Jupiter Character Analysis in Orbiting Jupiter

Jupiter is the baby daughter of young teenage parents Joseph Brook and Madeleine Joyce. The state of Maine places her in foster care with a librarian in Brunswick. At the end of the novel, Joseph’s foster parents Mr. Hurd and Mrs. Hurd finally succeed in finalizing their adoption of her—something they began planning to do before Joseph’s tragic death.

Jupiter Quotes in Orbiting Jupiter

The Orbiting Jupiter quotes below are all either spoken by Jupiter or refer to Jupiter. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

“I always know where Jupiter is.”

Related Characters: Joseph Brook (speaker), Madeleine “Maddie” Joyce, Mr. Hurd, Jupiter, Jack (Jackson) Hurd

Page Number and Citation: 24

Explanation and Analysis:

One day, walking home from school, Jack asks Joseph what his baby daughter’s name is. Joseph reveals that her name is Jupiter, which was his and the baby’s mother’s (Madeleine Joyce’s) favorite planet. That night, while Jack and Joseph are stacking firewood outside with Mr. Hurd, Jack asks where the planet Jupiter is in the night sky—and Joseph immediately points it out. When Mr. Hurd asks who he knew, Joseph replies, “I always know where Jupiter is.” Joseph’s obsessive tracking of the planet Jupiter through the night sky illustrates both his love for his daughter and his trauma. At this Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est.

“Being responsible,” Mr. Canton said, “means being ready to do what you’re supposed to be doing, even if no one is watching or making you do it. Do you boys understand that?”

Related Characters: Mr. Canton (speaker), Jupiter, Mr. Hurd, Jack (Jackson) Hurd

Page Number and Citation: 59

Explanation and Analysis:

Jack and Joseph have fifth-period “Office Duty,” which involves running errands for vice principal Mr. Canton. One day, Mr. Canton hasn’t given them any work, so after a while Joseph takes out a book and begins to read. When Mr. Canton sees Joseph reading, he lectures Joseph and Jack about responsibility. On the one hand, Mr. Canton’s lecture has some truth to it, but on the other hand, the context of his lecture undercuts his message. Mr. Canton argues that responsibility “means being ready to do what you’re supposed to be doing.” Much of the novel’s plot turns on 14-year-old Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti ni

Madeleine Joyce was thirteen years old when she met Joseph Brook. She lived in a house that had pillars in the front and a wing on each side and statues on the lawn. Her father and her mother were both lawyers, so she spent a lot of time by herself in that big house when she wasn’t away at her prep school. Sometimes she had a nanny who lived in the north guesthouse, sometimes not.

Related Characters: Jack (Jackson) Hurd (speaker), Madeleine “Maddie” Joyce, Mr. Brook, Jupiter, Joseph Brook

Page Number and Citation: 69

Explanation and Analysis:

Orbiting Jupiter’s narrator Jack is retelling in his own words Joseph’s account of how he ended up a 14-year-old father in foster care. Joseph begins by describing how he met Madeleine, the eventual mother of his baby daughter Jupiter. Joseph’s description of Madeleine’s background nuances the novel’s depiction of parenting by emphasizing that parents can be good or bad regardless of their socioeconomic status. While Joseph’s working-class father Mr. Brook is physically abusive, Madeleine’s wealthy lawyer parents are neglectful. Joseph’s description of Madeleine’s home makes clear that her parents are not only wealthy but ostentatiously rich: the house has “pillars,” Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad ten

She never asked him why his face looked so beat up.

Related Characters: Jack (Jackson) Hurd (speaker), Joseph Brook, Mr. Brook, Jupiter, Madeleine “Maddie” Joyce

Page Number and Citation: 71

Explanation and Analysis:

Jack is retelling in his own words Joseph’s account of how he ended up a 14-year-old father in foster care, including his account of his relationship with Madeleine Joyce, his baby Jupiter’s mother. Early in their relationship, Joseph started showing up at Madeleine’s house to hang out with his face “beat up”—but she never asked about the bruises. Madeleine’s silence about Joseph’s bruises illustrates her developmentally appropriate immaturity. While the novel suggests that Madeleine and Joseph begin a relationship in part to compensate for their loveless family lives (Madeleine’s parents are neglectful, while Joseph’s father Mr. Brook is physically abusive), Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia ea

He was going to be a father, he said.

He was only thirteen, she said again.

Related Characters: Jack (Jackson) Hurd (speaker), Jupiter, Mrs. Stroud, Joseph Brook, Mr. Brook, Mrs. Hurd, Mr. Hurd, Madeleine “Maddie” Joyce

Page Number and Citation: 78

Explanation and Analysis:

Jack is retelling in his own words Joseph’s account of how he ended up a young teenage father in foster care. In this section of Joseph’s story, Joseph is explaining how his social worker, Mrs. Stroud, came to tell him that his 13-year-old girlfriend, Madeleine, was pregnant and that she was removing him from his abusive father Mr. Brook’s household to a group home. On the ride from Mr. Brook’s house, when Joseph expresses a desire to be with Madeleine, Mrs. Stroud tells him that he can’t see Madeleine (her parents have taken out an injunction against him). When Joseph Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Impedit non ut. Incidunt rerum est. Aperiam doloremque eum. Animi soluta perspiciatis. Ut minima autem. Modi omnis iure. Sint q

“I’m alone,” he said.

“You’ve got me,” I said.

He laughed, but not a happy laugh. “Jackie, I’m a whole lifetime ahead of you,” he said.

Related Characters: Jack (Jackson) Hurd (speaker), Joseph Brook (speaker), Mr. Brook, Madeleine “Maddie” Joyce, Mr. Haskell, Jupiter, Mr. Canton

Page Number and Citation: 87

Explanation and Analysis:

After Joseph tells the Hurds how he became a father, that his girlfriend Madeleine died in childbirth, and that he wasn’t allowed to see his baby Jupiter, Joseph insists that he’s going to find Jupiter so that he won’t be “alone.” Jack insists that Joseph isn’t alone: “You’ve got me.” In reply, Joseph says that he’s “a whole lifetime ahead of” Jack. This exchange highlights an important dynamic in Jack and Joseph’s ultimately deep and loving friendship. At this point, Jack has already stood up for Joseph to prejudiced adults like Mr. Canton and Mr. Haskell, and he has already Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Impedit non ut. Incidunt r

When my father put his hand on Joseph’s back, Joseph didn’t even flinch.

Related Characters: Jack (Jackson) Hurd (speaker), Mrs. Stroud, Mrs. Hurd, Joseph Brook, Jupiter, Mr. Hurd

Page Number and Citation: 115

Explanation and Analysis:

On Christmas Day, Mr. and Mrs. Hurd reveal to Joseph that they have decided to help him establish contact with his baby daughter, Jupiter. Mrs. Hurd and Joseph hug, and Mr. Hurd puts a fatherly hand on Joseph’s back—as he often does with his biological son Jack. Jack notices with surprise that Joseph doesn’t “even flinch” in response to the touch. One of the first things Joseph’s social worker Mrs. Stroud told the Hurds about Joseph was that—following a traumatic stint in a high-security juvenile facility called Stone Mountain—he wouldn’t let anyone touch him or stand behind him. Early in Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti so

Mr. Canton had already come by, so full of himself, my mother said, all about how he knew something like this would happen, and kids who come from Stone Mountain are bound to run off, and it’s not our fault, it’s just that’s who Joseph Brook is.

Related Characters: Jack (Jackson) Hurd (speaker), Mr. Canton, Mrs. Halloway, Mrs. Stroud, Mr. Hurd, Mrs. Hurd, Joseph Brook, Jupiter

Page Number and Citation: 141

Explanation and Analysis:

After a meeting with social worker Mrs. Stroud in which she reveals that Joseph’s daughter Jupiter is being fostered in Brunswick, Maine, Joseph runs away to try to find her. When they realize what has happened, Mr. Hurd and Jack drive out in search of Joseph, but a serious snowstorm drives them back. When they return, Mrs. Hurd informs them that Jack and Joseph’s middle school vice principal, Mr. Canton, came by and told her it “wasn’t [their] fault” that Joseph ran away because it’s “who Joseph Brook is.” Two adults at Jack and Joseph’s middle school, Mr. Canton and Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Impedit non ut.

“The boy isn’t your brother?” he said.

“I have his back,” I said

Related Characters: Jack (Jackson) Hurd (speaker), Joseph Brook, Jupiter, Mr. Hurd, Mrs. Hurd

Page Number and Citation: 148

Explanation and Analysis:

Mr. Hurd, Mrs. Hurd, and Jack Hurd are searching for Joseph, who has run away to Brunswick because his baby daughter Jupiter is being fostered there. They’ve stopped at a Baptist church where the pastor has implied that Joseph and Jack are biological brothers. Here, Jack corrects him by saying simply that he “ha[s] [Joseph’s] back.” Jack’s reply, “I have his back,” doesn’t explicitly deny that he is Joseph’s brother. It leaves Jack’s biological, legal, and social relationship to Joseph undefined, not saying whether they are biological brothers, foster brothers, or friends. Instead, Jack describes his relationship to Joseph by Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Expl

“But he can’t love her just for himself. He has to love her for her, too.”

Related Characters: The Librarian (speaker), Joseph Brook, Jupiter, Mrs. Hurd, Jack (Jackson) Hurd , Madeleine “Maddie” Joyce, Mr. Hurd

Page Number and Citation: 154

Explanation and Analysis:

Joseph has run away to Brunswick in search of his baby daughter Jupiter. While searching for Joseph in Brunswick with his parents Mr. and Mrs. Hurd, Jack shows Joseph’s photo to a librarian in a public library—and, by coincidence, discovers that the librarian is Jupiter’s foster mother. When the librarian tells Jack that Joseph can’t raise Jupiter because he can’t take care of her, Jack retorts that Joseph can love her. The librarian replies that he “can’t love her just for himself” but “for her, too.” The distinction between loving her “for himself” and “for her” suggests that Joseph’s desire Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaq

“Jackie,” said Jupiter.

“That’s right,” I said. “Jackie.”

Related Characters: Jack (Jackson) Hurd (speaker), Jupiter (speaker), Mrs. Hurd, Joseph Brook, Mr. Hurd

Page Number and Citation: 182

Explanation and Analysis:

Prior to Joseph’s death, it is implied that Mr. and Mrs. Hurd had begun the process of legally adopting Jupiter so that Joseph could have a relationship with his beloved daughter without trying to take on full, adult parental responsibility for her. After Joseph’s death, the Hurds go through with the adoption—implicitly out of love for Joseph and a desire to honor his memory. When Jupiter first meets Jack, she calls him “Jackie,” a nickname that Joseph sometimes sarcastically used on Jack. Whereas Jack would always defensively correct Joseph, saying his name was not “Jackie” but “Jack,” Jack tells Jupiter Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut.

Jupiter Character Timeline in Orbiting Jupiter

The timeline below shows where the character Jupiter appears in Orbiting Jupiter. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...business. When Jack says he’s just asking, Joseph pauses a long time and then says, “Jupiter,” explaining that it was “our favorite planet.” Jack clarifies, “Yours and . . .” Joseph... (full context)

...has a serious expression. He approaches the Hurds and asks them to help him see Jupiter. Then he tells them “everything.” (full context)

Adolescence and Responsibility Theme Icon

...Madeleine has had the baby. Examining the papers, he learns that his baby is named Jupiter. He cries. Mrs. Stroud gives him a photo of Jupiter even though she’s not supposed... (full context)

...urges Joseph to sign away his parental rights so that a loving family can adopt Jupiter. Joseph insists that he wants to raise Jupiter. Mrs. Stroud points out that he just... (full context)

...escape to. Joseph asks her what she thinks, insinuating that he was trying to see Jupiter. When she insists that a 14-year-old boy can’t be a father, Joseph replies that he... (full context)

...and Jack can hear Rosie the cow mooing lovingly. Jack asks why Joseph can’t see Jupiter, and his parents tell him that 14-year-old Joseph can’t be a father and that meeting... (full context)

...gold angel for Joseph to commemorate his first Christmas with the Hurds. Joseph comments that Jupiter would love it. After dinner, Mrs. Hurd prepares the boys to attend First Congregational. When... (full context)

...dinner, the phone rings, and everyone gets serious: they’ve been waiting to hear news of Jupiter. But when Mrs. Hurd answers the phone, it’s Mr. Brook. After a testy conversation, Mrs.... (full context)

...on Joseph’s behalf, and he won’t until Madeleine’s parents pay him off. Madeleine’s parents want Jupiter adopted so they can get closure, but no prospective parents will attempt a contested adoption. (full context)

...next day, Joseph and Jack are happy, anticipating that the Hurds will help Joseph see Jupiter and attend college. But more days pass without any officials agreeing to let Joseph see... (full context)

...Jack in the barn, Jack asks whether Mrs. Stroud told him anything. Joseph replies that Jupiter is in Brunswick. He asks Jack whether Brunswick is south of Eastham. Jack says yes... (full context)

...the evening, Jack goes to his bedroom and looks out the window but can’t see Jupiter. He wonders whether Joseph knows that he’ll never get Madeleine or Jupiter back. He speculates... (full context)

...why Joseph came to Brunswick. When Jack explains that Joseph is looking for his daughter Jupiter, the librarian—clearly startled—asks whether Joseph is Jupiter’s father, remarking that Joseph is “just a baby... (full context)

Jack, realizing that the librarian knows where Jupiter is, begs her to let Joseph see his daughter. The librarian asks who Jack is,... (full context)

Jack asks whether the librarian is Jupiter’s foster mother. She asks Jack to tell Joseph that Jupiter is well but needs a... (full context)

...phone rings. She answers it, asks someone to describe “him,” and then identifies “him” as Jupiter’s father. When she hangs up, Jack asks whether Joseph is at her house. She says... (full context)

...looking for Joseph, Joseph smiles, gets in the car, and shows Jack the photo of Jupiter. The librarian drives the boys to where Jack parted from his parents: Mr. Hurd and... (full context)

The librarian hugs Joseph, too. She tells him that he looks like Jupiter and has her “determined” personality. When the librarian says that her family is taking excellent... (full context)

...likely to say about him. Yet the librarian does write to Joseph every week about Jupiter, and Jack no longer hears Joseph crying out in his sleep. Joseph doesn’t have to... (full context)

...takes Joseph and Jack out to tap trees for maple syrup. When Joseph mentions that Jupiter would love doing this one day, Mr. Hurd pauses and then agrees. Later that night,... (full context)

...yells, “You sold her!” Mr. Brook retorts that Joseph was never going to have her (Jupiter) and that “we needed a new truck.” Joseph tries to rush Mr. Brook, but Mr.... (full context)

On Joseph’s 16th birthday, Mrs. Stroud drives Jupiter to the Hurds’ farm. She takes Jupiter out, and Jupiter, dark-haired and dark-eyed, smiles as... (full context)

Jupiter Character Analysis

Jupiter Quotes in Orbiting Jupiter

Chapter 1 Quotes

Chapter 3 Quotes

Chapter 4 Quotes

Chapter 5 Quotes

Chapter 7 Quotes

Chapter 9 Quotes

Jupiter Character Timeline in Orbiting Jupiter