Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe/Chapter 25
This chapter returns to the Rose Terrace Nursing Home on February 2, 1986. Evelyn arrives and Ninny tells her she just missed Ninny's neighbor from Whistle Stop. Ninny starts talking about Idgie and how she would run off like a wild animal when anyone tried to love her. Sipsey said it was because Mother had eaten wild game when she was pregnant. She changed when Ruth came to stay one summer. Ruth had come to run the youth activities at Mother's church. Ninny describes Ruth as sweet and shy. She came from a very religious family; her father was a preacher. Ruth was twenty-one and Idgie was fifteen or sixteen.
Idgie used to stare at Ruth and would show off when Ruth was watching. Idgie never ate at the table, however that changed when the table one day at Ruth's request. The mother told the kids that their sister had a crush & tells them not to laugh at their sister when comes down. However, when Ruth simply asks Idgie if she would like some string bings Idgie blushes & the other Threadgoode children laugh themselves silly, prompting Mrs Threadgoode to make them leave the kitchen. Once they have finished with diner Idgie, not knowing what they were laughing at, berates them for acting the way they did when they had company, which only causes everyone to start laughing again.
After this Ninny tells Evelyn that Idgie & Ruth began to spend all their time together, reflecting that they just seemed to take to one another, saying that Ruth felt rather lonely from being so far away from her home & that Idgie always made her laugh. Mrs. Threadgoode said that it was the only time when she could get Idgie to do what she wanted, all she had was have Ruth ask her. She said that if Ruth had asked Idgie would have jumped off a cliff backwords if Ruth had asked her to.
Analysis
[edit | edit source]Idgie's feelings for Ruth are shown throughout this chapter as Ninny tells Evelyn her stories. She is has fallen head over heels for Ruth showing off, looking at her through the window & doing anything Ruth asks of her, even coming to eat with her family for the first time. Also, we can see here that Ruth has feelings for Idgie, though she may not fully realize it yet & may be simply be putting them down to friendship. But nevertheless, Ruth does care deeply for Idgie, laughing at her jokes, spending all her free time with her.