The Lager Queen of Minnesota

Edith Magnusson introduces the significance of family support when Stanley is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and her daughter, Colleen, discusses the future of her aging parents. Edith realizes, “Colleen was the load-bearing wall in their family, the one who would take care of them. She didn’t quite have the money or the space, but had both the ability and the heart” (81). Colleen establishes an essential sense of security for Edith, who knows she can depend on her daughter to care for her in old age. When Colleen dies, Edith loses this pillar of support in addition to losing her child. Diana Winter and Edith support each other after this tragedy, further illustrating the importance of reliable family bonds.

Outside of family, Frank Schabert educates Diana on the significance of community support. In mentoring Diana, Frank Schabert teaches her a potentially lucrative skill while dismantling her belief that a university degree is the only way to achieve success. Moreover, Frank creates an environment that enlists community support at Heartlander: “[E]very brewer had to label and package his or her own beer themselves, and to rally volunteers to help, the brewer would provide free food and drinks, and they’d make a little party out of it” (203).