How Did "The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store" by James McBride End? All of the Plot Twists and Spoilers!

 

How did "The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store" by James McBride end? Have you finished reading "The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store" and desperately need to discuss it? Or maybe you've read it, but can't remember how "The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store”ends, or do you want to skip ahead to discover all the spoilers? Need a refresher on this book before heading off to book club tonight? Keep reading to discuss this fiction novel and all the spoilers at the end!

 

 

Spoilers ahead!

 

How Did "The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store" by James McBride End?

What Are the Twists and Spoilers?

Moshe decides to close the grocery store

With Nate and Addie's help, Moshe closes the grocery store after his wife, Chona, passes away. They discuss Dodo and a plan to visit him. Moshe is surprised when his cousin Issac and their friend Malachi appear. Isaac offers money to Addie and Nate for taking care of Moshe.

Isaac asks about what happened to Chona, but Nate insists that they won't talk about it and refuses to take Isaac's money. Nate suggests that Isaac take the money to Bernice.

Bernice and Fatty make a plan

The scene cuts to Bernice and her brother, Fatty, on a tense visit, in part because he did not attend Chona's funeral. Bernice offers Fatty money to help, but Fatty is doubtful of their plans. Bernie reveals that Rev. Spriggs was the man who accidentally told the black man working for the state that Dodo was being hidden. That employee did not intend to catch Dodo, and Doc Roberts was entirely to blame for Dodo's capture. Bernice gives Fatty a package, but Fatty thinks it is just a Bible and ignores it. Later, when he opens it, he finds a Bible, $500, and also an envelope with two notes. Fatty reads only the first page, and only glances at the second, distracted by the extra $400 he finds. 

Miggy informs everyone of the inner workings of Pennhurst

The story cuts to a gathering at Paper's house where we meet Miggy, a nurse at Pennhurst, where Dodo is being kept. Miggy talks about the abuse she has witnessed at work by a man who goes by the name Son of Man. Son of Man has threatened Miggy's life when she threatened to report him. Miggy tells the story of a boy at Pennhurt who was sexually abused by Son of Man and then "disappeared". Miggy states that what likely actually happened to the young boy was that he was removed through the tunnels running under the buildings.

Miggy also reveals that there is a man who delivers hot coffee and eggs each morning by using the tunnels who would likely help Dodo escape.

Marvin and Issac discuss the dairy and water supply

Marvin Skrupskelis, the town shoe cobbler, goes on a car ride with Issac so that they can talk privately. Marvin talks to Isaac about Gus, who went to Doc Roberts with a toe injury. Marvin suggests that Gus could pressure Doc Roberts to confess about assaulting Chona. And they could get to Gus, because Gus owes a man named Rosen money that he borrowed to purchase the town dairy. The dairy was getting water from an old farm, but the farm no longer supplies water, so now the dairy steals water from the town's main line. 

Marvin wants to use Gus's debt and illegal water usage as leverage. However, Isaac points out that regardless of pressure, Doc would never confess to attempting to rape Chona. Ultimately, they both want good things in Chona's memory, and drawing attention to the water system might jeopardize the shuul, which has not been getting adequate water. Isaac says that he will take care of the shutl's water issues, but he needs Marvin's help. 

Issac asks Marvin to find two Jewish railroad workers to help Dodo escape. Marvin states that because of Chona's prior help to the railroad union workers, he will have an easy time finding help and that their plan should go smoothly.

Fatty and Big Soap make a plan

Fatty and Big Soap are working on a car together. Fatty asks Big Soap if he'd like to make money, maybe sort of illegally, connecting a water pipe for the shuul.

Paper reminds Fatty that he is supposed to meet Nate to find out what time to get him to Hemlock Row. Fatty says that he is busy, but doesn't say why - it's the pipe job. Paper insists, reminding Fatty that they're on a tight timeline and that Miggy has arranged for Dodo's escape with the egg man to be tonight.

Addie has concerns about Nate's plans

Addie voices her concerns about the plans to Nate. In addition to helping Dodo, Nate is also helping Moshe, who is sick, deliver band equipment for the town parade the next morning. 

Fatty tells Nate that he has another job and needs to drop Nate off early at Hemlock Row and pick Nate up later than planned. Fatty tells Nate about the notes and money he received- some for the pipe and some for another plan he isn't sure about because he lost the note. Together, Fatty and Nate determine that the money is for Dodo.

Nate asks Fatty to go get the money so that he can give it to Dodo. Nate also tells Fatty not to worry about him, that he'd find a way to Hemlock Row and back without his help. 

Dodo is assaulted at Pennhurst

Dodo is out of his casts and is now catching the unwanted attention of Son of Man. Dodo also makes a friend named "Monkey Pants". Monkey and Dodo play a game to lift their spirits and connect. Dodo and Monkey each hold a finger out to the other, touching to see whose arm has to rest first. In the middle of the night, Dodo is awakened by Son of Man, who begins raping him. Monkey Pants, seeing what is occurring, begins to shriek and throws his feces at Son of Man. This draws the attention of the other medical workers, protecting Dodo from Son of Man. Later that night, Dodo goes to sleep with the comfort of Monkey and their finger-touching game; however, when Dodo wakes up, he realizes that Monkey is dead, the implication being that Son of Man murdered him.

Nate gets a ride from Anna to go to Pennhurst

Anna owns a funeral home that Nate has worked for in the past. Anna knows that Nate is traveling to see Dodo at Pennhurst. Anna asks Nate if he needs a ride home, but Nate says that he is staying overnight. Nate is worried and uncomfortable with being so close to his old stomping grounds- he wonders if Miggy has told anyone that Nate is out of jail and coming to Hemlock Row.

Nate successfully sneaks into Pennhurst, kills Son of Man

Miggy tells Bullis that Nate is late, and she does not think that Nate is coming. Bullis takes off and begins his deliveries, including a stop at Son of Man's ward for their morning coffee and eggs. Usually Bullis and Son of Man do not talk, but today he confronts Bullis, telling him that he isn't supposed to be in the tunnels and that he saw Miggy packing a bag for one of the boys on the ward. Son of Man attacks Bullis with a packed sock, knocking him down. Once he sees Bullis being attacked, Nate emerges from his hiding spot in the cart.

After Nate succeeds in breaking into Pennhurst, the story jumps to his backstory. We learn that Nate's abusive father killed his mother, and then Nate killed his father. The scene then jumps back to nate who stabs Son of Man in the chest with a knife. Nate turns to Bullis and tells him to deliver the coffee and eggs inside and that is anyone asks Nate is his "helper".

Doc and Gus attend town parade

At the town parade, Doc and Gus are getting into their Revolutionary War costumes. While in costume, Gus is approached by a man, Henry, who works for Rosen. Henry threatens that he will come to Gus's house and attack his family. Gus is shaken by the interaction.

Big Soap and Fatty begin their work on the pipes. They pry the manhole cover off, and it breaks in half. While the men are down in the pipes, they are able to see that the dairy is getting its water from the city reservoir, allowing them to get water for free. As they open the pipes, water rushes in up to their necks, but thankfully they are able to finish the connections and resolve to leave and gather supplies to replace the manhole cover.

Meanwhile, the parade ends, and Doc is drunk. He decides to walk home through the Hill for a shortcut. Because they switched jackets, Henry mistakes Doc for Gus. Henry hits Doc with a brass knuckle, and then curiously hears a large splash. However, it is pitch black, so Henry can not tell where the noise came from. The reader knows that this means Doc has fallen into the uncovered hole. 

Big Soap and Fatty return to replace the manhole cover and do not see Doc inside. The men cover up the manhole, and the book ends, answering the question posed at the beginning of the novel: whose skeleton is found, Doc Roberts. Malachi is the prime suspect in the murder because the mezuzha founds matches the one on Malachi's door. In reality, Doc Roberts had that in his pocket because he stole it from Chona. A hurricane arrives, destroying the area, saving Malachi from being charged with a crime he did not commit.

Epilogue

There is an epilogue; we follow the two Jewish railroad workers in charge of the railcars holding Nate and Dodo as they escape the hospital. Nate and Dodo are headed to Charleston, South Carolina. We learn that Nate and Addie reunite. We also learn that Dodo received Isaac's $300. Dodo buys a farm, gets married, and has children. Dodo also builds a camp for disabled children, Camp Chona. In the last paragraph, we see Dodo in death thanking his friend, "Monkey Pants".

What else were you surprised by reading "The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store" by James McBride? Did you see the ending coming for each character? Did "The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store" end how you had hoped? Comment down below and let me know!