Sometimes a Great Notion

Lee is sick in bed with the flu. Joe Ben tries to get him up, and convinces Viv to take Lee to Dr. Layton. Henry also needs to go to because of his injuries. In town, Henry goes to a bar while Lee is at the doctor’s. Henry sees Indian Jenny at the bar, and they argue. Lee faints after getting a shot from a nurse. Dr. Layton, the same doctor who delivered Lee, asks about Lee’s mother and about the Stamper family, making Lee very anxious. Lee has to wait in town for someone to pick him up, so he goes to the bar and listens to music. He compares logging and jazz in his mind.

Henry, Hank, and Joe Ben continue the logging work until an accident occurs. A splitting tree crushes Henry’s good arm. The tree falls and pins Joe Ben down in the river as the water rises. Hank attempts to help Henry and Joe Ben at the same time. He is unable to move the log, and his motorized saw fails to operate in the rising water, making it impossible to cut the log and free Joe Ben. As the water rises over Joe Ben’s face, Hank keeps his cousin alive for a time by breathing air into his mouth underwater. However, Hank begins to laugh uncontrollably and is unable to continue assisting Joe Ben, who drowns. Hank nails Joe Ben’s sleeves to the log so he will be able to find him later. Hank gets a delirious Henry into their truck and rushes him into town. As he passes the Stamper house, he sees that Viv’s light is on.

Hank takes Henry into the emergency room. As they get out of the truck, Henry’s arm falls completely off, “like a snake coming out of its skin” (591). In shock, Hank picks up the arm after leaving Henry at the hospital.

Unaware of the accident, Lee has walked back home. When he tells Viv about fainting at the doctor’s office, Viv mentions that Henry once wet his pants at the sight of a needle. Lee goes to lie down, but Viv then comes into his room and, “[q]uite simply, we made love” (595). Afterwards, Lee and Viv admit that they love each other. They hear a sound, realizing that Hank has come home. Hank has watched them have sex through the peephole in Lee’s room. Viv goes to see Hank, and Lee feels smug about having finally gotten revenge on his brother. However, he and Viv learn that Joe Ben has died and Henry has been gravely injured, eradicating Lee’s brief feeling of superiority.

The rain finally breaks, and word spreads that Stampers’ interference in the logging strike has been resolved since Hank has given in to Draeger’s offer to buy out the Stampers’ business.

Viv, Hank, and Lee somberly drive to Joe Ben’s viewing. Meanwhile, life begins to pick up around town as local musicians Rod and Ray prepare to play again in Teddy’s bar. Hank goes to see Henry at the hospital. Boney Stokes is there too. Henry is in a terrible condition, but jokes about his arm: “I was kinda attached to it!” (632). Boney accidentally reveals that Hank has made a deal with Draeger, but Henry doesn’t believe it. Hank tries to explain, but Henry changes the subject.