Ignorance

What does ignorant mean? Does it mean dumb, or is the meaning to you a little nicer? In Pictures of Hollis Woods, Josie is blissfully ignorant of what is going on around her. She acts as if the whole word is just wonderful and there are no flaws. She doesn’t see how the mustard lady could take Hollis away from her at any moment. Because of this ignorance, Hollis has to help her around the house.

            Josie loves Hollis, and Hollis loves Josie. But Josie becomes more and more forgetful and ignorant as the book goes on. Sometimes she keeps the stove on if the water is ready to boil over. These things would be hazardous for her if it weren’t for Hollis. But even though she’s ignorant, she can realize when she is somewhere she’s not supposed to be. When Hollis brings her up to the old house at the end of the book, Josie has to go home after a few days because she misses where she lived the majority of her life.  She missed the salty tangy air of the sea near her house and she also missed Beatrice.

            Josie kept this ignorance going because she was getting older, but also because she doesn’t want things to change. Her life got sweeter with Hollis, but Hollis also got in trouble a lot. Josie ignored those problems and kept going on. As a static charater, she never changed. Eventually though, the mustard lady would find out, and either Beatrice would take care of her, or she would have to move. Beatrice took care of her, and Hollis moved away to the Old Man’s house. Josie was happy about this, but sad to see Hollis go.