Dicey's Song
Response Journal: Dicey’s Song 1. Comment on: Dicey and Gram’s holding on/letting go. Dicey and Gram practiced holding on by letting go throughout the entire novel as they help each of the children confront a major problem: they help Maybeth by encouraging her in her piano lessons and convincing James to work with her, they help Sammy by talking to him and indirectly letting him know that they accept and understand his fighting, and they help James by just being aware of his problem. Both Dicey and Gram love the children and are always there for them with advice, but they expect the children to solve their own problems. By letting go of the some of the control that each has on the children can they expect to hold on to them. When momma dies, Gram shows that she is letting go and holding on. Gram would not let the children up in her attic to look at photo albums and other things of Gram’s past. But when momma dies Gram lets go of the pain by bringing out these photos and remembering her child. She then lets the children up in the attic to get a taste of what their family history was about.