The Orphan Train By Christina Baker Kline

The Orphan Train Did you have a happy childhood growing up? In the Orphan Train, Christina Baker Kline shares the story of an often forgotten and quite tragic part of American history, orphan trains. Orphan trains were a system of trains that ran from 1854 to 1929. They started in New York and took abandoned children to several points throughout the midwest to be adopted. While some children found happy homes, many were placed into homes where they were ignored, abused, or treated as servants. Kline tells us about the horrors these children had to endure through Niamh Power, a young Irish immigrant. In the Orphan Train, we learn anew that the human spirit can only take so much before being crushed and though that spirit is crushed, life somehow

and Mrs. Byrne could no longer afford to keep Dorothy, and she was informed that she was moving to a farm in northern Minnesota. Once she arrived, Dorothy discovered that her new family was a young couple with the surname of Grote. Despite their age, Mr. and Mrs. Grote had three children, none of which they cared about. Even though it seemed impossible, Dorothy was placed into an unsanitary environment even less conducive to her health than the last. There was no running water, electricity, or indoor plumbing. “I feel abandoned and forgotten, dropped into misery worse than my own.” (pg. 120.) Despite the horrible conditions, she was allowed an education. Ms. Larson, her teacher, was a bright spot in her otherwise bleak existence. One night, Mr. Grote woke up Dorothy and told her to follow him into the living room, telling her that it was cold and they could warm each other up. Despite Dorothy’s protests, he laid her down, and then sexually assaulted her. Dorothy’s screams woke up Mrs. Grote who, instead of assisting Dorothy, threw her outside, leaving her to fend for herself. Dorothy walked four miles in the freezing cold, hoping to find refuge with Ms. Larson. The second she reached the school she collapsed from exhaustion. When she woke up, Dorothy told Ms. Larson what happened at the Grotes. Ms. Larson took Dorothy to the women’s boardinghouse where she lived. Her safe haven was the key to Dorothy’s

Larson helped introduce Dorothy to the Nielsens, a married couple that owned a general store. They were interested in Dorothy and the help she could bring to the store. However, to live with the Nielsens she would no longer be able to attend the same school. She had to say goodbye to Ms. Larson and start a new chapter of her life. The Nielsens decided to rename her Vivian after their late daughter. Vivian brought great success to their small business by stocking the store with the latest fashion trends. One Friday night, when Vivian was 19, her friends Lil and Em took her to Minneapolis to see The Wizard of Oz. While in Minneapolis, they went out to a bar and discovered Dutchy, renamed Luke Maynard. He was the piano player there. The two were reunited, fell in love, and married shortly after finding each other. However, much to their dismay, the world plunged into World War II and Dutchy was drafted. They would write to each other as much as possible, Vivian talking about her newly-discovered pregnancy and Dutchy talking about his new friend, Jim Daley. The next letter Vivian received wasn’t from Dutchy, but from Jim. He explained how Dutchy and three others were in a plane crash. They died instantly. Overcome with misery, Vivian didn’t shed a tear for Dutchy until labor, crying from the pain of childbirth and the overwhelming grief of losing the one person she ever truly loved. After giving birth, Vivian gave up her baby, knowing that she could not raise a child that