The Yearling Chapter 32 Summary

  • Jody takes Flag out into the woods, along with Penny's gun, but can't bring himself to shoot him.
  • He frantically tries to think of a way to avoid it, and decides to go see if the Forresters will take Flag to Jacksonville to live in a park! Uh, okay.
  • He hurries to the Forresters', but they're all gone trading except Ma and Pa.
  • He asks Pa Forrester for advice, and Pa says he'd shoot Flag, too, in their situation. Big help he is.
  • Jody decides to take him to Jacksonville himself—but when he stops for a nap, Flag just runs back home, and Jody has to follow.
  • He sneaks into the barn to sleep with Flag there.
  • The next morning, his Ma finds that Flag has eaten the rest of the corn and a bunch of the other newly sprouting crops. What a nightmare!
  • Penny calls for Jody, who tells him he just can't do it. Then he calls for Ma, and tells Jody to go to his room.
  • Next thing he knows, there's a shot.
  • Ma has shot Flag—but only wounded him. Way to go, mom.
  • Jody screams at his parents that he hates them, and chases Flag to the sinkhole, where he shoots him in the neck to end his suffering.
  • Then he vomits and passes out.