Hi all! I just finished reading The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store and noticed something that didn’t make sense in the book’s chronology toward the end of the novel. However, I can’t find a single other person talking about it, and even my partner, who read the book, didn’t notice, so now I’m wondering if maybe I misread something. Would love to hear the thoughts and opinions of others on this topic. Basically, what I think I noticed is this:
Spoilers!
The morning of Memorial Day, Gus and Doc discuss Gus’ nasty toe. Doc tells Gus that after rehearsal for the parade, he’ll go get something for the nasty toe. He also tells Gus to go to Marv and get a shoe made there. End chapter. Then later on, we get a chapter where Marv goes to Issac and says that Gus came to get a shoe for his nasty foot a week ago. So, this scene must take place after Memorial Day, right? But this is also the day where Issac tells Marv to help him find two Union Jews to be on the train to pick up Nate and Dodo from the Pullman Porters, which, upon reading the epilogue, we know for a fact takes place on Memorial Day. The railroad brothers (the Kofflers) make a point of saying it’s Memorial Day, and all the stores are closed. We also know from other chapters that Nate went to get Dodo on Memorial Day, after he dropped off the instruments for the parade, which Gus and Doc attended.
So, my question is if the line where Marv says to Issac that Gus came to him a week ago for a shoe is an error on the author’s part. Because if Marv and Issac are planning the events of Memorial Day in that conversation, then this scene has to happen before Memorial Day. But, with the line stating that Gus came to Marv a week ago, that means this scene would actually have to be taking place a week after Memorial Day, since Gus doesn’t hear of Marv until Doc tells Gus about Marc ON Memorial Day, right?
What am I missing here to make this make sense?? Help!
Also, did anyone else notice that at one point Big Soap translates into Italian the entire story of what happened with Doc and Chona to his mother, from Fatty (because his mom doesn’t understand it fully in English), but then a couple chapters later in the car while waiting for Paper at, I believe, the Lowgood’s, Fatty tells Big Soap the Chona/Doc story again, as if he hasn’t heard it before? Like, he literally translated the entire story just a couple of chapters ago. Pretty sure this is not new info to him. Was there a reason for this repetition?
Anyway, those are the two things I noticed! Can't wait to hear what you think!
by yendysyerb