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Holling's Dad
For most of the novel, Holling refers to his sister only as "my sister." She's sixteen years old and is constantly fighting with Holling and Holling's dad. She thinks Holling is gutless and naïve, and she regularly fights with her conservative father over her liberal politics. She desperately wants to be a flower child and protest the Vietnam War and other injustices at home, which her father laughs at and deems stupid. When she joins presidential candidate Bobby Kennedy’s campaign, her father is incensed and tries to employ her as his secretary instead. He also tries to forbid her from applying to Columbia University. She eventually runs away with her boyfriend, Chit, to California to "find herself." During the few weeks she's gone, Holling realizes he truly misses her and wants her to be happy. Holling wires her money for a bus ticket when she calls home, alone and broke, from Minneapolis. Holling’s spiteful father and fearful mother both refuse to help Heather, so Holling is forced to pick her up from the bus station in New York himself. After this, Holling begins referring to Heather by name, and the two become closer.
Heather Hoodhood (Holling's Sister) Quotes in The Wednesday Wars
The The Wednesday Wars quotes below are all either spoken by Heather Hoodhood (Holling's Sister) or refer to Heather Hoodhood (Holling's Sister). 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:
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January Quotes
"It's not a ridiculous idea because of why Dad thinks it's a ridiculous idea. It's a ridiculous idea because it's military school, and because the next stop after military school is Saigon."
"So?"
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In order to escape the embarrassment of the Ariel photos that Doug’s brother posted around school, Holling suggests he transfer to a military academy. Both Holling's dad and sister deem this idea ridiculous. Holling's sister shows here that despite the tense relationship the two have, she does care for her brother—she wants to see him safe, not at risk of dying in Vietnam like so many other young men. Holling's reply to her indicates that he doesn't yet understand that the war is something that can actually impact him. As far as he's concerned, military school is just a way 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 is
February Quotes
[…] right then a whole series of low chords sounded from the piano in the Perfect Living Room below us, followed by a roar and crash as the entire newly plastered ceiling fell, smashing down on top of the baby grand piano, ripping the plastic seat cushions, flattening the fake tropical flowers, tearing the gleaming mirror from the wall, and spreading its glittering shards onto the floor, where they mixed with the dank, wet plaster that immediately began to settle into the carpet to stain it forever.
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When the ceiling of the Perfect Living Room collapses, it symbolizes Hoodhood family’s own impending collapse and destruction. Holling's dad has curated his home and his family to look a certain way for the sake of his own reputation and that of the family business. However, in doing so, he's unable or unwilling to acknowledge that there's structural damage in both his house and his family. His wife and son both appear to be scared of him, and his daughter seems to despise him. Ultimately, Holling's dad's neglect of his family will have disastrous consequences, as the collapsed ceiling foreshadows Dolorem et quae. Exercit
March Quotes
You know things are bad when the United States Marine Corps is using stethoscopes and divining rods.
Still, the White House announced that the enemy offensive was running out of steam, that casualties at Khesanh were light, that we would never give up the marine base there.
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As the conflict in Vietnam appears to get worse, Holling's entire family watches the news every night. Here, Holling thinks that the news footage from Vietnam is in direct contradiction to what he hears the White House saying. This shows that Holling's lessons with Mrs. Baker can also be transposed to help him think more critically about politics and current events. In this case, Holling recognizes that not everything he hears, even somewhere as official as the news, is true. Learning to question authority like this is a major part of Holling's coming of age, as he does this both 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 om
I was glad he was running for president.
And so maybe, after all, I had done something to make my father mad. Just not out loud.
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Previous to this passage, Holling explains that his dad and his sister are locked in a battle over whether Bobby Kennedy should run for president. Here, Holling wonders if his silent support for Bobby Kennedy means that Holling is partially to blame for his dad's anger. This continues to develop the dysfunction at work in Holling's family. Holling is so afraid of his dad, that he believes that even thinking something that wouldn't please Mr. Hoodhood is enough to anger him. This also reinforces the amount of power Holling's dad has within the family, given that he can make his Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor a
April Quotes
"The whole world is going crazy," my father said, "and no place is crazier than college. You'll stay at your job and be safe."
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When Holling's sister insists on attending Columbia University in the wake of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s death, Holling's dad insists that she will stay at home and work. Though Holling's dad is trying to preserve his family’s perfect, wholesome, and conservative image, it's also important to notice that he wants, first and foremost, to protect his daughter. This adds another layer to Holling's dad, who is, for a majority of the novel, a one-dimensional bad guy. It indicates that for all his neglect and callousness, he truly does care for the safety and wellbeing of his family. Though Holling doesn't 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
May Quotes
For supper, my mother set only three places. She did not cook lima beans. She did not say anything while my father swore up and down […] Didn't she realize that this didn't help his business reputation or his chances for the Chamber of Commerce Businessman of 1968, which that creep Kowalski was trying to steal from him?
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After Heather runs away to California to “find herself,” Holling's parents deal with their anger and grief in different ways. As seen in this passage, Holling's mother shows her displeasure with her husband by not cooking lima beans anymore. This act is subtle, which aligns with her quiet, timid nature. Holling's dad, on the other hand, is only concerned with how Heather’s actions reflect on him—he does not seem concerned for his daughter's safety after all. In this way, the novel suggests that even Holling's dad has some growing up to do, as recognizing that others have internal lives separate Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sun
That's when I knew for the first time that I really did love my sister. But I didn't know if I wanted more for her to come back or for her to find whatever it was that she was trying to find.
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As Holling mulls over how different the house is without his sister around, he realizes that he does love her, even though their relationship feels strained sometimes. However, Holling's uncertainty as to whether he wants her to return or stay away is even more indicative of his coming of age, as it shows that he understands that his sister is different and separate from himself. It recognizes that though he does want her at home for his sake, her desires matter just as much if not more, which is something that Holling's dad never understands. In this way, the novel 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
June Quotes
"You think that's how you become a man, by chanting a few prayers?"
"You think you become a man by getting a job as an architect?"
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After Danny Hupfer's bar mitzvah, Holling and his dad argue about how a boy becomes a man and enters adulthood. Holling's father considers having a job and supporting a family to be indicative of manhood, while Holling thinks that a symbolic and religious coming of age, such as a bar mitzvah, is an appropriate way to enter into adulthood. This provides some evidence as to why Holling's dad is arrogant and obsessed with his job: he sees his family and his job as evidence that he's a contributing, adult member of society who is dutifully providing for his family. 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 delec
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Heather Hoodhood (Holling's Sister) Character Timeline in The Wednesday Wars
The timeline below shows where the character Heather Hoodhood (Holling's Sister) appears in The Wednesday Wars. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
September
Finally, Holling finds his sixteen-year-old sister (later revealed as Heather) to ask her for help. She's in her room, listening to the Monkees, and is...
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October
...he did anything to the cream puffs. Holling is saved from lying when his sister, Heather, sits down at the table with a yellow flower painted on her cheek.
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Holling's dad asks Holling's mother to tell Heather that she has a flower painted on her cheek. Heather assures her family she's aware,...
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Later that night, Heather comes into his room, angry that he didn't support her in standing up to their...
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November
...door, but both leave when he say he's practicing a speech for Mrs. Baker. When Heather knocks on the door, Holling uses one of Caliban's curses on her. She throws the...
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December
Heather is the only one who expresses concern, though she's mostly concerned about news of the...
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January
...but Doug Swieteck's brother has a seemingly unending supply. When Holling gets home on Tuesday, Heather nabs him at the front door with one of the photos. She explains that she...
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Heather asks why military school is ridiculous, and their dad says that the Mets just decided...
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Later, Heather comes into his room and says again that military school is ridiculous because he'd be...
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...fielding calls from people asking if the firm will be closed the next day; and his sister wallows in her misery since she's missing the Beatles' television special and will have to...
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...intersection towards Holling and Doug's brother. As Holling turns back towards Doug's brother, he notices Heather crossing the street, directly in the line of the bus. Holling races towards her, pushes...
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When Holling is settled, Mrs. Baker heads for the hospital. She drops Heather off at the Perfect House to inform Holling's parents of what happened, and she ushers...
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...on the counter, which features a photo of him, leaping through the air to save Heather—whose buttocks is the only part of her visible in the photo.
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February
...attend the formal presentation of the Chamber of Commerce Businessman of 1967 award. Holling and Heather gripe about having to wear flowers, and Holling's dad sneers at Heather that this is...
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Heather excuses herself to the bathroom when they get inside and flushes her flower, grinning triumphantly...
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...under when Hoodhood and Associates inevitably gets the contract to remodel the junior high school. Heather says to take Meryl Lee to Woolworth's so she learns quickly that Holling is a...
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March
...and the enemy is running out of steam. Holling's dad just shakes his head, while Heather is silent. Holling keeps an eye out for news of Lieutenant Baker, which he believes...
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...the weekend to stay out of the house, as his dad is extremely mad at Heather. His dad wanted to hire an afternoon and weekend receptionist for cheap, so he decided...
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April
...he's not going to seek another term in office. Holling listens to his dad and his sister argue over who will win, Bobby Kennedy or Richard Nixon. After the news that night,...
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...killed. Meryl Lee and Holling watch Walter Cronkite announce it on the news. That night, Heather doesn't come down for dinner, and the next day, riots break out in major cities....
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...Holling to the game, assuming his mother is okay with it. Holling ends up asking his sister , who doesn't care, so he and Mrs. Baker drive to the city. They reach...
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...rolls around, Holling, Danny, Mai Thi, and Meryl Lee hang out every afternoon at Woolworth's. Heather hangs out with a guy named Chit, who drives a yellow VW bug.
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...winner will receive a $100 savings bond. Holling's family seems reasonably supportive at dinner, though Heather declares he'll die.
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Holling asks how long until Heather goes to college, and his dad states that she won't be going to college. She...
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May
...Stadium, a multi-million, three-year job. His dad concentrates on his lima beans during dinner. When Heather points out that lima beans have killed lab rats, his dad remarks that she's obviously...
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...there during the day. Holling wonders if the car was actually any comfort, though, when Heather leaves for California to "find herself." Supper that night is quiet, and Holling's mother doesn't...
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...He prays that bombs don't drop on his town and that Lieutenant Baker, Danny, and Heather are safe. When he gets home that afternoon, everyone else is gone. Holling realizes that...
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Late that night, when Holling is the only one awake, Heather calls. They both start crying, and she manages to say that she's in Minneapolis alone,...
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The next morning, not knowing if Heather heard his instructions or not, Holling creeps around the Commerce Bank and waits for it...
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Finally, on Friday night, Holling gets a call from his Heather saying she's on her way. He tells his dad and his mother at breakfast on...
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When the bus from Chicago arrives, Holling is already at the station. When Heather gets off the bus, the noise of the station seems to stop and doesn't start...
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June
...Holling says was a sure bet for president but got shot at point-blank range. When Heather hears the news, she locks herself in her bedroom and puts on the Beatles song...
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After the ceremony, Holling's parents and Heather decide not to stay for the party. Holling walks them out to the car, and...
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