# Rallying from the Blow explained — Driven Back to Eden > Chapter companion for Driven Back to Eden by Edward Payson Roe. ## What happens After a devastating lightning strike burns down the barn, the family and neighbors rally together to recover. Robert Durham remains optimistic, revealing that the buildings were insured. The chapter details the practical steps taken to salvage the farm: saving compost, planting fodder corn, weeding the garden, and selling produce to generate income. The family learns to prioritize selling over personal consumption, and the community's support underscores the theme of neighborliness. ## Themes in this chapter ### Community and Neighborliness Neighbors like Mr. Jones, Bagley, and Rollins rally to help with planting and moral support after the barn fire. ### Self-Reliance and Hard Work Robert's proactive insurance, compost-making, and garden work exemplify self-reliance and industriousness in the face of disaster. ### Economic Transformation The family shifts from subsistence to market-oriented farming, selling produce and prioritizing income over personal consumption. ## Character check-ins ### Robert Durham Shows resilience after the barn fire, reveals insurance coverage, and organizes recovery efforts including compost management and garden work. ### Merton Helps with compost gathering, raspberry picking, and is praised by Robert for acting like a man during the emergency. ### Bobsey Struggles to understand the need to sell produce instead of consuming it, showing consumer tendencies. ### Mr. Jones Offers practical advice and help with plowing and sowing fodder corn, demonstrating neighborly support. ### Bagley Helps with spreading compost and planting corn, and is acknowledged as a good friend despite past conflicts. ### Winnie Calls the chickens after the storm and shows concern for Robert's spirits. ## Key lines > This I explained in such a way that all except Bobsey saw the wisdom of it, or, rather, the necessity. As yet, Bobsey’s tendencies were those of a consumer, and not of a producer or saver. Robert explained the need to sell produce rather than eat it, and only Bobsey failed to grasp the necessity, still thinking like a consumer rather than a producer. _Highlights the economic lesson and Bobsey's immature perspective._ > I had early been impressed with the importance of obtaining and saving everything that would enrich the soil, and had been shown that increasing the manure pile was the surest way to add to one’s bank account. Robert had learned that saving and composting organic matter was the best way to improve soil fertility and, ultimately, farm profits. _Reflects the theme of self-reliance and practical agricultural knowledge._ > Tell ye what it is, neighbors," said practical Mr. Jones; " ’tisn’t too late for Mr. Durham to sow a big lot of fodder corn, and that’s about as good as hay. We’ll turn to and help him get some in." Mr. Jones suggested planting fodder corn as a substitute for hay and offered the neighbors' help to get it sown quickly. _Demonstrates community support and practical farming advice._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/driven_back_to_eden_se/chapters/xxxvii-rallying-from-the-blow - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/driven_back_to_eden_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/driven_back_to_eden_se/chapters