Surviving the Applewhites

E.D. finds herself alone in the schoolroom, finally having a moment to focus on her math assignments. Bernstein, who’s still staying at Dogwood Cottage, has decided to write a book on what he insists on calling the Applewhite Artistic Dynasty, hogging the computer, but he’s occupied in the wood shop now. Despite the opportunity to study, E.D. struggles to concentrate. The relentless sound of The Sound of Music CD fills the air, blasting from the living room speakers and echoing throughout Wit’s End. Meanwhile, Hal, now considering himself a sculptor, is constantly hammering. In response, Sybil has increased the volume of her white noise machine to drown out the chaos. E.D. finds herself tormented by the melodies of The Sound of Music and hopes her father never directs another musical.

E.D. has been spending countless hours in the meadow searching for the great spangled fritillary, only to be met by Jake’s smirks each time she returns empty-handed. She is beginning to lose hope, and the idea of the Butterfly Project ending with one butterfly missing is unbearable. E.D. grades herself on projects, and she contemplates giving herself a B, a rarity for her. Suddenly, Jake bursts into the schoolroom, singing. He presents E.D. with a clear plastic box containing a great spangled fritillary. E.D. feels like crying. She realizes that the project’s success will no longer solely reflect her efforts but will be shared with Jake— “It would belong to both of them” (79).

Jake is taken aback by E.D.’s reaction. After all, he saved her project, so why is she so upset? He places the plastic box containing the butterfly on E.D.’s desk just as Randolph barges into the schoolroom. Randolph, impressed by Jake’s singing, praises his “magnificent voice” (80) and invites him to audition for the role of Rolf in the play.

Once Randolph leaves, E.D. asks Jake if he’s going to audition. Jake realizes his heart is pounding with excitement. The prospect of playing Rolf intrigues him, even though he’s never acted or sung in public before. Until now, he’d never even realized he could sing. He reflects on Randolph’s praise—“magnificent, Randolph Applewhite had called his voice” (83)—and begins to feel a newfound sense of pride.

Jake starts humming Rolf’s song, much to E.D.’s irritation. Frustrated, she storms out of the schoolroom and slams the door behind her. Once outside, she finds herself at a loss—all the butterflies have been found, and she doesn’t want to return to the schoolroom to get her study materials. Instead, she heads to the goat pen and begins feeding the goats, Wolfie and Hazel. However, Wolfie steals the weeds intended for Hazel, which irritates E.D. She goes to the wood shop, where her grandfather notices her distress. Initially hesitant to share her feelings, she eventually expresses anger over her father’s decision to give Jake a part in The Sound of Music. Zedediah reassures E.D., acknowledging that she has a “very real, very important talent” (87). He reassures her that artists aren’t better than anyone else. Despite his words of encouragement, E.D. remains disheartened.

Jake sits in the passenger seat of Randolph’s newly repaired car, reflecting on his recent audition at Traybridge Little Theatre. The unassuming and unglamorous appearance of the venue surprised him. When it was his turn, Jake sang “Sixteen Going on Seventeen,” learned a bit of the choreography, and read one of Rolf’s scenes with Jeannie Ng, who plays Liesl. Jake knows little about the play—only that it’s set in Austria at the onset of World War II, where the von Trapp family uses their singing at a music festival as a cover to escape. Rolf is a boy who’s in love with the oldest von Trapp daughter, Liesl, and helps the family escape.

Randolph compliments Jake on getting the part, acknowledging his skills as an actor and dancer. As they arrive at the house, Winston greets them by running toward them and leaping onto Jake’s lap. Sybil complains that Winston has been howling in Jake’s absence, and she insists that if Randolph wants Jake in his show, Winston must be included as well. Randolph reluctantly accepts. To celebrate his successful casting in the show, Randolph calls for a family meeting.

Sybil places a tray of coffee on the table as the family gathers, with the exception of Zedediah and Hal. Randolph shares that he’s cast a girl called Annalouise Mabry for the role of Maria. This revelation surprises Sybil—Annalouise Mabry is African American, and the von Trapps are traditionally depicted to be white. Bernstein defends Randolph’s decision, suggesting that artistic liberties can be taken with casting. Randolph describes it as a “rainbow cast” where “the children playing Louisa and Friedrich are Black, and Liesl and Kurt are Vietnamese” (96). E.D. shares her confusion, questioning the coherence of portraying siblings with different ethnic backgrounds. Bernstein explains that appearances don’t count and that diverse casting challenges societal prejudice. Although this wasn’t Randolph’s initial intention, he aligns with Bernstein’s perspective. Lucille expresses her support for the idea, seeing it as a reflection of a global shift—“unity out of diversity” (97). Bernstein promises to pitch the concept to the network people for coverage of the opening night.

E.D. looks over at Jake and notices a strange look in his eyes. Lucille says she needs to retire for the night as her guru, Govindaswami, will arrive early in the morning. Later, as E.D. lies in bed, she finds solace in the fact that she’s not involved in her father’s production—she anticipates a potential catastrophe.

Jake looks at himself in the mirror, noting the hair on his upper lip. He concludes that he could easily pass for 17, suitable for the role of Rolf. Some people at the audition had told him he wouldn’t be believable, but Jake reminds himself that others’ opinions don’t matter. At the first rehearsal last night, tension filled the air when Jake arrived with Winston—no one seemed pleased with the casting decisions. Some actors, expecting major roles, found themselves relegated to minor parts without any lines. Randolph then delivered a speech emphasizing the importance of professionalism and mutual respect among the actors, which temporarily quelled the complaints. He then announced that a TV crew would tape some of their work for national television.

Later, the family gathers for breakfast at the main house, and Lucille’s guru joins them. He is short and round, and Jake can’t help but notice a resemblance between him and the dog: “He [has] the same dark, solemn, almost mournful eyes” (101). After breakfast, Jake heads to the schoolroom, grabs an empty can and a printout, and rushes to Lucille’s vegetable garden. Lucille had complained that caterpillars were eating her parsley despite her polite requests for them to leave. Examining the caterpillars and the printout, Jake identifies them as the larval stage of the black swallowtail butterfly. He carefully plucks them off the plant and places them in the can. Back in the schoolroom, he transfers them to an empty aquarium and writes a sign that reads “METAMORPHOSIS, A LIVING DEMONSTRATION” (104). His goal is to illustrate the process of metamorphosis to Destiny, and he’s found instructions on the internet on how to care for the caterpillars. When E.D. and Destiny arrive, he proudly showcases the aquarium. Destiny is excited, and Jake considers it a small victory.