So Big

Dirk “Sobig” DeJong earned his nickname as a very young child; whenever his mother asked him how big he was, he responded, “So-o-o-o big!” (2). He was raised on a farm run by his mother after the early death of his father, Pervus. Later in life, Dirk would achieve great success. This left his mother, Selina, with complicated feelings about her son’s wealth and status.

The narrative moves back in time to Selina’s childhood in the late 19th century. She is born Selina Peake and raised in Chicago by her father, Simeon Peake. Simeon is a professional gambler whose fortunes ebb and flow. When he is flush with success, he treats his daughter to a lavish lifestyle. When he is not so fortunate, they scrimp by. They travel often from city to city following the death of Selina’s mother. Selina occupies herself with books and, for three “dark years” (3) from age 9 to 10, she lives with two aunts while her father grieves for his dead wife. Selina dislikes this period and longs to be back on the road with her father, who eventually saves her from her aunts’ guardianship. The young Selina is determined not to live a fusty, dull life like her two aunts.