The Berry Pickers

In this section, there are many parallels between Norma/Ruthie and Joe. The two are shown to have similar difficulties in maintaining relationships and twin drives toward solitude. Norma learns the truth about her parentage only after her mother dies, and this causes a rift between her and aunt June. Grief and Guilt remain at the forefront of this portion of the narrative, and multiple characters, including Norma, Joe, June, and Lenore, struggle with these two emotions.

This section reveals Joe’s relationship with Cora: There is one troubling moment when Cora wonders how her family will feel about her dating an Indigenous man, but Joe does not seem bothered by this instance of casual racism. This instance parallels other white characters revealing their deeply held Anti-Indigenous Racism in ways that are inherent, casual, and socially acceptable, which speaks to its prevalence. Although Cora and Joe are initially happy, Joe remains mired in his grief and the guilt that he still feels about Charlie and Ruthie, and his substance use disorder is particularly hard on their marriage. After one night of heavy drinking, when their relationship is already nearing an inflection point, Joe punches Cora in the face. Deeply ashamed at himself, he leaves her. He will not return to his home for decades to come. The dissolution of Joe’s marriage can be read as a parallel to the breakup of Norma’s marriage, and it continues to be apparent that each sibling is still scarred by their separation. Their twin trajectories are further revealed by the fact that they each find a solitary cabin in the woods to retreat to. In these chapters, it is Norma who finds her cabin: She purchases it after her divorce from Mark. Both Norma/Ruthie and Joe favor solitude, and struggle within their interpersonal relationships. Neither has friendships as adults. They spend the bulk of their time alone, although each maintains connections to their family members: Joe to his siblings and Norma to June. Notably, both siblings experience, or commit, a hugely traumatic event to sever their romances, which can perhaps be read as their lives being redirected, whether intentionally or not, onto a path that reunites them. Because of Indigenous Family Bonds, it is suggested that they must reunite in order to be happy, which, in turn, highlights the real people who were separated and never given the chance to reunite.

Much of the action in this section focuses on Joe’s travels throughout Canada. He finds jobs here and there and occasionally meets people with whom he has a fleeting connection, but he spends the bulk of his time mulling over the loss of his siblings. Grief and Guilt dominates this portion of the narrative, and Joe’s character remains the text’s primary focal point. It is apparent that his battle with substance use disorder is rooted in the desire to self-medicate. Joe’s sobriety attempts indicate an underlying desire to be healthy, but in the absence of his family, that does not seem possible. Although he has periodic contact with them, he spends much of his time alone.

Lenore is near death in this section of the text, and Norma finally finds out that she is, in fact, a stolen Indigenous child. She is deeply angry not only at her mother, but also at June for the role that she played in covering up Lenore’s crime. June is figured as an antagonist here, and as a tool of white supremacy, for, although she knows on some level that what Lenore did is deeply unethical, and indeed criminal, her allegiance is to her sister. This speaks to the idea that standing idly by while acts of prejudice and racism take places renders an individual complicit in those crimes. June is just as guilty as Lenore, and it seems especially heinous that the two, recognizing the young Norma’s dreams as memories, worked hard to suppress them. Even Alice, who was hired to “help” Norma, ultimately had the role of helping Norma to recognize her position within Lenore’s family, not to help her uncover the truth about her dreams. Again, the family from whom the young Ruthie was stolen contrasts markedly with the criminally dysfunctional family in which she is raised as Norma, and even the well-intentioned aunt June is revealed as a villain.