The Tangled Threads

"The Tangled Threads" by Eleanor H. Porter is a compilation of short stories from the beginning of the 1900's that follows characters facing tough situations while dealing with topics like giving up things for others, big hopes, and how families work. The stories starts with Hester Martin, a mom who really wants to give her daughter Penelope chances she never had, showing the emotional and money problems they deal with. Hester has spent her life caring for her family and thinks about her own dream of playing music that never happened. After a lot of saving, she decides to pay for her daughter to have music lessons, wanting her to achieve what she couldn't. The story shows Hester's dreams, her daughter not really caring about music at first, and how Hester feels better when she plays the piano, which shows how strong the love is between them, along with what they expect and wanting a better life through music. These first stories set the mood for the rest of the book, hinting at understanding the complicated parts of relationships and the things that connect everyone.