Swift River

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of substance use, racism, sexual content, child sexual abuse, graphic violence, and death.

Still on their trip to Woodville, Georgia, Diamond’s family stops at Adventureland, an amusement park. Pop suggests that Diamond use her tooth fairy money there. They go on rides and eat treats while the other visitors notice the racial makeup of their family. Diamond picks up on the tension between Ma and Pop, feeling like the pressure of them all having a good time rests on her young shoulders. Pop starts to drink beer.

They ride the Ferris wheel. At the top, Diamond purposefully lets go of the $100 bill, which floats downward. Once they’re back on the ground, Pop begs the man operating the Ferris wheel to stop the ride so that he and Ma can search for the dropped money. However, they cannot find the money, and Pop accuses the Ferris wheel operator of looking at Ma’s chest. The two men get into a physical fight, and the police come and arrest them both.

The town continues to gossip about Diamond’s father, but she feels more secure because of the letters from Lena and Clara.