Driven Back to Eden · Chapter
VI: A Bluff Friend explained
The family prepares for their move to the country, studying seed catalogs and seeking advice from a blunt but honest market dealer, Mr.
What happens
The family prepares for their move to the country, studying seed catalogs and seeking advice from a blunt but honest market dealer, Mr. Bogart, who warns against novelties and recommends reliable varieties. The narrator learns the value of not taking offense and gains a trustworthy ally.
Themes in this chapter
Self-Reliance and Hard Work
The narrator seeks practical, honest advice to build a self-sufficient life on the farm, emphasizing the value of experience over flashy novelties.
Moral Education and Discipline
The narrator uses the encounter with Mr. Bogart to teach Merton about not taking offense and the importance of maintaining one's dignity without toadyism.
Community and Neighborliness
Mr. Bogart's blunt honesty and willingness to help, despite his rough manner, exemplify a form of neighborly support and trust.
Characters to notice
- Unknown
The narrator, Robert Durham, visits Mr. Bogart for seed advice and demonstrates patience and wisdom in handling the old man's bluntness.
- Mr. Bogart
A shrewd, blunt old market dealer who gives practical advice on seed selection and becomes a friend and ally to the narrator.
- Merton
The narrator's son, who learns a lesson about not taking offense too easily from the interaction with Mr. Bogart.
- Mrs. Durham
The narrator's wife, who initially hopes for vegetable novelties but later laughs at her disappointed expectations.
Key passages
“A fool and his money are soon parted.”
A foolish person quickly loses their money.
Mr. Bogart's blunt warning against buying untested seed novelties.
“You jest let that newfangled truck alone, till you get more forehanded in cash and experience.”
Avoid those newfangled items until you have more money and experience.
Mr. Bogart advises sticking with reliable, proven vegetable varieties.
“I see it all, papa; if you had gone off mad when he the same as called you a fool, you would have lost all his good advice.”
I understand now, Papa: if you had stormed off when he essentially called you a fool, you would have missed his valuable advice.
Merton grasps the lesson about not taking offense too quickly.