46 pages • 1 hour read
Jo Watson HacklSmack Dab in the Middle of Maybe
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2018A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Background
Historical Context: Ghost Towns and the Bird Room
Although Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe is a work of fiction, it is based on real people and places. The ghost town where Cricket spends most of the story is called Electric City. It is based on the real ghost town of Electric Mills, Mississippi (“Electric Mills.” The Historical Marker Database). The real town was established in 1913 by the Sumter Lumber Company. The town was a small but thriving community until the mill shut down in 1941, at which point most residents left the area. Today, little survives of Electric Mills, as is the case for Electric City in the novel. Like Electric City, Electric Mills did have its own coins, called doogaloos. However, calling them a currency is somewhat misleading. Doogaloos were a form of company scrip, which means that the company that ran the mill paid its employees in doogaloos instead of dollars. Those doogaloos could then only be spent at shops in Electric Mills, so residents were entirely financially beholden to the company that they worked for. Company scrip was outlawed in the United States in 1938 because of its exploitative nature.
Bob is a fictional character, but he is loosely based on Walter Inglis Anderson, Jo Watson Hackl’s favorite artist (“About Smack Dab.” Jo Watson Hackl). Anderson, who was from New Orleans, painted the natural world of the American South. Bob’s art style resembles Anderson’s artistic work. The Bird Room is based on the Little Room, a room in Anderson’s own home that he never allowed anyone to enter during his lifetime (“The Little Room.” Walter Anderson Museum of Art). As Hackl explains in her Author’s Note, Anderson’s art was not always appreciated while he was alive, but it has received attention in the years since his death. Much of his surviving artwork is currently on display at the Walter Anderson Museum of Art in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Like Bob (and Mama), Anderson experienced periods of mental illness throughout his life. Both Bob and Anderson went on long walking trips. Unlike Bob, Anderson mostly walked during travel expeditions to examine the natural world.
Social Context: Mental Illness
Cricket’s mother has an unspecified mental illness that significantly affects her behavior. Though the text of the book never names her illness, her experiences are consistent with symptoms of bipolar disorder. Bipolar is a mood disorder that can have many different presentations (“Bipolar Disorder.” National Institutes of Health). Typically, people with bipolar disorder experience periods of depression (very low mood and energy, among other symptoms) and periods of mania (high energy, disorganized thoughts, reckless behavior, and other symptoms). Some people with bipolar may experience delusions, particularly during manic episodes. In most cases, symptoms of bipolar first manifest in adolescence or early adulthood. Bipolar disorder is usually lifelong, and although it cannot be cured, it can be managed. Many people with bipolar disorder benefit from mood-stabilizing medication, therapy, and lifestyle accommodations such as a regular routine. With the right treatment, people with bipolar disorder can significantly mitigate their symptoms. The causes of bipolar disorder are not fully understood, but there is a genetic component.
In Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe, Cricket’s mother does have access to medication that helps her. After Cricket’s grandmother dies, Mama disposes of her medication. She struggles to manage her condition in part because she does not have an extensive support network of people who understand what she is dealing with. Cricket often worries that her mother is “crazy” and that she might be, too. While this thought makes sense given Cricket’s experiences, it is based on a stigmatized view of mental illness. Having bipolar disorder is not a personal or moral failing, and it does not make someone “crazy.” It is a serious illness that requires support and treatment. While Mama’s behavior is explained by her illness, she is still responsible for her actions. Her decisions to abandon Cricket and to refuse treatment options that might help her, like medication, are choices that reflect her priorities and her own limited understanding of her illness.
