn’s history of being betrayed complicates her ability to communicate with Tanner about her hopes and longings. Meanwhile Jasper’s continued sorrow over his wife and children’s tragic deaths continues to alienate him from his community and to ensnare him in grief. All three characters therefore have experienced trauma. They’ve lost their partners, parents, or children and feel alone in the world. As a result, they don’t know who they’re allowed to be in the present and if they’ll ever fully overcome what they’ve suffered.
In Jasper’s portions of the narrative, the novel uses Biblical allusions in order to deepen Jasper’s internal experience. At the novel’s start, the narrator establishes Jasper’s faith as a primary facet of his identity. Because his father identified as a Christian, he raised Jasper with Biblical teachings and inspired Jasper’s trust in the Christian God. Throughout Jasper’s flashbacks, references to Bible verses and Bible stories pervade the narrative. These allusions authenticate Jasper’s faith and illustrate how closely he relied upon it in the years preceding his wife and children’s deaths. Indeed, the narrator remarks that although he and his family “struggled with challenges and disappointments,” Jasper was convinced that “his family had been singled out for blessings” from God (179). This moment inspires a narrative turning point, and foreshadows the narrative revelation about the fire that killed Jasper’s family. This tragic event challenges Jasper’s belief in God because it upsets the logic of Jasper’s faith. The narrator says of this experience:
His livelihood had been destroyed, his body was in ruins, and his entire family had died. In the weeks that followed, he dwelled on his fate, feeling that the pattern of it somehow was familiar. He finally realized that he indeed knew the story well; after all, he’d read it dozens of times in the Bible. Jasper had somehow become Job (197).
In the Biblical story, God and the Devil make a bet about Job’s faith. God lets the Devil take everything from Job to see if he still loves God without his family, home, status, and wealth. The same thing happens to Jasper, thus plunging him into suffering and sorrow. The author uses this Biblical parallel in order to validate Jasper’s outlook on life, and to complicate his distinct Journey Towards Healing. Indeed, Jasper isn’t simply trying to process his loss in the narrative present, he’s also trying to live his life outside the belief system he’s relied upon since his boyhood.
Tanner’s and Kaitlyn’s encounters with trauma and grief similarly complicate their outlook on life in the narrative present. For Kaitlyn, her relationship with Tanner is gradually evolving how she thinks about herself. The repeated images of her looking at herself in the mirror or climbing into bed naked illustrate how Tanner is affecting her self-regard. She notices how her body has changed because of motherhood and time, but also remembers that “Tanner had called her beautiful,” a compliment which makes Kaitlyn feel as if she is an independent woman who can define herself beyond her domestic and vocational spheres (201). For these reasons, Kaitlyn becomes upset with Tanner when she learns that he isn’t going to give their relationship a chance and is leaving for Cameroon despite his financial security. Her and Tanner’s emotional dialogue conveys how both Kaitlyn and Tanner are driven by fear. Kaitlyn is afraid of being betrayed and abandoned—fears which originate from her marriage to George. Meanwhile, Tanner is afraid of settling down, because he’s unsure who he is when he isn’t on the move. Not unlike Jasper, both Kaitlyn and Tanner are still trying to overcome their pasts in order to establish settled lives and identities in the present.
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