45 pages • 1 hour read
Keri HulmeThe Bone People
Keri HulmeFiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1984A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
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BetaEpilogueChapter Summaries & Analyses
Epilogue Summary: “Moonwater Picking”
The Epilogue offers a happy ending for all three protagonists. Kerewin returns to the town and rebuilds her home, this time in the shape of a spiraling seashell. The building is now open and welcoming to others and eventually becomes the gathering place for her and Joe’s families. Joe reaches out to Kerewin’s relatives in secret, and they arrive unannounced, thinking Kerewin sent the message. Amidst their joyous reconciliation, Joe sees Simon, who has been legally adopted by Kerewin and is overwhelmed by love. The book ends on a scene of revelry at the break of dawn.
Epilogue Analysis
The epilogue offers the quintessential happy ending. The three protagonists are finally reunited and form a new, nontraditional family unit, with Kerewin holding all the legal power, while Joe, presumably, serves as a spiritual guide and guardian to the wider community. Simon is finally officially adopted, becoming a fully-fledged member of the community.
Symbolically, the end suggests that acceptance of others can overcome New Zealand’s violent and traumatic past. Family does not need to be biologically related as long as its members love and respect each other’s desires, beliefs, and differences.
Despite its hopeful imagery and language, the ending remains somewhat problematic.
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