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1-Page Summary of Ham On Rye

Overview

Henry recalls that his earliest memory is being under a table. It was in 1922, when he was between 1 and 2 years old. He says people were always eating back then. Then the entire family moved to America, where they had little contact with his grandmother and none at all with his grandfather. Henry’s life consisted of beatings from Big Henry (his father) and indifference from Mama (his mother).

Henry is forbidden to spend time with other children in the neighborhood. His parents believe that they are much better than the families of those children, and so Henry should avoid them. He does break away from this attitude a bit as he grows older, but never manages to make friends because he always drives people away. When Henry is very young, his father makes him mow the lawn on Saturdays while his friends play together. Afterwards, when he’s done mowing, his father checks for weeds sticking up above the grass line and beats him if any are found. This type of punishment happens every week without fail.

Henry didn’t have many friends in the neighborhood, but he was able to fit in. However, his father forced him to transfer schools because of its high tuition and reputation for wealthy children. Henry became an outcast at Chelsea High School with several other kids who were also outcasts. He graduated and began working as a stock clerk at a department store where he was bullied by former classmates until he beat one up which resulted in his firing from the job after just a week there.

Henry’s father sends him to college because it is free and costs less than a job. He takes journalism because his friend told him that it was easy, but he found out otherwise when he had to buy books and alcohol. His father threw him out for the content of his short stories.

Henry moves out of his fraternity house into a run-down apartment and makes money by writing term papers for other students. After quitting college in order to earn more money, Henry practices playing the slots so he can better survive after having quit school. He meets up with an old classmate who is now enlisted in the army. The two had been at their local bar getting drunk when news comes that Pearl Harbor has been bombed. They part ways and Henry goes to play robotic boxing against a young Mexican boy until he loses 2 games straight.

Chapters 1 through 5

Henry says his first memory is of being under something. He thinks it was a table. It was 1922 in Germany, and he was between one and two years old. His memories are spotty, but they include food that people were always eating at the time. Then Henry’s entire family moves to America. He remembers visiting his grandmother in Pasadena when he was young, playing her piano, and visiting his grandfather with his parents while they stayed in their car because they didn’t want to meet him face-to-face again after what happened before World War I started (the war). Instead of getting out of the car like everyone else does when meeting someone for the first time, Henry gets out alone without anyone noticing him at all because he’s so small and goes up to visit his grandfather by himself as though nothing has changed even though it has been many years since their last encounter due to political circumstances.

Henry’s grandfather gives him a gummy badge from his years of service in the German military, which shows how long ago this occurred due to its age. And Henry also receives a pocket watch that belonged to another relative who passed away some time ago.

Henry’s family owns a Model T and often goes on Sunday picnics. One day, they go to an orange grove where Henry’s father picks oranges. The owner of the orchard appears with a gun and chases them away. Henry describes his family members who are all alcoholics except for one brother in Germany, whom he rarely sees. He also tells you that his father talks badly about his brothers who are “ne’er do wells”.