Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man/Coming Attractions

The theme of the novel concerns Daisy's reaction to the events of life around her as she grows up. She is eleven years of age when the story begins and has just had a birthday. It continues until she is grown. Daisy goes through many trials; her father and mother argue; her father drinks a lot, and their income isn't stable.

The story is seen through her eyes; many times her reactions to big and small events are humorous. Daisy Fay has a positive attitude about life despite the trying circumstances. She gets into plenty of mischief, which creates the hilarious tone of the novel.

There are several sub-stories in the novel. These sub-stories are peopled by engaging and bizarre characters. One of the weird characters is Miss Dot. She was once a debutante and is the leader of the debutante club for young girls. Miss Dot always ends their meetings with a supposedly useful, but strange quote that she originates.

It is written in the dairy form. The story takes place in the 1950's along the Gulf Coast at Shell Beach. Her Dad starts an ice cream parlor, which isn't successful in the end. Her mother moves to another town, and Daisy sees her periodically. She lives with her Dad and ends up helping with some of his crazy money making schemes. One of the schemes involves fooling people into thinking Daisy revives from death, and it is a miracle. Her father is in cahoots with a dishonest preacher. It backfires and she and her Dad take flight in Jimmy Snow's crop-duster heading for Florida, where they live out the rest of 1953, 1954, and 1955, though her dairy doesn't describe this part of her life. It begins again after four years; Daisy Fay is 16 years of age. She has attended a Catholic boarding school that her mother wanted her to attend.

Daisy's mother dies from cancer and during her junior year, Daisy goes to the Magnolia Springs high school and deals with an old rival Kay Bob. She makes friends with Pickle and together they create havoc, as Pickle tries to get them accepted in the upper social circle. Daisy can't resist playing tricks on people.

Before long Daisy Fay begins to run the spotlight at the amateur theater in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Shortly thereafter, she starts acting; she is very successful. She makes friends with Mr Cecil, the costume designer and with several other people at the theater. She wants to be a star, and Mr. Cecil helps her enter the Miss Mississippi Pageant. I think Mr. Cecil is the miracle man because he helps her so much.

Her paternal grandfather helps her while she is in Tupelo, Mississippi performing in the pageant; he is her cab driver to and from her hotel. She doesn't recognize him. He is the president of the stagehand union. She wins and goes to Atlantic city. The novel finishes on this upbeat note. Daisy Fay goes off into the real world to fulfill her dreams.