Foster

Through the story of an unnamed girl who spends a summer with two strangers, John and Edna Kinsella, Foster examines the nature of family. When the girl first arrives at the Kinsellas’ house, she feels hesitant and uncomfortable. Throughout the summer, though, as the Kinsellas nurture the girl materially (through new clothes and plenty of food) and emotionally, the girl not only becomes more comfortable, but she grows to feel like she’s part of…

In Foster, Edna and John are grappling with the grief of losing their son, who drowned in a slurry pit (a pit on a farm that is often a combination of liquid and animal waste that gradually turns into fertilizer). Throughout the novel, that grief rears its head on a number of occasions. For example, when John says that they must buy new clothes for the girl, Edna goes upstairs and cries in…

The novel presents a complex view of secrets to show that while secrets can sometimes be pernicious, they can also be a sign of trust and intimacy. Early in the book, Edna tells the girl that they don’t keep secrets in their house because secrets are a sign of shame, and they have no need for shame there. That advice proves especially helpful for the girl, who is ashamed of wetting the bed. After Edna…

The novel repeatedly contrasts the financial situation at John and Edna Kinsella’s house with that at Dan and Mary’s house. Notably, the girl’s family ostensibly sends her to the Kinsellas in the first place, at least in part, to lessen the financial strain on their family as Mary gives birth and subsequently cares for a newborn. The girl’s family is also so hard up for money that they cannot pay the man to…