Helen


 * The Big Questions: How does this chapter fit the novel as a whole / Why is it important / What should a good reader take away from this chapter**

Helen fits into the story the best as in the last words "Well Jess are you one of us or not" fits perfectly with the title i am one of you forever. As when he sees the form of the woman //Helen// he is separate from Johnson and Joe Roberts. But when Johnson comes in the door looming over him Johnson seems inhuman as if Johnson is a completely different person than jess.Yet when Johnson asks if Jess is one of them or not Jess still seems separate from Johnson.(Williams) Jess is finally satisfied, and finally achieves what he has been trying to do the entire time. He finally gets to be one of them, after not seeing helen, he finally becomes one of them, hence the title, I Am One Of You Forever.(Watkins)

//Helen//, the ending chapter, ties the whole book together. The last quote "Well, Jess are you one of us or not?", leaves a large imprint in your mind, while making an impact on your understanding of the various baffling events which occur throughout the story. For the duration of the book Jess' only wish is to learn more and to step out of his shadow of ignorance. He believes that only thing preventing him from becoming an adult is his prominent lack of knowledge. In thischapter, it becomes evident that his dearth of understanding drives him away form his initial desire to be just like Joe Robert and Johnson Gibbs. (Selby)

There was a lot of descriptive and we learn that Jess grows up a lot more, Helen was one of the barriers blocking Jess from the man's world. While staying up throughout the night sharing the cabin with his family. All of the men in his family whisper the name 'Helen'. This name leaves Jess in the woods when it comes to relationships later in life. After, he feels dismantled form the rest of the group, he starts to drift to sleep. but before his eyes shut he sees the women of Troy, Helen in the corner of his eye. This signifying that he has taken the next step to growing up, and having a relationship with a women as he matures like the rest of his loved ones. The quote spoken by Johnson Gibbs at the end of this chapter, "Well, Jess are you one of us or not?", shows the decision that Jess must make about who he strives to be when he grows up. This question is answered within the title "I am One of you Forever" is later answered by the present day jess who is the author and narrator of this book. As shown, the readers of this book now know that the author is jess, and he has decided he is, one of them forever. (Cordle, Cooper, Spencer)


 * Important Quotes (and commentary)**

"I began to feel as a strange among them. They knew different things than I did. It seemed that they were willing to tell me, but I didn't know what to ask." "In a few minutes I heard the sound of boots on the rough porch planking. The door opened and Johnson Gibbs stood solidly in it. His blue eyes were very bright. There was full sunlight now and it make a burning glare on the snow. Against this harsh light Johnson's figure loomed black, black as velvet, blackly burning, and his voice sounded deep and hollow: 'Well, Jess are you one of us or not?' " "There was a woman I had never heard of before and she was powerful in their three lives. No, that was not possible. There was no secret like that for them to share. They didn't share secrets anyhow."

"Well, Jess are you one of us or not?" "Suddenly-all at the same time-each of the three stirred in his bed. I couldn't see them, but recognized from the sound of the movement that they now sat bolt upright in the bunks, their hands flat on the mattresses. They were still not awake, but each of them stared open-eyed and sightless into the space of the room in front of the fireplace. As one man they gasped, like dicers coming out the ocean. They remained sitting, all three, breathing hoarsely, staring and not seeing." "I was disturbed most of all." (Cooper, Spencer, Cordle)

"Helen" "There was a woman I had never heard if before and she was powerful in their three lives. No, that was not possible. There was no secret like that for them to share. They didn't shear secrets anyhow." (Williams, Watkins)


 * Moments of astonishingly good writing**

"There I lay on my back with my hands beneath my head, staring at the ceiling in which I could barely make out the board edges and pine knots. I heard the wind sifting the papery snow in the oak trees and laurels."