A Handful of Stars

“I don’t usually talk to those kids and they don’t usually talk to me.”

Lily reflects on the prevailing social barriers between locals and migrant workers. Her acknowledgment underscores the deep-seated divisions in the community, emphasizing the challenges that inhibit meaningful connections between individuals from different backgrounds.

“And I think Lucky knew that we needed her, maybe even more than she needed us.”

Lily subtly acknowledges Salma’s profound impact on their community in Maine. This insight underscores Lily’s recognition of Salma as a catalyst for positive change, emphasizing the importance of diverse perspectives and contributions in fostering community resilience and growth.

“I wish I knew what Mémère said when Mama came home with a puppy and a two-year-old. Even though I was there, I don’t remember that day or anything about being two. I don’t even remember Mama.”

In reflecting upon the past, Lily expresses a poignant yearning for insights into her mother. Additionally, the mention of her inability to remember that day or her mother signifies a gap in Lily’s personal history, emphasizing her mother’s absence in her life.

“Pépère says, ‘It takes all kinds of people to make a world.’”

Pépère’s wisdom encapsulates the novel’s theme of embracing diversity and understanding the importance of different perspectives in shaping a community. Pépère consistently encourages Lily, fostering a sense of inclusivity and acceptance. His interactions with the migrant workers, marked by respect and camaraderie, exemplify his commitment to breaking down barriers and fostering unity within the community.

“Last year toward the end of fifth grade, something shifted, and I don’t know how to fix it. I’m not sure how it happened, but it was like a crack that started small and kept getting bigger and bigger. Before I knew it, there was only one pea in the pod.”

Lily captures the poignant shift in her friendship with Hannah, emphasizing the gradual unraveling of their once inseparable bond. The metaphor of “one pea in the pod” poignantly illustrates the profound change, suggesting a loss of the previous closeness as their paths diverged. Lily’s uncertainty about how it happened and her inability to fix it encapsulate the complex emotions associated with the inevitable evolution of friendships.

“They had a fight about Lucky one night and Mama left, slamming the door, leaving a hole behind her as wide as the whole world.”

Lily reflects on the intense emotional impact of the disagreement with her mother on the very day of her tragic death. The metaphorical “hole” left by Lily’s mother’s departure symbolizes the emotional void caused by her death and its impact on the family.

“I don’t know many kids who’ve lost somebody really important to them. Usually I’m the only one. It felt good to meet someone who knew that ‘missing’ feeling too.”

Lily reflects on the shared experience of loss and the solace she finds in connecting with someone who understands the profound impact of losing someone significant. Lily’s remark about not knowing many kids who have experienced such loss highlights the isolating nature of grief, making her connection with Salma, who has lost her dog, Luna, especially meaningful. This moment underscores the novel’s exploration of empathy and the power of shared experiences to forge deep connections.

“I didn’t think anyone would buy Salma’s bee-double-dazzled one. It was just too colorful and loud. Who would want that in their garden?”

In Lily’s dismissal of the marketability of Salma’s bee houses, she reveals a prevailing bias within her. This perception not only reflects the conservative nature of the community but also symbolizes her resistance to embracing diversity, mirroring the challenges faced by Salma as an outsider.

“My favorite thing to pretend was that Mama was behind me, invisible to everyone else. Every now and then she’d whisper things in my ear, things like ‘I’m proud of you’ when I did good in school. Or ‘You look as pretty as the tiger lilies I saw on that first day’ […] Things Mémère didn’t ever say even if maybe she thought so.”

Lily’s imaginary interactions with her late mother serve as a coping mechanism, providing emotional support and affirmation that she yearns for but doesn’t receive from her grandmother. Lily’s poignant admission sheds light on the complex dynamics of loss and the enduring impact her mother’s death has had on her own self-confidence.

“‘[W]ild blueberries come in lots of colors. Red, purple, pink, black, even striped sometimes. But most growers pick out any berries that aren’t blue.’ […]

 ‘Then I’m not painting any blue ones.’”

Salma’s refusal to paint any blue wild blueberries reflects her commitment to embracing diversity and rejecting the notion of conformity. The conversation with Lily underscores Salma’s determination to celebrate differences, emphasizing the overarching theme of Building Bridges across Cultural Divides.

“I love how when you look up at night, it doesn’t matter if you’re in Florida or Maine or Michigan or anywhere, it’s the same stars. So when I miss someone, I look at the stars and imagine the person seeing the same ones as me. No matter where I go, I can think of them and they can think of me. They’re my star friends.”

Salma expresses her deep connection to the stars as a source of constancy and connection amidst the transience of her life. The mention of looking at the stars regardless of location symbolizes her inability to stay in one place and the transient nature of her life as a migrant worker. Salma’s concept of “star friends” reflects her attempt to carry the presence of her loved ones with her, finding solace in the unchanging night sky as a timeless link between her and those she misses.

“I don’t feel like I really belong in the places we stay. […] When I come home, it’s like we have to become friends all over again. Everyone changes so fast.”

Salma articulates the profound sense of displacement and transience that defines her life as a migrant worker. The mention of having to “become friends all over again” upon returning home underscores the emotional toll of constant movement, revealing Salma’s failed attempt to carry on her previous relationships.

“I’d always thought of being brave as a big thing. Fighting aliens or sailing across the ocean or singing in front of a whole church full of people all by myself. Maybe bravery didn’t have to be that big, though. Today, I’d only felt a little bit braver than I was scared. Just enough to tip the scales.”

Lily’s personal growth is seen in a seemingly ordinary task that represents a significant step for her: her decision to secure a booth at the festival. This choice acknowledges that bravery can be found in the subtle balance between fear and courage.

“A girl didn’t just come into town and win the pageant. Downeast Blueberry Queen was more than having your hair done and wearing a blue dress. The winner represented our local towns—and us. The judges would never pick Salma.”

Lily articulates the entrenched prejudices within her community, revealing the narrow-minded expectations surrounding the Downeast Blueberry Queen pageant. Lily’s statement underscores the societal barriers Salma faces due to her outsider status and reproduces the conventional norms that dictate who is deemed part of the community.

“Before Salma, I’d never given much thought to the workers and their families who came and went every summer. Mostly they kept to themselves and we kept to ourselves. They were just there, and then one day they weren’t.”

The casual dismissal of migrant workers as “just there” emphasizes the societal tendency to overlook the struggles and stories of those like Salma. This reflection prompts a profound shift in Lily’s perspective as she begins to recognize the significance of these marginalized members of her community.

“‘[L]ilies grow wild along the roadsides here. They’re weeds.’

‘Only because somebody said so,’ Salma said. ‘Lilies are proud and sassy. They don’t know they’re weeds.’”

This exchange between Lily and Salma carries a deeper symbolic meaning, symbolizing Lily’s journey of self-discovery and breaking free from societal expectations. Salma’s response challenges the imposed notion of weeds. Instead, it portrays lilies as “proud and sassy,” suggesting a rebellion against predetermined labels. This assertion resonates with Lily’s evolving understanding of herself and her place in the world.

“Times change. And it’s good that they do. But it only happens if someone is brave enough to be first.”

Pépère imparts a timeless wisdom to Lily, emphasizing the inevitability and necessity of change. His conversation with Lily about her mother and Salma, who exhibited bravery by breaking with expectations at the pageant, underscores the idea that progress and transformation require individuals who defy the status quo, paving the way for a more inclusive future.

“In the back row of pews sat a group of workers from the camp. I hadn’t thought about how they might show up to encourage Salma—but she was part of a whole community there.”

Lily’s realization that Salma is also a representative of a larger community challenges her initial perception of “otherness.” This recognition underscores the importance of community and shared experiences, emphasizing the significance of embracing diversity within society at large.

“I couldn’t believe how scared she seemed to be. And I suddenly realized that this was about more than winning a savings bond for her—it was about showing she mattered. That she belonged and had a place here, even if she couldn’t stay.”

Lily’s observation of Salma’s fear during the beauty pageant unveils the profound emotional significance beneath Salma’s participation. Her observation encapsulates Salma’s desire to carve out a place in a community that often perceives her as an outsider, emphasizing her need for acknowledgment and acceptance.

“[S]omehow the pageant didn’t seem as big a deal to me as it always had. It showed part of our community, but not the whole thing.”

Lily demonstrates a profound shift in perspective, realizing that the beauty pageant, once a significant event in her perception, now appears less monumental. By acknowledging that the pageant only represents a fragment of their community and not its entirety, Lily exemplifies her growth and understanding of the broader social fabric.

“Giving up and letting go are too very different things, Lily. Giving up is admitting you’re beat and walking away. Letting go means you’re setting something free. You’re releasing something that’s been keeping you struck. That takes faith and more than a little courage.”

Pépère’s attempt to dissuade Lily from pursuing the cataract surgery for Lucky frames it as an act of letting go rather than giving up. Pépère encourages Lily to view the decision not as a defeat but as a courageous release in the face of challenging circumstances.

“‘I just want everything to be the way it used to be.’

‘I know,’ Pépère said. ‘But maybe another dog could give Lucky something he’s never had.’”

Lily expresses a longing for the return of the familiar, wishing for a past where everything was unchanged. Pépère’s response, however, reflects a deeper understanding of growth and the potential for new experiences. By suggesting that another dog could offer Lucky something novel, Pépère subtly encourages Lily to embrace change and acknowledges the transformative power of new connections.

“And I knew right then that there are worse things than being blind. Being alone was worse. Having regret was worse. Losing someone you loved was worse.”

Lily contemplates the emotional weight of solitude, regret, and the loss of loved ones, recognizing that those deeper, intangible aspects can inflict greater pain than being visually impaired. Lily’s contemplation underscores her emotional maturity and the transformative journey of understanding adversity she undergoes throughout the narrative.