The Yearling facts for kids
Cover of original 1938 edition
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| Author | Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Young adult novel |
| Publisher | Charles Scribner's Sons |
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Publication date
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1938 |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
| Pages | 416 (mass market paperback) |
| Preceded by | South Moon Under |
| Followed by | Cross Creek |
The Yearling is a famous novel written by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. It was first published in March 1938. This book quickly became very popular, being chosen as the main book for the Book of the Month Club in April 1938.
It was the best-selling novel in America in 1938 and stayed popular in 1939. Over 250,000 copies were sold in 1938 alone! The story has been translated into many languages, including Spanish, Chinese, French, Japanese, German, Italian, and Russian. In 1939, The Yearling won the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, which is a major award for books.
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings worked with a famous editor named Maxwell Perkins. He also worked with other well-known writers like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. Perkins had rejected some of Rawlings's earlier ideas. He told her to write about things she knew from her own life. The Yearling was written after she took his advice.
Contents
What is The Yearling About?
Jody's Life in the Florida Backwoods
The story follows a young boy named Jody Baxter. He lives with his parents, Ora and Ezra "Penny" Baxter, on a small farm. Their home is in the wild, animal-filled central Florida backwoods during the 1870s. Jody's parents had six other children before him, but they all died when they were babies. This makes his mother, Ora, find it hard to connect with Jody.
Jody loves being outdoors and spending time with his family. He has always wanted a pet. However, his mother believes they barely have enough food for themselves. She thinks they certainly don't have enough to feed an animal.
Adopting Flag the Fawn
A part of the story involves the hunt for an old bear named Slewfoot. This bear often attacks the Baxters' farm animals. The Baxters also have arguments with their neighbors, the rowdy Forrester family. Even though the Forresters are seen as a rough group, the youngest brother, Fodder-Wing, is a good friend to Jody.
One day, the Forresters steal the Baxters' hogs. While Penny and Jody are looking for the stolen animals, Penny gets bitten by a rattlesnake. To save his life, Penny shoots a doe (a female deer). He uses its liver to help draw out the snake's venom. This act leaves the doe's young fawn without a mother.
Jody convinces his parents to let him adopt the fawn. Jody later learns that Fodder-Wing has named the fawn Flag. Flag becomes Jody's constant companion. The book then focuses on Jody's life as he grows up alongside Flag.
Growing Up and Facing Challenges
The story shows Jody dealing with many challenges. These include difficult relationships, hunger, the death of friends, and the unpredictable nature of the world. He experiences a terrible flood that causes much damage.
Jody also shares tender moments with his family, his fawn, and their neighbors. He learns about the tough life of a farmer and hunter from his father. The polite, God-fearing Baxters and the people from nearby Volusia and Ocala are shown as very different from their "hillbilly" neighbors, the Forresters.
A Difficult Choice
As Jody gets older, he has to make a very hard decision. He must choose between his beloved pet, Flag, and his family. Flag grows bigger and starts eating the family's corn crop. This corn is what the family needs to survive the next winter.
Jody's father tells him to take Flag into the woods and shoot him. But Jody cannot bring himself to do it. When his mother shoots Flag and wounds him, Jody is then forced to shoot Flag himself, killing the young deer.
In his anger and sadness, Jody runs away. He soon learns the true meaning of hunger, loneliness, and fear. He tries to reach an older friend in Boston using a broken canoe. However, he is picked up by a mail ship and returned home. In the end, Jody truly grows up. He starts taking on more adult responsibilities in the difficult "world of men," but he is always surrounded by his family's love.
Who are the Main Characters?
- Ezra "Penny" Baxter: Jody's father. He was raised by a strict minister. He treats Jody kindly because of his own tough childhood. He fought in the Civil War. His friend Lem Forrester nicknamed him "Penny" because he is small.
- Ora Baxter: Jody's mother. She is often called "Ma" or "Ma Baxter."
- Jody Baxter: The main character, son of Ora and Penny Baxter.
- Flag: Jody's pet fawn.
- The Forresters: This family lives near the Baxters. They include Pa and Ma Forrester, Buck, Mill-Wheel, Arch, Lem, Gabby, Pack, and Fodder-wing. The two families often have conflicts.
- Fodder-wing Forrester: Jody's best friend. He has a physical disability and is seen as a bit unusual. However, he loves animals very much.
- Julia: A hound dog owned by the Baxters. Penny loves her, but she doesn't trust Jody.
- Rip: A Bulldog owned by the Baxters.
- Perk: A feist dog that originally belonged to the Baxters. He is later traded to the Forresters for a new gun.
- Doc Wilson: An acquaintance of Penny.
Film and TV Versions
The Yearling has been made into movies and TV shows several times.
- A film of the same name was released in 1946. It starred Gregory Peck as Penny Baxter and Jane Wyman as Ora Baxter. Both actors were nominated for Oscars. Claude Jarman Jr., who played Jody Baxter, won a special Oscar for young actors.
- In 1949, the film was turned into a newspaper comic in France, called Jody et le Faon (Jody and the Fawn).
- A Broadway musical based on the book was created in 1965. It had music by Michael Leonard and lyrics by Herbert Martin.
- Barbra Streisand, a famous singer, recorded four songs from the musical.
- A Japanese animated version was released in 1983.
- Another film adaptation was made in 1983 by Martin Ritt. It starred Mary Steenburgen and Rip Torn.
- A 1994 television adaptation featured Peter Strauss as Ezra Baxter and Jean Smart as Ora Baxter.
- In 2012, singer/songwriter Andrew Peterson released a song called "The Ballad of Jody Baxter." This song explores themes from The Yearling.
