ut that Cordelia's love was the only one of truth. Regan and Goneril soon plot against him, and take over the palace, driving him not only out of his home, but eventually to his mental demise and his death, along with Cordelia's.
             In her novel, Smiley presents a story much like that of King Lear. Larry Cook, an aging farmer, is the proprietor of a successful farm. Along with him on the farm, there are his daughter's Rose and Ginny, with their respective families. Rose is married to Pete, and has two daughters-Pammy and Linda. Ginny and her husband Ty have no children due to Ginny's proneness to miscarriages. His youngest daughter is Caroline, a lawyer who lives off the farm in Des Moines. From what we know, their lives have been going well, along with the thriving of the farm. One day at a neighbor's pig roast, Mr. Cook announces that they will split the farm amongst each other, all getting a share. Despite being a little unsure, Ginny answers, "It's a good idea", Rose answers "It's a great idea", while the youngest Caroline simply states, "I don't know."(Smiley 19)
             From what we know as the reader, Caroline's uncertainty seems to make sense. She is a lawyer, who was engaged to another lawyer, and has already been away from the farm for some time. She was not ready to give it all up to become a farmer. This reasoning was not good enough for the old farmer, and he replies with, "you don't want it my girl, you're out. It's as simple as that."(Smiley 21) He then excused himself from the party. Caroline simply expressed uncertainty, not refusal. As her sister Ginny put it, "she spoke as a woman, not as a daughter."
             After long discussions with Ginny, Caroline realized what was at stake. Her father decided to give his life's work to his children and their families. After long though...