57 pages • 1 hour read
Tove JanssonThe Summer Book
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1972A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Vignettes 15-18Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Vignette 15 Summary: “The Robe”
Father has a large, old flannel robe that has been aged with wear and salt water. He wore it for several years, then put it in the attic but occasionally goes up to wear it and think. One summer, Sophia rebels by hiding in the attic and saying horrible things to the robe and by cheating while playing cards with Grandmother. Grandmother remembers being well-behaved, but she notes that she could have a rebellious phase at her age.
When Grandmother scolds Sophia for using “Jesus” in vain, Sophia yells that she doesn’t care about God’s family—“I don’t care about his old family! I hate families!” (97)—and she hides in the attic. While in the attic, Sophia sees the robe move a small bit and thinks either something is in the robe or that the robe is alive. She falls asleep with the robe, and Father brings her down to her room. The next morning, she decides no one else can know that the robe is alive.
At sundown each day, Sophia checks on the robe. Grandmother tells her to shut the trapdoor to the attic and go outside. She and Sophia are not getting along and often fight. Sophia fixates on the thing living in the robe, which goes days without moving and does not eat, and she stops eating anything except sandwiches. They run out of bread and butter, and Father takes the boat to pick up supplies.
While he is gone, high winds develop which create rough seas. Sophia goes to the shore and watches the waves, and she scolds Grandmother for sitting and reading. Grandmother assures Sophia that Father will make it back, but she feels sick and takes a Lupatro. Sophia vomits, and Grandmother suggests that Father is not back yet because he was delayed by waiting in lines and having to pack everything into the boat. Sophia blames herself for eating too many sandwiches, and she throws a tantrum.
Upon Sophia’s request, Grandmother crawls into the attic to get the robe. Sophia asks her to shake the robe, and something comes out and slips under the door. Sophia sleeps with the robe, and Grandmother sees Father’s boat. Soaked, he comes inside to get the lamp and take it out to fill it with kerosene.
Vignette 16 Summary: “The Enormous Plastic Sausage”
Grandmother explains that small islands, like the one where the family stays in the summer, do not need maintenance like the larger islands closer to the mainland. Having lived on the island for 47 years, Grandmother knows when all the native plants grow and bloom. While she knows the island will take care of itself, Grandmother feels empathy toward the plants during droughts, and she takes water from the marsh to water some of her favorite plants. She also collects and spreads seeds.
Father orders non-native plants from a catalog. They need high levels of care, and he must ship in soil, as the bulbs cannot survive in the turf on the island. The weather stays cold in the spring, so Father stores the plants inside until they can be planted on the island. During the day, Father moves stones and makes garden beds, which Grandmother says will result in the marsh rising which will impact the junipers. Sophia, excited for the new plants, does not care about the junipers. Grandmother plans to fix the turf Father is destroying because it is the site of a natural daisy bed. At night, Grandmother and Sophia learn the scientific names of the new plants, while Father studies how to care for the plants.
When the weather warms, they plant the new trees and bulbs into the beds Father has made. The plants grow and bloom, save for the poplar. The weather stays nice, but it does not rain. Father has installed an irrigation system that uses the island’s fresh water, which results in the native plants dying. The water basin dries up, and father orders a large water bladder that looks like a large sausage. They go to a nearby island and pump water from a bog into the bladder. The bladder is so heavy that Father struggles to get it back to their island. As they are approaching the island, a storm comes. Father pumps the water from the bladder as the rain pours, and Grandmother waters a daisy plant with a teacup.
Vignette 17 Summary: “The Crooks”
A yacht comes to the island one night, and Father dresses and goes down to the water, leaving Grandmother and Sophia at home. The people on the yacht play music, and Sophia wants to go to the party they are throwing, but Grandmother advises that they wait until Father comes to get them. They lie down and fall asleep, and Sophia is upset in the morning that Father did not come to get them. Grandmother agrees that Father was wrong to leave them behind.
Grandmother tells Sophia that the people were probably unpleasant and unknowledgeable about boats. Sophia urges her to continue her story, and Grandmother says that they stole the boat and contraband from a smuggler, and they came to the island to hide the stolen property. She suggests that the bad men wanted Father to buy alcohol, and Sophia, speaking as Father, answers that he will find his liquor elsewhere. They pretend the men asked about Father’s family, and Sophia breaks from the fantasy by arguing they didn’t need to be spared from a party. Grandmother tries to resume the play, but Sophia continues to complain about missing the party.
They go to the shore and see that the people on the boat threw all their garbage overboard, and it has washed up on the land. Sophia returns to making up a story, and she says that the crooks on the boat gave Father a sleeping potion, which is why he didn’t come for them and why he is still asleep now. Grandmother suggests it was Nembutal, which scares Sophia. She screams and turns to run but sees a box of chocolates with a card reading, “Love and kisses to those too old and too young to come to the party” (121). However, Grandmother tells Sophia the card is an admission of guilt and a request for forgiveness. Sophia forgives the crooks, and Father spends the day with a hangover.
Vignette 18 Summary: “The Visitor”
Father brings the houseplants outside. Grandmother questions why, and Sophia explains he is leaving for a week and that she and Grandmother are staying with people on another island, which Grandmother had not been told. Failing to distract herself by reading, Grandmother stews on the idea that she has become a burden and that she is not allowed to make decisions.
The Övergårds deliver the mail, and Father receives news that he does not need to travel, but Grandmother is still not happy. Grandmother grows distant and her relationship with Sophia deteriorates as she becomes hostile. Sophia writes a note to Grandmother that reads, “I hate you. With warm personal wishes, Sophia” (124). She tries to makes a kite without Grandmother’s help, but the kite fails.
Grandmother’s long-time friend, Verner, arrives for a visit and to bring her the usual bottle of sherry, which Grandmother does not like but accepts out of politeness. Verner comments on the beautiful landscape as they meet in their final stages of life. Sophia offends Verner by thinking his boat is less powerful than it is, so Grandmother suggests that she and Verner take a walk. Grandmother says her legs are bad, and Verner says their friend Backmansson has died. Verner complains about changes he notices, and Grandmother tells him not to fuss. She points out the poplar tree, which is now growing well. Verner suggests Grandmother takes comfort in Sophia’s presence, but Grandmother scolds him for symbolizing the conversation.
Verner reveals that he stole the boat he came on from his family and that he gets depressed because his family treats him like a burden, and they commiserate over their similar circumstances. After he leaves, Grandmother tells Sophia that Verner has a mean family who tells him what to do, and Sophia says that would never happen to their family, and Grandmother says, “No, never!” (131).
Vignettes 15-18 Analysis
Although it is not explicitly stated, the reader can infer that the robe in “The Robe” is somehow connected with Sophia’s deceased mother. The connection is suggested by Father’s love for the robe and his refusal to part with it. Although it stinks and is stiff, old, and has been chewed by mice, the robe is kept in the attic, where Father and Sophia visit it. Sophia becomes rebellious, having outbursts and displaying other inappropriate behavior like cheating. During one outburst, she screams that she hates family, suggesting that she is experiencing deep emotional pain, likely caused by grief from the loss of her mother and reintroducing the theme of Healing From Loss.
The inexplicable movements of the robe and the vague thing that falls out of the robe suggest that Sophia imagines her mother’s spirit is living inside the robe. The robe gives her a sense of security, so she seeks it out when she is in emotional turmoil. Sophia’s grief is further symbolized in her refusal to eat anything except for simple bread-and-butter sandwiches. She is using her diet to gain control over her life. Grandmother processes grief and stress differently than Sophia, which bothers Sophia. She is upset with Grandmother for remaining calm when Father has not yet returned home. The differences in their processing styles further develop the theme of Healing From Loss by demonstrating that everyone has their own coping mechanisms.
“The Enormous Plastic Sausage” revisits the theme of human-caused environmental destruction introduced in “The Road.” Grandmother has a deep appreciation for the natural environment on the island. Although she understands the island is fine without her help, she empathizes with the plants during hardships like drought or human intervention, and she does what she can to help. This characterizes Grandmother as compassionate and caring toward the natural world. Grandmother is also depicted as tolerant: She disagrees with Father’s decision to alter the landscape of the island, but she stays silent. Her tolerance and kindness are demonstrated further when Father buys the water bladder, fills it, and struggles to tow it back to the island. The end of “The Enormous Plastic Sausage” uses humor to deepen the contrast between Father’s attitude toward nature and Grandmother’s: The bladder, which was already ridiculous due to its unwieldly size, is rendered superfluous by the rain. Grandmother’s empathetic irrationality is shown in her final redundant act of watering a daisy plant while Father is pumping water from the bladder and while it is raining.
“The Crooks” and “The Visitor” both center on The Difficulties of Age-Related Restrictions. In “The Crooks,” Sophia and Grandmother are left out because they are perceived as too young and too old to attend the party on the yacht. Sophia feels jealous and rejected, while Grandmother agrees Father behaved rudely but she does not seem to care that she has missed the party. The disparity in their reactions can be attributed to differences in life experiences—Grandmother has likely attended many parties in her life, while Sophia has likely not been to such parties. The sense of mystery intensifies Sophia’s reactions, so Grandmother tries to soothe Sophia by creating a narrative to help lessen her feelings of missing out. “The Visitor” centers on Grandmother’s strong reaction when Father makes plans for her without consulting her. She enters a depressive state, and she distances herself from her family, even becoming hostile toward Sophia. Grandmother’s growing sense of exclusion and helplessness reflect how her age can be a disadvantage whenever Father infantilizes or excludes her instead of treating her as an equal.
Grandmother’s attitude does not turn around until she talks to Verner, who, although he is 10 years younger, is experiencing similar circumstances. He has become so frustrated with his family controlling his life that he stole a boat and took it to visit Grandmother. Verner can relate to Grandmother where Sophia cannot—Sophia does not understand the emotional and physical tolls of aging, because she is still a child. This disparity is further reflected in the use of sarcasm at the end of the story when Grandmother sarcastically agrees that her family would never be so oppressive. The events of “The Visitor” help show that, while Grandmother and Sophia have a uniquely close relationship, there are also limitations to Grandparent-Grandchild Relationships that cannot always be rectified.
