# V explained — So Big

> Chapter companion for So Big by Edna Ferber.

## What happens

Selina attends church and a box social, where she first notices Pervus DeJong and the Widow Paarlenberg. She bids on and wins Pervus's basket, leading to a conversation in which she offers to teach him arithmetic and reading in exchange for his help with the schoolhouse fire.

## Themes in this chapter

### Class and Social Mobility

Selina's offer to teach Pervus arithmetic reflects her role as an agent of education and potential upward mobility in the farming community.

### Gender Roles and Independence

Selina takes the initiative in bidding and in proposing lessons, challenging the passive role expected of women.

## Character check-ins

### Selina DeJong

Attends church and the box social; bids on and wins Pervus DeJong's basket; offers to teach him arithmetic and reading.

### Pervus DeJong

First seen at church; his basket is auctioned at the social; accepts Selina's offer of lessons in exchange for starting the school fire.

### Widow Paarlenberg

A wealthy, striking woman who flirts with Pervus DeJong; her basket is the prize of the evening, but Pervus does not bid on it.

### Maartje Pool

Attends church with Selina and gossips about the Widow Paarlenberg and Pervus DeJong.

### Roelf Pool

Reluctantly attends church; later at the social, he is restrained by Maartje from approaching Selina.

### Klaas Pool

Drives the family to church in the farm wagon.

## Key lines

> She thought cabbage fields beautiful; she read books to that dumb-acting Roelf Pool; she was making over a dress for Maartje after the pattern of the stylish brown lady's-cloth she wore (foolishly) to school.

Selina found beauty in the cabbage fields, read aloud to the seemingly slow Roelf Pool, and was altering a dress for Maartje to match the fashionable brown fabric she herself wore to school.

_Highlights Selina's unconventional tastes and her efforts to share them with the Pool family._

> I'll teach you. I'll teach you.

Selina eagerly offered to instruct Pervus in arithmetic and reading.

_Shows Selina's generous and proactive nature, as well as her belief in education._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/so_big_se/chapters/v
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/so_big_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/so_big_se/chapters