The Magic Finger

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1966

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Pages 6-21

Pages 22-49

Pages 50-63

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

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Discussion Questions

Pages 50-63Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Pages 50-63 Summary

Moments later, both the ducks and the Greggs change back into their original forms. The Greggs are overjoyed and watch as the four ducks fly away toward the lake. Later, the girl goes to check on the family and finds them acting very differently. Mr. Gregg is breaking his guns, Mrs. Gregg is burying the ducks they killed earlier, and the boys are feeding some birds. The Greggs hope to atone for their past actions and have learned to empathize with the natural environment.

Pages 50-63 Analysis

In this section, the graves where the ducks are buried serve as powerful symbols of the Gregg family’s transformation, as well as of the consequences of their previous actions. By burying them on their own property, they create a permanent and impactful reminder of the harm done by killing and dominating the vulnerable. Mrs. Gregg tending to the graves shows a profound change in their attitudes, and the scene has a particular resonance for her: Earlier, she hoped the ducks wouldn’t shoot her children, but the mother duck pointed out that the Greggs shot her children without a second thought.