In The River Between Us, Tilly's story is set in 1861, and by 1916, the main players who are still alive are between 70 and 80 years old. That doesn't seem as ancient as Howard describes it, but we have to remember that healthcare and life expectancy weren't the same then as they are now.
We also see the old through Howard's eyes—and at 15, he thinks these folks are really old. When one of these old people, Tilly, speaks, she often refers to old age in contrast with youth. Old age is also addressed in the book in terms of time passing and by comparing emotional and spiritual aging to physical aging. And here we thought growing old was just about wrinkles.
Questions About Old Age
- Based solely on Howard's descriptions, how old would you think his Illinois relatives are? Pick out a few passages to specifically work with.
- What contributes to physical and emotional aging in the book? Does it affect everyone equally? If so, what does this suggest? If not, what do you notice, and why is it significant?
- Why do you think Tilly and Noah are still in relatively good shape, while Delphine and Dr. Hutchings are struggling more?
- What does Howard think about aging?
Chew on This
Howard's descriptions of old age emphasize how long ago the Civil War was.
Tilly and Noah don't seem as old as much as their partners because they stay busy.