The Caretaker: A Novel

Jacob Hampton’s solitary battle with a North Korean soldier sets the plot in motion. The icy winter landscape contrasts with the summertime scenes of North Carolina farmland that make up most of the book. This contrast symbolizes Jacob’s feelings as he is forced to leave his home to fight a war in what he experiences as a hostile environment. Back home, he has just lost his parents’ support, as they have disinherited him. In this sense, he is rudderless and without a safety net. However, his love for Naomi Clarke provides the mental fuel to endure the hardships of war: Jacob’s thoughts are focused on her constantly, pointing to his kind and committed nature.

The tension ensuing from Jacob’s elopement with Naomi is instantly evident. Blowing Rock is a small town, and Jacob’s parents are wealthy and prominent citizens who value the esteem of the community above all else. For this reason, they disapprove of Jacob’s sudden marriage to a young woman whom they regard as socially beneath them. Their efforts to thwart the marriage introduce a key theme: The Dangers of Prioritizing Appearance Over Truth. The small-town setting means that very little is completely private; gossip takes hold quickly, and the Hamptons fear that Jacob’s marriage to Naomi will jeopardize their standing in the community. Their actions eventually show that they prize this social standing above their son’s happiness. Nonetheless, the insular community brings benefits as well: Residents have helped one another survive the Great Depression—not least the Hamptons, who extended store credit to those without money to buy necessities and went out of their way to provide jobs for Blowing Rock residents at their sawmill.

The novel is told in a shifting third-person perspective, and the sections narrated from Jacob’s perspective make clear that his love for Naomi is genuine and that he is willing to sacrifice financial stability to marry her. Choosing love and commitment over a future of wealth sets him apart from his parents, suggesting that his values are antithetical to theirs: Where they prioritize appearances and social standing above all, Jacob happily disregards the opinions of others to pursue the life he wants. This character trait is evident in Jacob’s longstanding friendship with Blackburn Gant as well. Left with physical disabilities and partial facial paralysis after a childhood bout with polio, Blackburn grew up being shunned by most other children. Jacob was the only child who saw past Blackburn’s appearance to recognize his true character, and the two have remained close ever since.

Little by little, the narrative reveals the complete picture of the incident involving Naomi and Daniel Hampton. That this incident—a highly public argument between Naomi and Daniel—is revealed slowly and indirectly reveals much about those who observe it: Blackburn is in a precarious position. As someone who has been socially shunned throughout his life for his disability and partial facial paralysis brought on by childhood polio, he is resistant to rocking the boat, so to speak, or drawing attention to himself in any way. He finds himself torn between his allegiance to his best friend, Jacob, who has requested that Blackburn care for Naomi in Jacob’s absence, and his knowledge that him doing so places him at odds with the rest of his community. Thus, it becomes apparent that Blackburn risks paying a heavy price of devotion, a key theme. Dr. Egan, too, is situated in a noteworthy position: As Naomi’s physician, he is invested in her health and safety. Him intervening in the argument shows his willingness to stand up to the powerful Hampton family in a way that other town members are not. As the section unfolds, he is an observer of the conflict who does his best not to meddle in what is not directly his business.

An important minor character, Billy Runyan, is also introduced in this section: Billy contrasts greatly with Blackburn and represents the worst of the town’s views of Naomi. He is crude and a bully who seeks to advance himself by belittling others. When Blackburn recalls Naomi easily scaring him off by wielding a shotgun, Billy’s true cowardice is revealed, as is Naomi’s fearlessness. Though naïve in some respects and lacking formal education, there is a fierceness within her that demonstrates her tenacity.

Finally, the section ends with hints of the plot points that will continue to develop the theme of the dangers of prioritizing appearance over truth. Ben Parson has made a significant decision by showing the telegram—addressed to Naomi—to the Hamptons. The narrative indicates that Ben does not make this decision lightly, weighing his own personal ethics against what would be in the best interests of the Hamptons. If he shows Naomi the telegram first, as he is legally bound, he may lose status or favor in the community, given how much power the Hamptons can wield. Moreover, because he shares the Hamptons’ opinions of Naomi—certain that she is of poor moral fiber and not worthy of Jacob’s affection—this factor ultimately sways him.