Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer

As the novel’s primary form of storytelling is through Sophie’s letters to her late ancestors, the themes of grief and legacy naturally arise. Sophie’s family has just moved to her late Great-Uncle Jim’s farm, and Sophie begins to feel grief over not having known him very well. Sophie also expresses grief toward her late Abuelita, with whom she had a close relationship. Through Sophie’s connection to these two ancestors, Jones suggests that grief can be alleviated through carrying on a person’s legacy.

Sophie’s connection to Abuelita is established when she writes about her family settling into the farm and ends the letter with how much she misses Abuelita. Through Sophie’s letters to Abuelita, she expresses longing for Abuelita to still be around. She writes, “I wish I’d asked you about your chickens while you were alive” and asks, “if you’re still around keeping an eye on me, would you please keep an eye on my chickens too?” (109). Sophie connects to Abuelita posthumously through caring for chickens, just like Abuelita did as a child. Sophie’s chickens play an important role in her exploration of Abuelita’s legacy, as they catalyze the introduction of the migas recipe motif. Sophie mentions that nobody can read Abuelita’s handwriting, “so we can’t make any of her recipes now” (41). The loss of Abuelita’s recipes along with Abuelita makes it difficult for Sophie to relive her fond memories with Abuelita through the food they shared. Sophie writes to Abuelita about her parents trying their first farm-fresh egg and thinking about all their favorite egg recipes, “[b]ut your migas is what we all loved best. I wish I could read your recipe, but since I can’t I’m going to look for one at the library” (110). When Sophie makes Abuelita's migas recipe, the family comes together over it. Through the migas recipe, Abuelita’s legacy lives on, and Sophie can soothe her grief with the life she’s breathed back into the family’s memories of Abuelita.

Sophie’s grief for Great-Uncle Jim is more complex than her grief for Abuelita, as she doesn’t remember visiting the farm when she was younger and is “really sorry you died before I came back” (27). Sophie’s laments illustrate a distance between she and Great-Uncle Jim, making her grief about his absence less personal and more conceptual. However, Sophie uses his legacy to bridge the gap between her grief and her acceptance of death. When Sophie begins to encounter Great-Uncle Jim’s chickens, like Henrietta, Sophie decides that “[i]f she was Great-Uncle Jim’s, I think I should keep her" (41). Sophie works hard to make sure that Great-Uncle Jim’s chickens are cared for, and later in the novel, she resumes his sale of glass eggs to the feed store. Agnes, from beyond the grave, tells Sophie that “jijim says he’s so proud of you […] thanks for taking care of the chickens” (206). Through continuing Great-Uncle Jim’s unusual poultry legacy, Sophie builds a connection with her Great-Uncle Jim, alleviating some of the grief she felt over not knowing him well in life. Sophie’s continuation of Great-Uncle Jim and Abuelita’s legacies helps her keep their memories alive for her family and the community, developing the idea that legacy can be a way to cope with grief.