Jacob Have I Loved

Jacob Have I Loved Summary | Plot Summary

Katherine Paterson credits the idea behind Jacob Have I Loved to William W. Warner's Beautiful Swimmers: Watermen, Crabs and Chesapeake Bay. After this book peaked her interest in the Chesapeake Bay watermen, Paterson began her novel Jacob Have I Loved as an exploration of this Chesapeake tradition.

Jacob Have I Loved takes place during WWII. It is the story of a young girl who comes of age on a conservative Methodist Island on the Chesapeake Bay, an isolated island called Rass. The protagonist, Louise, struggles to find her way out of the shadow of her beautiful and talented twin sister Caroline. The Methodist tradition on Rass Island serves as a fascinating backdrop to the story. As Louise attempts to find herself and define her own identity she struggles with God, seemingly carrying her religious upbringing like a burden. The novel also serves as an illustration of the gender biases that were prevalent during this time period. The narrow scope of gender roles for women is seen through the eyes of the protagonist, a sensitive, intelligent young woman who excels in a man's world of crab and oyster fishing. Louise's natural aptitude for this kind of work sets her apart from the other girls and women on Rass Island. The primary dividing line is drawn between Louise and her sister Caroline. The beloved Caroline is greatly admired by the inhabitants of Rass Island for her extraordinary skills as a pianist and singer. Throughout the book, Louise fights to overcome the jealousy that she feels toward her sister.

The title of the novel comes from the biblical passage Romans 9:13, "Jacob have I loved, and Esau I have hated." This passage tells the story of twin brothers. The eldest twin rages with jealousy toward his younger brother. Louise's grandmother quotes this passage to her, well aware of the fact that one sister is treated differently than the other. Throughout the novel, it seems as though Caroline is granted opportunities while Louise struggles to make her own chances. Louise develops strength of character and self-sufficiency that ultimately help her discover her independence. Although it is evident from early on in the story that Louise is the stronger sister, it takes a journey of self-discovery for her to recognize that this strength is beneficial not detrimental. In the novel, Louise devises ways to escape Rass Island and the limited gender specific roles that the island has to offer. Ironically, the ending of the novel places Louise in an isolated valley, in the village of "Truitt" where she works as a nurse and midwife. Louise marries a widower from Truitt who has three children and has a child with him. She discovers that the village of Truitt is not very different from Rass Island. The changes that have taken place in order for Louise to be happy are not therefore due to location, but rather due to the changes in her. As she builds her own life in Truitt she finds her true self.