Reading in the Dark

Fire, June 1949

The narrator describes the different kinds of bonfires that Protestants and Catholics host in Derry. While the Protestants host many, official fires, the Catholics host only one religious bonfire on August 15, which is the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The narrator also describes the ruined distillery where Eddie worked and where he supposedly disappeared after a shoot-out. 

American Cities, September 1949 

The narrator muses on American cities, noting that Chicago is a “place I longed to see” (37). Like Derry, Chicago had a fire, and the narrator is intrigued by it. He discusses American cities with his uncles, and they discuss the “Big Blue Yonder,” meaning ultimate destruction (37). Another uncle of the narrator, Tony McIlhenny, moved to Chicago years ago. The uncles suggest that Tony may have seen Uncle Eddie there, but this is not confirmed.

Blood, October 1949

The narrator’s Aunt Ena, who is sick, starts coughing up blood. When a priest arrives to administer to her, the narrator goes home to summon his father. Ena dies, and the family attends her funeral. There, the narrator and Liam overhear funeral attendants talking about Uncle Eddie.