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Summary of The Women: a Summary of Kristin Hannah’s Novel
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Kristin Hannah's The Women is a poignant tale of coming of age during a dangerous time and a divided nation. The story follows nursing student Frances "Frankie" McGrath, who joins the Army Nurse Corps after her brother's service in Vietnam. The war exposes her to the chaos and destruction of war, and she meets the lucky, brave, broken, and lost. The Women highlights the sacrifices and commitment of women who put themselves in harm's way, and the lasting impact of their courage and idealism on a divided nation.
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Summary of The Women
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Summary of Kristin Hannah’s Novel
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Summary of The Women: a Summary of Kristin Hannah’s Novel
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This is an unofficial summary & analysis of Michelle Horton’s “The Women: A Novel” designed to enrich your reading experience.
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Copyright 2024. All rights reserved.
PART ONE
One
At a private party at the walled and gated McGrath estate, Frances Grace McGrath, a twenty-year-old, was expected to be a well-bred young lady, smiling and serene. She had been taught a rigorous sense of propriety at home, church, and St. Bernadette's Academy for Girls. Frankie, her older brother, was late to his own party, and they had always been inseparable.
A car engine roared loudly, and Finley, Finley's best friend, was late to his own party. His mother, Bette McGrath, flinched at the noise, and her father, a well-dressed man, stood out among the crowd. His father, who had climbed the social ladder and had worked hard to eliminate his Irish accent, strode forward in his custom-made black suit, crisp white shirt, and black tie.
Frankie's father, who had tripled their wealth after the death of her parents, often touted his own immigrant mythology and the good fortune and opportunity that had come with marrying the boss's daughter. The family knew that Frankie's father had worked hard to eliminate his Irish accent and had worked hard to develop California real estate.
At a party, Finley's parents celebrated his grand adventure and were grateful for the support of his wife, Frankie. Finley had been a wild child, known for his mischievousness and disrespectful behavior. The father congratulated Finley and the family, and the guests gathered around him. Frankie went to her father's office, which had been her favorite childhood space. The office had a wall devoted to their family history, with framed photographs of their family members and their achievements.
One wall contained photographs of Finley's father, who had been labeled 4-F and disqualified for military service. He had convinced his grandfather to build affordable housing in San Diego for returning veterans, but there were no photographs of his children yet. Frankie heard Rye Walsh, who was hiding from the party, and he asked why she was hiding. He explained that the wall was a heroes' wall to honor the sacrifices their family has made in service of the country.
Frankie was moved by Rye's words, and she couldn't help but laugh at him. He reminded her of the world's changing times in 1966. The family photos and mementos on the wall were a tribute to the sacrifices made by the family in service of the country. The family's love for a good party was evident, and the family's history was a testament to their resilience and determination.
Frankie, a young woman, is surprised by the idea that women can be heroes. She had been taught that nursing was an excellent profession for a girl, but her mother had warned her to focus on getting good grades and making her parents proud. As she walks across Ocean Boulevard, she sees the golden sand of Coronado Beach and the Naval Air Station North Island, which has recently been recognized as the Birthplace of Naval Aviation.
Finley, a Naval Academy graduate, is asked about his future in Vietnam, despite her admiration for President Kennedy. He believes that communism must be stopped, and Vietnam is the place to stop it. The nightly news shows smiling soldiers marching through the Vietnamese jungle without bloodshed. Finley puts an arm around her, saying he will miss her, Peanut.
Frankie realizes that he has been hiding the fear and worry from her all night, and she is no longer looking away now. Her brother is going to war, and she must confront her fears and doubts about her future. She must decide whether to let her brother go or if she should continue to fight for her country.
In this story, Frankie's journey to find her true identity as a woman is a testament to the power of love, determination, and the potential for change.
Two
Frankie, a nurse, wrote to her brother every Sunday after church for six months, receiving funny letters about his life on board the ship and the antics of his fellow sailors. She graduated early with honors and landed her first-ever job at a small hospital in San Diego. She had recently begun to think about moving out of her parents' home and getting an apartment of her own.
On a cool night in November, Frankie was told by the night charge nurse that she had to record and monitor all IV meds. She was sent to a psych ward for trying to kill herself, but Frankie refused to go. He mentioned his girlfriend, who had written him love letters, and how she had tried to adjust and give it time.
Frankie was surprised to learn that a nurse at the Twelfth Evac Hospital helped him through the war. She couldn't help thinking of Finley and the letters he wrote to her each week, full of funny stories and the beauty of the countryside. The war was coming to an end, and men were dying.
Frankie had never thought about nurses in Vietnam, and the newspapers never mentioned any women at war. She couldn't help but think of Finley and the letters he wrote to her each week, filled with funny stories and the beauty of the countryside.
Frankie, a nurse, feels a reawakening and bold new ambition to serve her country. She imagines telling her parents that she's joined the Navy and will be going to Vietnam, earning her place on the heroes' wall for saving lives in wartime. Despite the danger, she decides to join the Navy and volunteer for Vietnam.
Frankie drives to the nearest Navy recruitment office, where protesters stand outside, yelling slogans and holding up signs that read "WAR IS NOT HEALTHY FOR CHILDREN AND OTHER LIVING THINGS" and "BOMBING FOR PEACE IS LIKE SCREWING FOR VIRGINITY." She enters the recruiting station and is greeted by a sailor in uniform.
Frankie tells the sailor that she wants to join the Navy and volunteer for Vietnam, but the rules are for her own safety. She leaves the recruiting office, finds a nearby Air Force recruiting station, and finally hears that the Army Nurse Corps needs nurses. She signs her name on the dotted line, and she becomes Second Lieutenant Frances McGrath.
Frankie's decision to join the Navy and volunteer for Vietnam is a bold and exciting decision for her, as she is determined to serve her country and make a difference in the world.
Three
Frankie returns to her home island, dressed for the holidays and filled with excitement. Her parents, Dad and Mom, are at the bar, reading newspapers and enjoying a Christmas tree. Frankie tells her mother about joining the Army Nurse Corps (ANC) and joining Second Lieutenant McGrath, who is going to Vietnam with Finley for part of his tour.
Frankie's mom is surprised by her decision, as she believes she has been a patriot and a believer in her country. She explains that the Navy wouldn't let her go to Vietnam until she had served two years in a hospital stateside, and only the Army would let her go right after Basic Training.
Frankie's mother tries to corral her emotions, but she hugs her tightly and tells her to stay safe. The doorbell rings, and they both leave the room alone. Frankie enters the foyer, where two naval officers stand at attention. She knows what officers at the front door mean, and she whispers to close the door.
Frankie's mother tries to corral her emotions, but she remains silent, unable to hear her mother's words. She leaves her mother alone in the living room, and Frankie enters the foyer, where two naval officers stand at attention. She knows what officers at the front door mean, and she wants to back up and close the door.
Frankie hears footsteps behind her and is informed by two officers that Ensign Finley McGrath has been killed in action. She is left to ponder the details and the resulting loss of her brother. Her mother, usually elegant and cool, is shocked by the news. She reflects on her brother's life together, their fights, and their shared experiences.
Frankie's mother tells her that they should bury another man's boots and helmet in her son's casket. She feels a presence on the beach and hears footfalls. Frankie's mother tells her to stay with her parents and grieve, but it is too late for that. She asks her mother to give her blessing and say she is proud of her brother.
Frankie's mother is pale and washed-out, and she stared at Frankie, her blue eyes dull and lifeless. She tells her mother that she will come home and promise to be proud of her brother. Frankie's mother's voice breaks, and she turns away from her, walking back across the sand. She whispers, too softly for her mother to hear, but it was too late for words to come back.
Four
Frankie, a highly skilled recruit, excelled in Basic Training, learning to march in formation, put on combat boots, apply splints, debride wounds, carry a stretcher, start an IV, and roll bandages faster than any other recruit. By March, she was ready to put her new skills to the test, packing her Army-issued duffel bag and boarding a jet bound for Vietnam. Unlike the men, Frankie was required to travel in her class A uniform, which included a green jacket, slim skirt, nylons, polished black pumps, and flat garrison hat. Despite the discomfort, she was determined to be an exemplary soldier and prove her courage to her parents.
Frankie memorized military command and hospital locations, as well as behavioral guidelines for personal conduct, security on base, and taking pride in being a soldier. She believed that rules existed to maintain order and help each other, and that they were designed to force soldiers into conformity and build teams. She was comfortable with fitting in, being part of something larger, knowing their job, and doing it without question.
Frankie, a military nurse, is on a plane to Vietnam to save men's lives, not to risk her own. She focuses on the Third Field Hospital in Saigon, which is protected by high fencing and far from the fighting. As she drifts off to sleep, she imagines Finley on the plane with her, but her smile fades. When she wakes up, the plane cabin is quiet except for the hum of jet engines. The new recruits are restless and unsettled, and Captain Bronson, the captain, opens his eyes.
The plane lurches and lands in Tan Son Nhut, waiting on the FNGs they got on board. The plane circles until Frankie's fingers ache from her grip on the armrests. Outside, she sees explosions and streaks of red across the dark sky. The pilot calls for sports fans to buckle up and the jet descended. The officers wait for Frankie to exit first, but she grabs her travel bag and purse, leaving her right hand free to salute.
Frankie, a nurse, is en route to a hospital after being stranded in a crowded airport. She is greeted by a soldier who leads her to a school bus with a black-painted window and a stench of excrement. The bus is a sauna-like environment, and Frankie feels entombed in the heat. A Black soldier in fatigues, carrying an M16, enters the driver's seat and hits the gas.
Frankie is greeted by a nurse dressed in a white uniform, who points to a waiting jeep. The driver tells her to exit the bus and report to the admin for in-processing tomorrow. She is thrown back in her seat and hit by a metal spring.
The nighttime traffic on the base is chaotic, with barbed wire, sandbags, armed guards, and soldiers walking the streets. A large water-tank truck and a water-tank truck pass by, and the jeep stops at a checkpoint. Frankie finds an abandoned prison behind a tall ironwork fence. The jeep is backing up, honking at something, and speeding away.
Frankie enters the gate and enters a weedy front yard, where children play and an old Vietnamese woman tends to something cooking over an open fire.
Frankie, a new Lieutenant in the Army, enters a building with gas lanterns and a woman in fatigues. She is assigned to the Thirty-Sixth Evac Hospital, where she is assigned to work. The hospital is located near Ward A of the Third Field Hospital, where nurses in starched white move in groups.
Frankie is assigned to the hospital by a colonel who leads her through the throng of personnel towards a round white helipad with a red cross painted on it. The helicopter is a whirring machine that flies over the American base and Saigon. Frankie's stomach rebels at the movement and wonders about the safety of the helicopter and how they could shoot back at the enemy if necessary.
An explosion and gunfire shake the helicopter, and Frankie survives the flight one breath at a time. When they touch down, the copilot looks back at her and tells her to get out. A medic helps her out of her seat and hauls her toward the open door. A female first lieutenant in stained fatigues stands nearby, holding onto her canvas hat.
The medic throws Frankie's bag out of the helicopter, landing at the first lieutenant's feet. Frankie jumps, ignoring the pain, and starts saluting. The first lieutenant, Patty Perkins, is not here, but she likes being alive. She holds on to Frankie for a moment, steadying her, and then abruptly lets go and starts walking.
The Thirty-Sixth is a four-hundred-bed evac hospital located on the coast about sixty miles from Saigon. As one of nine female nurses on staff, Frankie is one of nine female nurses on staff. The hospital provides care for the VSI who are medevaced, and most wounds require delayed primary closures (DPCs). Most casualties are here three days or less. From here, the lucky ones go to the Third Field Hospital in Saigon for more specialized treatment, the unlucky ones go back to their units, and the really unlucky ones go home in a box.
Frankie is a nurse in the hospital, and she is assigned to provide care for the VSI who are medevaced. She is given medication and is encouraged to take them religiously. As she enters the camp, she feels abandoned and feels abandoned. She enters a dark, musty, buggy room, divided into three separate cubicle-like spaces. The room is divided into three separate cubicle-like spaces, each with its own green canvas-and-metal cot, a makeshift bedside table, and a lamp. The room is stiflingly hot and has no fan or window.
Frankie opens her overnight bag, bringing framed photographs from home. She looks at the image of her brother, Finley, and the picture of her parents, both smiling at a Fourth of July party. She wonders how she will survive a year away from home at war without Finley.
Five
Frankie McGrath, a young woman who has recently joined the Army, finds herself in a mobile hospital with her roommates. She is introduced to Ethel Flint, an ER nurse from Virginia, and Barb Johnson, a surgical nurse from Georgia. Ethel warns Frankie to ditch her uniform and dress appropriately for the turtle party in her honor. Frankie is unsure of what to wear, but she decides to wear her new green fatigues, pajamas, and a pale blue summer dress.
Ethel offers Frankie a pair of cutoff shorts and an Army T-shirt, but Frankie feels exposed and ridiculous in her outfit. She is told that the rules are not clear about what to wear, so she decides to wear her flak jacket and steel pot helmet. Frankie feels embarrassed and uncomfortable in her new clothes, as she has not packed sneakers for her tour.
Ethel introduces Frank to the Thirty-Sixth, a mobile hospital with several doctors, four surgeons, nine women nurses, a couple of male nurses, and many medics. The hospital is short-staffed, so they go until the last casualty is taken care of. Frankie is told to hurry up and get used to the long hours, as she is lagging. The story highlights the challenges faced by young women in the military and the importance of adapting to new situations.
In the darkness, Frankie and Ethel find themselves in a temporary camp surrounded by shadowy structures. They enter a plywood bar with stools and a stereo system, and a few men and women sit at tables. The music changes to "East Coast girls are hip," and people clap and yell out, "Welcome, Frankie!" A tall, lanky man offers Frankie marijuana, but she is hesitant due to her father's warnings against war bachelors.
As the camp explodes, Frankie is pulled out of the man's arms and pulled back. He whispers in her ear that she is safe and that he has got her. The explosions continue, and Frankie feels the ground shimmy under her feet. She is embarrassed by her fear and wonders what kind of soldier she is.
Jamie Callahan, a chest cutter from Jackson Hole, tells her that he might be able to help her work under him. Frankie is shocked by his presence and wonders if he would be a good host if he shoved her out of her party because of a little mortar attack. He suggests that she work under him, and the crowd joins in, singing along and dancing.
