The final chapters of So B. It deliver devastating loss, profound understanding, and a resilient path forward for Heidi. As Heidi grapples with grief and the weight of her discoveries, she learns that love transcends words and that identity is shaped by both history and personal choice. The ending offers a hopeful, realistic portrayal of healing and acceptance.
Chapter 21: Ow
The novel's final section opens with the heartbreaking news of Sophia Lynne DeMuth (So B. It / Mama)’s passing. Bernadette delivers the news that Mama died peacefully in her sleep from a severe headache. Heidi It is immediately consumed by Loss and Grief, intensified by overwhelming guilt. She recalls Bernadette’s plea—“Your mama and I need you to come home”—and blames herself for prioritizing her quest for answers over her mother's worsening condition. Heidi feels her search was selfish and that she failed her mother.
Ruby Franklin and Roy Franklin offer immediate comfort, holding Heidi as she processes the tragedy. Ruby tucks her into bed, but Heidi remains anguished. In her grief, she re-evaluates her entire journey, and the quest for The Nature of Truth and Knowledge now seems meaningless. Finding the red notebook, she decides that knowing her history changes nothing about the painful present. In despair, she rips every page from the notebook, crumpling her family’s story and throwing it on the floor. The chapter ends with Heidi rocking herself and whispering "Done, done, done," echoing one of her mother's few words, now imbued with a new, final meaning.
Chapter 22: Done
Heidi sinks into a deep depression, spending her days wrapped in a quilt in the hammock, refusing to speak to anyone, including Bernadette. Roy and Ruby try to maintain normalcy, but planning Mama’s funeral looms. Bernadette decides Mama should be buried in Liberty, her birthplace, rather than in a potter's field in Reno next to her own mother. Heidi, detached and apathetic, says she doesn't care. In an attempt to help Heidi prepare for the service, Ruby gently suggests cutting her hair.
The suggestion triggers a violent release of Heidi’s pent-up grief. She goes into the bathroom and begins hacking at her tangled hair with nail scissors, a painful and angry act of self-mutilation that finally brings her to tears. Ruby finds her, takes the scissors away, and holds her until she stops crying. In a tender and maternal gesture, Ruby washes Heidi’s hair and gives her a proper, gentle haircut. The act is a significant moment in Heidi's Coming of Age and Independence; when she looks in the mirror, she sees a different person. The haircut symbolizes a forced maturation and a permanent severing from her past self. She is no longer the girl who left Reno; she is now "some girl with a new haircut and no mama."
Chapter 23: So Be It
At the funeral, Thurman Hill is present but stands apart from the small group of mourners. Heidi decides that she, not a stranger, should be the one to speak about her mother. She reads a list of Mama’s names: "Sophia Lynne DeMuth," "So B. It," "Precious Bouquet," "Mama," and "Soof." As she reads the last name, she has a profound epiphany that resolves the theme of The Power and Limitations of Words. She realizes "Soof" was not her mother's name for herself, but her mother's word for love. This understanding provides a deep sense of peace and connection. For the burial, Heidi places Mama’s white teacup and a box of Jujyfruits (with the green ones removed) on the casket, final symbols of their bond.
The narrative then moves forward, summarizing the aftermath of Heidi’s journey. Roy and Ruby offer her a home, but Heidi chooses to return to Reno and her Unconventional Family and Love with Bernadette. Before she leaves Liberty, Thurman gives her an envelope containing files and photographs of her mother, finally providing the history she sought. He also expresses a desire to know her someday. Back in Reno, life changes. Heidi enrolls in school as Heidi DeMuth, her "luck" disappears, and Bernadette tries to cook. On a later visit to Liberty, Heidi sees the pink marble headstone carved with Mama’s names. She also learns that Ruby and Roy are expecting a baby girl, whom they name Aurora at Heidi's suggestion. The novel concludes with a final, poignant discovery: Heidi notices the candy company that makes Jujyfruits is named "Heide." She speculates this might be the origin of her name, a final piece of her identity puzzle. The story ends with Heidi leaving her grief behind to help Bernadette in the kitchen, walking "into the light that shone like a sweet wide smile over all that was actually there."
Character Development
Heidi's journey culminates in profound transformation as she navigates grief and integrates her past into her identity.
- Heidi It: Cycles through shock, guilt, depression, anger, and finally, acceptance. Her epiphany at the funeral allows her to understand her mother's love in a new way, and she emerges as a mature young woman ready to face the future.
- Thurman Hill: Takes a step toward acknowledging his past by attending the funeral and giving Heidi the file on her mother. His admission that he would "like to know" her suggests a potential for future reconciliation.
- Ruby and Roy Franklin: Solidify their roles as selfless, loving caregivers, providing Heidi with stability and unconditional support.
Themes & Symbols
The final chapters explore themes of loss, identity, and the power of words, using potent symbols to convey deeper meaning.
- Loss and Grief: Dominates the final chapters as Heidi learns to live with loss, undergoing a complex process that leads to healing and acceptance.
- The Search for Identity and History: Concludes with Heidi integrating her uncovered history into her new identity, enrolling in school as Heidi DeMuth and accepting the photos from Thurman.
- The Power and Limitations of Words: Resolves in Heidi’s understanding of "Soof," learning that love can be communicated beyond conventional language and that the meaning of a word is defined by intention.
The haircut symbolizes the shedding of Heidi’s childhood, while Jujyfruits and the teacup represent Heidi and Mama's unique bond. The name "Heide" on the candy box suggests a connection to her family's history.
Key Quotes
"Done, done, done."
Heidi whispers this phrase, echoing her mother's words, as she destroys the red notebook. This signifies her initial rejection of the history she uncovered, feeling that it brings only pain and does not change her present reality. It marks a moment of despair and a desire to be finished with the past.
"Soof"
Heidi realizes that "Soof" was not her mother's name for herself, but her mother's word for love. This epiphany is a turning point, allowing her to understand her mother's affection in a way that transcends language. It highlights the theme of the power and limitations of words, showing that love can be communicated beyond conventional language.
Why This Matters and Section Significance
These final chapters serve as the novel's emotional climax and resolution. The central plot question is resolved, but the story's focus shifts to how to live with the answers. Mama’s death forces Heidi to move beyond her intellectual quest and engage with grief and acceptance. The ending is a realistic and hopeful conclusion, reaffirming Heidi's commitment to her unconventional family with Bernadette. The conclusion solidifies the novel’s core message: that identity is a combination of the history we uncover and the life we choose to build.