Hope and Have

In Short

This novel is a moralizing adventure story from 1866, blending a domestic tale of juvenile delinquency with the harrowing historical reality of the 1862 Dakota War. It follows Fanny Grant, a headstrong girl who runs away from her guardian, only to find her character transformed by a brief, poignant friendship with a dying girl in New York. When she returns to her Minnesota home, she is thrust into a brutal Indian massacre, where she must rely on the courage and practical skills she has only just begun to cultivate.

The Story

Fanny Grant begins as a deeply troubled, dishonest girl who steals from her generous guardian and runs away to escape the threat of being sent to live with her uncle in Minnesota. During her flight, she wanders into a hovel near New York City, where she encounters a dying girl named Jenny Kent. This meeting becomes the turning point of her life; Jenny’s saintly patience and her symbolic gift of an anchor-shaped breastpin inspire Fanny to abandon her deceptions. She returns to her guardian in Minnesota, fully prepared to confess her crimes and accept whatever punishment is deemed necessary.

However, her arrival in Minnesota coincides with the outbreak of a violent uprising. The relative peace of her life is shattered when she and a young boy named Ethan French witness an attack on their home. In the ensuing chaos, they are forced to flee into the wilderness, eventually taking refuge on a small island in a lake to escape the warring parties. Their survival depends on their ability to build a shelter, forage for food, and protect themselves against repeated threats. Throughout this period, Fanny remains the moral anchor for the pair, constantly reminding herself and the less-educated Ethan of the motto she adopted from Jenny: "Hope and have"—the idea that one must work diligently to attain the virtues one desires.

The two exiles are eventually rescued and returned to civilization. The story concludes with a sentimental reconciliation; Fanny’s former guardian and his family are amazed by her transformation from a "naughty girl" to a responsible, courageous young woman. Ethan, too, is reformed through Fanny’s influence and his own desire for self-improvement; he abandons his rough dialect and settles into a respectable life as a machinist. The book ends by noting that the family of the girl who initially inspired Fanny’s conversion is also cared for, tying up the moral threads of the narrative.

How It Unfolds

The rebellion of a child Fanny sneaks into her guardian’s desk to steal money, feeling no remorse even when confronted with a Sunday-school card reminding her of God’s commandments. She believes she is smarter than the adults around her and plans a daring escape to New York, dragging a reluctant friend along to participate in her scheme.

A life-changing encounter While hiding in the outskirts of New York, Fanny discovers a poor, dying girl named Jenny who possesses a rare, tranquil goodness. Jenny shares her faith and her motto, "Hope and have," which fundamentally alters Fanny's worldview and triggers a profound, lasting repentance.

Reparation and return Fanny chooses to return to her guardian in Minnesota, ready to confess her theft and accept the consequences of her past actions. She demonstrates her genuine change of heart by making restitution and seeking forgiveness for the deception she perpetrated.

The massacre on the prairie The narrative shifts abruptly as the peaceful settlement is struck by a violent Indian uprising, forcing Fanny and the boy Ethan into a desperate, life-or-death flight. They witness the murder of those they love and must navigate the treacherous wilderness to survive.

The transformation of the exiles Isolated on an island, Fanny and Ethan build a makeshift life, relying on the skills and values they have acquired to endure the elements and hostile threats. By the time they are rescued, they have both been hardened and refined, proving that they are worthy of their new, stable futures.

The People

Fanny Grant starts as a self-centered, manipulative child who views her own sharp intellect as a tool for mischief. After her encounter with Jenny, she matures into a resolute, brave, and deeply faithful character who serves as the moral center of the story.

Ethan French is a rough-hewn, uneducated boy with a distinctive dialect and a penchant for hyperbolic, colorful language. Initially impulsive and prone to fear, he is guided by Fanny’s steady hand and, through his subsequent education, evolves into a disciplined, productive man.

Jenny Kent is the catalyst for the narrative's central moral arc. Though her role is brief, her deathbed wisdom and gift of the anchor pin provide the spiritual vocabulary Fanny uses to navigate her later crises.

Mr. Grant serves as the patient, firm, and ultimately forgiving guardian. He represents the ideal of adult wisdom, providing the structure that allows Fanny to flourish once she has learned to discipline her own will.

In Its Own Voice

"There is nothing there, and of course I must take the hint; but they can't cheat me."

The narrator reveals Fanny’s stubborn, cynical mindset at the start of the book when she finds a religious warning in a drawer she intended to rob.

"What we desire most we labor the hardest for."

The dying girl, Jenny, explains the core philosophy that Fanny will eventually adopt as her own motto to guide her actions during the frontier crisis.

"Creation hokee!"

Ethan repeatedly uses this idiosyncratic exclamation to express his shock and excitement as the reality of the massacre unfolds around them.

What It's Really About

The central theme is the internal labor required to build a virtuous character. The book argues that goodness is not a passive state but a result of intentional effort—the "having" follows only after the "hoping" is paired with hard, honest work. It also explores the contrast between the perceived safety of a sheltered, affluent life and the raw, unpredictable danger of the frontier. Ultimately, the book positions faith and self-discipline as the only reliable tools for maintaining one's humanity in the face of both moral failing and extreme physical tragedy.

Why Read It Today

Readers interested in the history of juvenile literature will find this book a fascinating example of the 19th-century "conduct" novel, which combined high-stakes adventure with explicit moral instruction. The tone is earnest, and the narrative moves with a rapid, almost breathless pace that modern readers might find jarring yet compelling.

Those who enjoy historical fiction will find the segments describing the Minnesota massacre particularly striking, as they offer a window into how mid-19th-century authors processed traumatic historical events through the lens of domestic melodrama. However, readers should be prepared for the period-typical attitudes toward Native Americans, which are presented through the eyes of the terrified settlers and reflect the prejudices of the era. The dialect used for characters like Ethan is also a stylistic hurdle; it is thick with phonetic spellings and archaic ruralisms that require some patience to decode. Nevertheless, the book remains a sincere, if didactic, portrait of the struggle to grow up. It leaves the reader with a clear, uncompromising vision of a world where every action has a moral weight, and where even the most "naughty" girl can, through suffering and resolve, find her way to a better life.