The Teacher's Funeral

Coming of age is an important theme in The Teacher’s Funeral, and in these chapters, multiple characters show evidence of their progress toward adulthood.

In her new hat, Russell notes that Tansy looks grown up. Now, she is “Teacher Tansy” (89). Tansy’s new hat symbolizes both her position and her maturation and foreshadows her relationship with Eugene. Tansy understands that she needs to leave her childhood behind and establish authority as a teacher, since most of her students know Tansy as a former fellow pupil and friend. To take charge, Tansy insists her pupils call her “Miss” Tansy. Using psychology instead of whupping, Tansy effectively handles two classroom management crises: Tween Pearl requires a show of power, while Tansy assuages Little Britches’s fears and wins her loyalty. Tansy demonstrates her growing development as a teacher and adult.

Russell must face the consequences of his poor choices. Smoking the buggy whip, trying to prank Tansy with the muffled school bell, and shirking his chore of cutting back the dry weeds behind the privy could have caused an even more serious fire. Although he initially attempts to dodge responsibility, Russell accepts his part in the accident and agrees to make restitution. Learning from and fixing one’s mistakes is a pivotal part of growing up. Russell also evidences maturation in his thinking about the Tarboxes. When Glenn saves J.W.’s life, Russell must reevaluate ingrained prejudices about the family. By choosing to attend school and go against his family, Glenn Tarbox makes a courageous, life-changing decision that will affect his future. In this decision, Glenn shows more maturity than Russell, who is ready to abandon education for what he thinks is freedom.

Charlie Parr displays another aspect of growing up: noticing the opposite sex. Charlie points out Pearl’s “different shape up above” (75). Russell does not understand why Charlie is surprisingly “well-barbered” and helpful for the first day of school (77) until he notices Charlie watching the way Tansy walks (111). Although Tansy looks grown up to Russell, he still views her as just his sister, rather than a grown woman.

These chapters also again reveal the insular nature of rural Parke County and its attitude toward outsiders—or those outside their value system. The community has a low opinion of the Tarbox family.

The Tarboxes commit a social impropriety by not attending Miss Myrt’s funeral. They have also earned a reputation as thieves. Another sign of their lower social status is Mrs. Tarbox’s pronounced “Hoosier” accent (101). Their run-down home and derelict farm are an affront to the community, which values hard work. Russell sees that the Tarbox land is “ruined” (103). Both the Tarbox livestock and their children are uncared for. Mrs. Tarbox is not a nurturing mother: None of her children under six are “housebroke” (103). Russell fears going to the Tarbox farm based on stories he has heard. While the visit confirms some of his prejudices, Glenn surprises Russell. Although Mrs. Tarbox does not care about the future of her children, Glenn takes his future into his own hands. These chapters continue to build on the theme of education as an opportunity for a bright future, and for change. Russell’s father, for instance, is not averse to change, and respects Eugene for his cleverness and his ambition. Similarly, Tansy works to achieve her own goal of making a dramatic change in education: for the practice and the students.

A little more information on old-time practices clarifies two historical references in this section. Russell worries about the privy fire being public knowledge thanks to the telephone and the Rural Free Delivery (RFD). The Rural Free Delivery was a postal service that started in 1896—eight years before the time of the novel. The RFU delivered mail directly to rural families. Prior to this time, farmers would have to travel to pick up their mail at remote post offices or would have to pay a private service for delivery.

When Tansy asks her pupils to pull the map out of the back of their “Monkey Ward” catalog (96), she is referring to the Montgomery Ward catalog. The Montgomery Ward company issued their first mail-order catalog—just a single page long—in 1872. They were the first mail-order company to sell directly to farmers, offering low prices and a money-back guarantee. The catalog became known as the “Wish Book.” By 1897, the catalog was 1,000 pages long. The pages also served as toilet paper. Russell notes, “Everybody ordered out of the catalog, and without its pages you’d have to carry corncobs to the privy” (96). Corncobs were in fact used as toilet paper—though most people preferred using catalog pages.

Peck refers to other rural customs in this section that today’s schools would seriously question. Flopears, Lloyd, and Lester play at throwing their pocketknives into the dirt. Russell and Charlie look forward to winter when they can bring their rifles and hunt rabbits during the noon recess. In rural Indiana in 1904, rifles and pocketknives were useful and necessary tools that boys carried regularly and responsibly.