Behave Yourself, Bethany Brant by Patricia Beatty
"Behave Yourself, Bethany Brant" by Patricia Beatty is a historical fiction novel set in the late 19th century, specifically in 1898 and 1899. The story follows eleven-year-old Bethany Brant, who navigates significant personal and family changes after her mother's death during childbirth. Following her mother’s passing, the Brant family relocates from Blue Fork to Prineville, Texas, where they temporarily reside with the Morris family while her father, a preacher, seeks a new church position.
The plot is propelled by a mix of adventurous events, including Bethany's memorable encounter with a fortune-teller at a county fair and a thrilling circus performance featuring an elephant named Lady Peaches. As a spirited and strong-willed character, Bethany demonstrates her courage by participating in a poker game to help secure funds for her father's new church, solidifying her role as a heroine in the story. The narrative reflects themes of resilience, family, and the challenges faced by young women in historical contexts, all while providing readers with a glimpse into the societal values and experiences of that era. Beatty's work is recognized for its authenticity and engaging representation of historical events, encouraging young readers to understand the impact of individual actions on history.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Behave Yourself, Bethany Brant by Patricia Beatty
First published: 1986
Type of work: Historical fiction
Themes: Death, emotions, and family
Time of work: The late nineteenth century
Recommended Ages: 10-13
Locale: Morris Ranch, Prineville, Texas
Principal Characters:
Bethany Brant , an eleven-year-old preacher’s daughter who helps to build a churchNathaniel Brant , Bethany’s father, who is a circuit rider before his church is builtAbel Brant , Bethany’s nine-year-old brother, who shares many of her adventuresMattywill Morris , the boyish-looking cousin who is about the same age as BethanyDeacon Cass , the Mayor’s son, and the man who is helping to collect money for the new churchMiss Penny , the attractive young schoolteacher who dances with Bethany’s father
The Story
Behave Yourself, Bethany Brant is a work of historical fiction. The action-filled plot begins with a foreshadowing of events by Queen Fareeta, a fortune-teller at a Texas county fair. In August of 1898, Bethany attends the fair and gives Queen Fareeta five pennies to tell her fortune. Queen Fareeta looks at the cards and frowns. She predicts that Bethany will soon be moving and states that Bethany’s future holds both good and bad events. Then, staring into a glass pitcher of water, Queen Fareeta tells Bethany she will be befriended by a one-eyed man and will soon see elephants. Bethany leaves the fortune-teller’s tent with mixed feelings. She is uneasy about the possibility of bad future events, but she also laughs about seeing elephants in her country surroundings.
In January of 1899, Bethany’s mother dies in childbirth and is buried in a frozen cemetery with her dead newborn son. After Mrs. Brant’s death, Bethany’s father is unhappy in Blue Fork and wishes to make a change; the local bishop helps him to find a new preaching position in Prineville, Texas. The town is approximately one hundred miles west of Blue Fork, in cattle country, and just opening up to settlers. Until a new church and minister’s house can be built, the Brants will live with the Morris family.
Luke and Reva Morris live on a ranch outside Prineville with their two children, Mattywill and Billy Bob. Mattywill is Bethany’s cousin, and she is about the same age, but the girls find it difficult to be close friends because Mattywill is jealous of Bethany’s accomplishments.
On the Fourth of July, a circus show is held at Boone Lake. The show has an ele-phant named Lady Peaches. After a series of events, Bethany sits atop Lady Peaches’ back for an entire afternoon while the elephant stands in lake water. At dusk, Lady Peaches returns to the bank and sets Bethany on the ground. The watching crowd names Bethany heroine of the day and later crown her “Miss Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean.”
Bethany also takes part in a dramatic poker game. Deacon Cass is in charge of the fund-raising for the new church, but he has a weakness for liquor, pretty ladies, and poker. After Deacon Cass collects enough money for the church and pastor’s house, he almost loses it in a poker game. Bethany takes part in the match in order to regain the three thousand dollars. She wins the game and money with a one-eyed jack of hearts. Although she is a preacher’s daughter, Bethany is a spirited and strong-willed young woman who is not afraid to face the odds. As a result, in the spring of 1900, preacher Brant will have a new church and his family will have a new home.
Context
Behave Yourself, Bethany Brant is a work of historical fiction. In keeping with Turn Homeward, Hannalee (1984) and the sequel, Be Ever Hopeful, Hannalee (1988), the work presents a heroine who is well developed, believable, and authentic to a time and place. In Patricia Beatty’s novels, dynamic characters allow readers to experience historical events, settings, period values, and spoken language. Like eleven-year-old Bethany Brant, many young people of the past have been bold, daring, and courageous. Their spirited endeavors have helped to shape the present world.
A prolific writer, Patricia Beatty has written many historical fiction books. Along with John Beatty, her late husband, she has written works that focus on British history. Beatty’s own works focus on the American past. She has written many nineteenth century frontier stories, which examine women’s rights, the Old West, and American Indians. Her novel Hail Columbia (1970) depicts a woman suffragette in 1893. As in Behave Yourself, Bethany Brant, the Texas frontier is the setting for That’s One Ornery Orphan (1980) and Wait for Me, Watch for Me, Eula Bee (1978). The California frontier is the setting for the novels Lacy Makes a Match (1979) and Eight Mules from Monterey (1982). Red Rock Over the River (1973) has a half-Indian housekeeper as one of its heroines.
All Patricia Beatty’s historical fiction books are meant to delight and entertain. Her novels are nevertheless based on accurate and exact information. In most of her books, Beatty provides an appended author’s note, in which she provides detailed and significant facts that help to place the novel in a meaningful historical context. Behave Yourself, Bethany Brant and other works teach readers that history is created by the actions, thoughts, and deeds of both famous and ordinary people. Readers discover that the present is tied to the past and the future.