harriet's daughter

ABOUT MARLENE NOURBESE PHILIP
- Marlene Nourbese Philip was born in Tobago in 1947.
- She studied at the University of the West Indies, as well as in Canada.
- She has been a writer and poet since 1968.
MARLENE NOURBESE PHILIP'S NOVELS
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SETTING
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THEME
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SUMMARY
Harriet’s Daughter is about the life of a little girl called Margaret. She is a first-generation Canadian of Bajan descent. The story is built around the railway game in which Margaret, who insists on being called Harriet, leads a team in taking slaves to ‘freedom’. ‘Freedom’, as well as safe houses, are designated places where the group can meet to ‘rest’ while they wait out the dogs and their pursuers. This game forms the overarching action of the novel, but outside of that, it is a story about relationships. It tells of the complicated relationship between Margaret and her parents, the relationship between the parents themselves, Margaret and her siblings, Margaret and her two best friends, and Margaret and Mrs. Billings. There is also an overarching theme of freedom from oppression. We have Zulma, who wants to return to Trinidad, thereby escaping the abusive situation in her household, and Margaret, who also wants to escape what she perceives as the tyranny of her father. There is also the example of Mrs. Blewchamp, who escaped the Jewish holocaust, Mrs. Billings, who escaped an abusive situation, and Harriet Tubman herself, who represents the ultimate escape artist.
Harriet’s Daughter is about the life of a little girl called Margaret. She is a first-generation Canadian of Bajan descent. The story is built around the railway game in which Margaret, who insists on being called Harriet, leads a team in taking slaves to ‘freedom’. ‘Freedom’, as well as safe houses, are designated places where the group can meet to ‘rest’ while they wait out the dogs and their pursuers. This game forms the overarching action of the novel, but outside of that, it is a story about relationships. It tells of the complicated relationship between Margaret and her parents, the relationship between the parents themselves, Margaret and her siblings, Margaret and her two best friends, and Margaret and Mrs. Billings. There is also an overarching theme of freedom from oppression. We have Zulma, who wants to return to Trinidad, thereby escaping the abusive situation in her household, and Margaret, who also wants to escape what she perceives as the tyranny of her father. There is also the example of Mrs. Blewchamp, who escaped the Jewish holocaust, Mrs. Billings, who escaped an abusive situation, and Harriet Tubman herself, who represents the ultimate escape artist.
CHARACTERS
Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman
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- Fourteen years old
- Lives in Canada with her parents and two siblings
- Initially has a best friend called Ti-Cush, but replaces her with Zulma
- Obsessed with Harriet Tubman and wants to be called Margaret
- Thinks her father is overpowering and seems to dislike him
- Wants to help Zulma to go back to gran in Trinidad
- Founder of the Underground Railway game
- Promises to get Zulma back to Tobago
- Fourteen years old and Margaret’s best friend
- Migrated to Canada from Tobago
- Misses her gran and wants to return home
- Her mom is in an abusive relationship
- Wife of Mr. Billings, Cuthbert’s domino partner
- Zulma and Margaret confide in her
- She is a comforting figure for them, always feeding them cookies
- She escaped from an abusive relationship
- Originally from the United States
- Tina’s former employer (deceased)
- Loved all of Tina’s children, but her love for Margaret was exceptional
- Mom wanted to name Margaret after her
- Left money for Margaret in her will
- She escaped from the concentration camps
- Margaret’s mother
- Liked to be called Tina because associates her name with hard work
- Initially worked as a caregiver for Mrs. Blewchamp when they first went to Canada
- Initially did not work, at her husband’s request, but gets a part-time job by the middle of the book
- Has a good relationship with Margaret, but a better one with Jo-Ann, from Margaret’s perspective
- Supportive of Margaret’s informal name change to Harriet
- Margaret's father
- Obsessed with Barbados and wants to return
- He simultaneously rejects all things Caribbean while also embracing it
- Obsessed with discipline and education
- Does not have a good relationship with Margaret
- Does not want his wife to work
- Wants good things for his family, but does not communicate well with them
- Best friend of Margaret
- She organizes the game with Zulma and Margaret
- Gets jealous of the blooming relationship between Zulma and Margaret
- Margaret's sister
- Margaret believes that her parents favour Jo-Ann
- She refers to her sister as 'Slobo Jo-Ann' because she has weight issues
- Margaret's brother
- Margaret believes that he can do no wrong in their parents' eyes
- She believes that he is treated better than both her and her sister on the basis of being male
- She refers to him as the 'Rib Roast Prime Minister'
- Carol Clarke - Zulma's mother
- Lloyd Clarke - Zulma's stepfather
- Mrs. Chalmers - principal of Zulma and Margaret's school
PLOT
Chapter 1
The chapter opens with the children playing the Underground Railway Game. We then get a flashback of when Zulma and Margaret meet for the first time. Margaret and Ti-Cush spot a crowd on the playground and discover Zulma crying. Margaret takes Zulma away from the crowd and enquires about what is wrong with her. She learns that Zulma is homesick for Tobago. She cheers her up by enticing her into a game of making snow angels.
Chapter 2
We learn that Ti-Cush is jealous of the time that Margaret and Zulma spend together. The scene then switches to Margaret being called into the principal's office to assist in calming Zulma, as well as discovering the source of her crying. We learn that, once again, Zulma has succumbed to homesickness. It is at this point that Margaret promises to get Zulma back home to Tobago. The chapter closes with the girls having fun teaching [Zulma] and learning [Margaret] 'Tobago-talk', as well as curse words.
Chapter 3
This chapter gives us insight into Vashtina and Cuthbert Cruickshank's life, as seen through the eyes of Margaret. She uses one word each to describe her parents; Tina is neurotic, while Cuthbert is a male chauvinist pig. Her mother shops excessively and her father exerts power and authority over every member of his household. Margaret strongly believes that her father is a phony because he wants his wife to forget about the Caribbean and its customs, yet he regularly plays dominoes with his Caribbean friends.
Chapter 4
We learn that Zulma does not live in an ideal family situation. Her stepfather dislikes and overworks her, and her mother is afraid of him and, as a result of this, Zulma disparately wants to go back to Tobago to live with her gran. Margaret then has a conversation with her mother about utilizing her baby bonus money, as well as her inheritance from Margaret Blewchamp, to help Zulma return to Tobago. The chapter ends with her being very upset with her mother for denying her access to the baby bonus money that would have gotten Zulma a plane ticket home.
Chapter 5
This is the chapter in which the reader discovers Margaret's list. She has a list of things that she wants to change in her life,, and another that outlines how she plans to achieve her goals. This is the point at which she starts to contemplate changing her name, so Ti-Cush and Zulma accompany her to research famous women, as well as to work on her school project. Ti-Cush gets annoyed with Zulma for a moment but gets past it. The girls have a pleasant time at the library.
Chapter 6
Margaret was very late for supper. This happened because she was late leaving the library and was tired of being afraid of her father. therefore, she decided to stop at McDonald's for a chocolate milkshake because she was already in trouble. She received a lecture from her father, which she blocked out, and was grounded for a week. Margaret then got into a quarrel with her mother over washing the dishes and subsequently spent the evening in her room reading about Harriet Tubman and Mata Hari.
Chapter 7
Margaret had the first of many dreams about Harriet Tubman that night. Upon awakening, her mother instructs her to get dressed for church. She goes downstairs, dressed inappropriately, and her mother forces her to go upstairs to put on a dress. We learn that her parents do not actually attend church themselves, but consistently send their children. At dinner that day she upsets her sister by wishing that she gain fifty pounds. She then asks her mother to help her with a project on Rasta and reggae music. Her father reacts badly to this, she 'faysties' (reacts impertinently) herself with him and is threatened with being sent to Barbados to receive 'good West Indian discipline'.
Chapter 8
Margaret tells her mother that her school is accepting part-time teachers. Her mother gets the job but discovers that Margaret had an ulterior motive in finding her the job in the first place. Margaret actually wants her mother to give her half of her salary to fund Zulma's trip back to Tobago, but her mother refuses. This negative news is offset, however, by the positive response of her friends regarding calling her Harriet. This chapter highlights Margaret's second dream about Harriet Tubman, the result of which is a series of very creative codes for her underground railway game, as well as a fervent need to change her name to Harriet. It is during a conversation with her mom, regarding her desire for a name change, that Margaret learns about her mother's hatred of her own name. Vashtina agrees to call her daughter Harriet and this chapter ends with her going on an errand to get her father from the Billings' house.
Chapter 9
Margaret goes to visit Mrs. Billings and she is welcomed with the statement that her father is there playing dominoes. She goes downstairs and tells him that Vashtina says that dinner is ready and he tells her to wait for him. She goes upstairs to Mrs Billings and they have a conversation about Harriet Tubman, while Margaret eats chocolate chip cookies. Margaret learns that Mrs. Billings' family actually knew families that had traveled north with Harriet Tubman. She also learns that Mrs. Billings had escaped North as well. Margaret has to leave, however, before she can hear the story. Harriet tries to have a conversation with her father while they driving home, but it quickly devolves into a lecture on the 'good old days' in Barbados. The chapter ends with Cuthbert inquiring if Margaret would like to go live in Barbados for a while. She responds in the negative and is treated to another lecture on 'Rudeness'.
Chapter 10
Zulma calls Margaret on Sunday morning in tears, so Margaret rushes over to Zulma's house. Later that night Zulma tells Margaret that her stepfather hit her mother, and gives her details about the event. Margaret suggests that they should get Lloyd deported. They discuss the viability of this option, and Zulma concludes that she is going to run away. Margaret then informs Zulma that she is trying to get her mother to purchase Zulma's plane fare to Tobago. This is in an attempt to prevent Zulma from running away. She even promises Zulma that she will go with her. She later dreams that Harriet Tumban was helping Zulma escape to Canada, and her to Tobago.
Chapter 11
Margaret tells us about the formation of the Underground Railway Game in this chapter. She was hanging out with Ti-Cush and Zulma one Saturday afternoon, listening to Bob Marley and doing their hair and make-up, when Margaret told them about her idea for the game. The three friends then sat down and organized the Underground Railway Game. They decided to meet at the baseball diamond and to bring friends who were interested in playing the game.
Chapter 12
Margaret gave an informative speech about the Underground Railway Game to the children at the baseball diamond during the lunch break. The children met again after school, but no one wanted to be dogs or slave owners. David Shaw then suggested that they draw names from a hat to assign roles, which solved the problem. Margaret was happy at the end of this inaugural game, but T-Cush, from Margaret's perspective, was not.
Chapter 13
The children played the game for about six more weeks and it helped Zulma to forget her problems. Everyone who played the game called her Harriet, including her mother and Jo-Ann. The only person who refused to participate in the name change was her father. We are given a description of one of their games, at the end of which Ti-Cush is, again, upset. She is upset because Margaret has introduced the concept of the free paper and did not discuss it with her. The children play the game again, but Margaret and Ti Cush are left confused because no one gets to 'freedom'. They went to the school and discovered a group of quarreling children. They believe that someone had 'fnked' the location of freedom. Margaret suggested that they change freedom and switch roles, but no one wanted to change from their designated roles.
Chapter 14
Despite the fact that the game got less exciting after they changed 'freedom', they still kept playing and even introduced playing at night. This held inherent dangers, however, one of which was being caught by the cops, as well as being discovered by parents. In fact, Margaret was caught one night, by her sister Jo-Ann, and was nearly blackmailed for her indiscretion. Margaret believed that it was the beginning of the end of the game because there was a lot of conflict between the players. Margaret's mother also reported that teachers were asking questions and parents were reporting incidents that had a direct relationship with the Underground Railroad Game. It is on this basis that Margaret called a meeting, where she managed to convince the players to stop playing the game. This decision was too little too late, however, because she was called into the principal's office and shown a note. This note declared that she knew 'all'. Margaret told the principal everything, except the fact that sometimes played in the night, and her confession was met with understanding. Mrs. Chalmers, however, told Margaret that parents had to be fully apprised of the details of the Underground Railroad Game and its effects. She reported the details of her meeting with the players, as well as repeated her stance that they had to stop playing the game. Everyone left with happy memories, and thoughts, about the game, except Ti-Cush. She was upset because she thought that Margaret thought that she was the informer.
Chapter 15
Margaret, and her mother, receive a lecture from Cuthbert about the inappropriateness of the Underground Railroad Game. The lecture ends with Margaret being consigned to Barbados in order to finally receive some good West Indian discipline. Margaret went from screaming to pleading and then simply leaving the room when her mother offered no support in defense of her daughter. Comfort and support came from the unlikely figure of Jo-Ann, who called her Harriet and told her that she did not want her sister to go to Barbados.
Chapter 16
Margaret and Zulma discuss running away, but they are hampered by the fact that they have no money. This problem, however, is miraculously solved for them, at least in Margaret's eyes, when she finds seven hundred dollars in her father's car. She knows that it is her mother's money, from her partner's savings scheme, and that she will never declare the loss in order to avoid her husband's reaction. She, therefore, decides to keep the money in aid of the Zulma and Margaret escape plan. Margaret, however, has an attack of conscience and decides to consult Mrs. Billings. Mrs. B listens intently to Margaret and asks her what she wants to do. Margaret says that she wants to buy a ticket for Zulma and herself to go to Tobago. Mrs. B responds by telling her that she will help her.
Chapter 17
Mrs. B tells Margaret the heart-wrenching story about how, upon the death of her mother and the desertion of her father, she and her thirteen siblings were parceled out to friends and relatives as free labour. She ended up with Aunt Cleo, who overworked, flogged, and starved her. She ran away at fourteen, and stole money and jewelry from Aunt Cleo as well, in exchange for her health, strength, and youth. Life got easier for Mrs. B after that; she worked in white people's kitchens and went back to school, then she met Mr. Billings and went to live in Canada. Mrs. B then focuses on Margaret's problem. She decides to pray about the situation and to meet Zulma, she also encourages Margaret to leave the seven hundred dollars with her.
Chapter 18
Zulma and Margaret discuss the morality of using Tina's money, to fund their escape, while walking to Mrs. B's house. Mrs. B has a candid conversation with Zulma about her options, in relation to her situation. Mrs. B then decides to talk to Zulma and Margaret's parents to see if she can convince them to allow the girls to visit Tobago. She tells the girls that if she is unable to convince their parents, she will help them to achieve their goals.
Chapter 19
Mrs. B is unsuccessful in convincing the parents to give the girls what they want, but she goes back on her promise to the girls. She tells them that she cannot help them unless she has at least one parent's approval. She gets a bright idea at the end of the chapter, however, and instructs the girls to meet her at her house on Sunday at two in the afternoon.
Chapter 20
Margaret gets her period for the first time in this chapter. She told her mother and she was very pleased. The two then had a bonding session before Margaret went to bed.
Chapter 21
Mrs. B sent Margaret and Zulma to the basement rec room to watch TV while she spoke to their parents. She invites the girls upstairs where Tina tells Margaret that her period was the stimulus for her change of heart. She wants to defend her child and be able to watch her grow up. Zulma's mother tells her that her happiness is all she ever wanted and that she will buy her a ticket to Tobago. She also told Zulma that she was planning on leaving her husband. The chapter ends with Tina volunteering to use her seven hundred dollars to purchase tickets for the girls' trip to Tobago. Tina and Carol agreed that if Zulma wanted to visit Canada in the future, and her mom was still living with her stepfather, Zulma would stay with the Cruickshanks.
Chapter 22
Margaret's mother arranges her trip to Tobago, unbeknownst to her husband. She also starts to assert herself in her relations with Cuthbert, which makes him uncomfortable. We also see Margaret attempting to initiate positive communication with her father, but he is not accommodating. Her relationship with her mother, however, improved. Mrs. B, on the other hand, promised to be a source of support for Mrs. Clarke in Zulma's absence. Margaret then wrote 'departure' notes to Jo-Ann and her brother and tried to write one to her father, but decided against it.
Chapter 23
Margaret was at home one Sunday, relaxing with a book when Cuthbert received a visit from Mr. Clarke. She eavesdropped on their conversation, which revealed that Mr. Clarke had discovered the plan to send Zulma and Margaret to Tobago. The two gentlemen discuss their theories on women's place in the society. Cuthbert then calls Tina and they argue about the conflicting plans that were made for Margaret by both of them. Tina won the argument and gave her daughter a fierce embrace. Margaret then visited Zulma, who was at Mrs. Billings' house, where she discovered that Mrs. Clarke had been beaten by her husband. Both Zulma and Mrs. Clarke got away because Zulma broke a glass pitcher over his hand. Zulma and Margaret then discussed the hardships that women endure, as well as Zulma's desire for her mother to stay with Mrs. B. Margaret predicts that her parents' relationship will go through a transition period.
Chapter 24
They all met at Mrs. B's house on the morning of their departure and the girls received very meaningful gifts from Mrs. B. She also gave Zulma the news that her mother would be staying with her, and told Margaret that her mother would be fine because she was coming into her own. She advised the girls not to bottle up their feelings.
Chapter 25
Zulma and Margaret are in the jet, on their way to Tobago and Zulma reveals all that is worrying her. This worry manifested itself in various dreams during the flight. The plane lands and the girls meet Gran at last.
Chapter 1
The chapter opens with the children playing the Underground Railway Game. We then get a flashback of when Zulma and Margaret meet for the first time. Margaret and Ti-Cush spot a crowd on the playground and discover Zulma crying. Margaret takes Zulma away from the crowd and enquires about what is wrong with her. She learns that Zulma is homesick for Tobago. She cheers her up by enticing her into a game of making snow angels.
Chapter 2
We learn that Ti-Cush is jealous of the time that Margaret and Zulma spend together. The scene then switches to Margaret being called into the principal's office to assist in calming Zulma, as well as discovering the source of her crying. We learn that, once again, Zulma has succumbed to homesickness. It is at this point that Margaret promises to get Zulma back home to Tobago. The chapter closes with the girls having fun teaching [Zulma] and learning [Margaret] 'Tobago-talk', as well as curse words.
Chapter 3
This chapter gives us insight into Vashtina and Cuthbert Cruickshank's life, as seen through the eyes of Margaret. She uses one word each to describe her parents; Tina is neurotic, while Cuthbert is a male chauvinist pig. Her mother shops excessively and her father exerts power and authority over every member of his household. Margaret strongly believes that her father is a phony because he wants his wife to forget about the Caribbean and its customs, yet he regularly plays dominoes with his Caribbean friends.
Chapter 4
We learn that Zulma does not live in an ideal family situation. Her stepfather dislikes and overworks her, and her mother is afraid of him and, as a result of this, Zulma disparately wants to go back to Tobago to live with her gran. Margaret then has a conversation with her mother about utilizing her baby bonus money, as well as her inheritance from Margaret Blewchamp, to help Zulma return to Tobago. The chapter ends with her being very upset with her mother for denying her access to the baby bonus money that would have gotten Zulma a plane ticket home.
Chapter 5
This is the chapter in which the reader discovers Margaret's list. She has a list of things that she wants to change in her life,, and another that outlines how she plans to achieve her goals. This is the point at which she starts to contemplate changing her name, so Ti-Cush and Zulma accompany her to research famous women, as well as to work on her school project. Ti-Cush gets annoyed with Zulma for a moment but gets past it. The girls have a pleasant time at the library.
Chapter 6
Margaret was very late for supper. This happened because she was late leaving the library and was tired of being afraid of her father. therefore, she decided to stop at McDonald's for a chocolate milkshake because she was already in trouble. She received a lecture from her father, which she blocked out, and was grounded for a week. Margaret then got into a quarrel with her mother over washing the dishes and subsequently spent the evening in her room reading about Harriet Tubman and Mata Hari.
Chapter 7
Margaret had the first of many dreams about Harriet Tubman that night. Upon awakening, her mother instructs her to get dressed for church. She goes downstairs, dressed inappropriately, and her mother forces her to go upstairs to put on a dress. We learn that her parents do not actually attend church themselves, but consistently send their children. At dinner that day she upsets her sister by wishing that she gain fifty pounds. She then asks her mother to help her with a project on Rasta and reggae music. Her father reacts badly to this, she 'faysties' (reacts impertinently) herself with him and is threatened with being sent to Barbados to receive 'good West Indian discipline'.
Chapter 8
Margaret tells her mother that her school is accepting part-time teachers. Her mother gets the job but discovers that Margaret had an ulterior motive in finding her the job in the first place. Margaret actually wants her mother to give her half of her salary to fund Zulma's trip back to Tobago, but her mother refuses. This negative news is offset, however, by the positive response of her friends regarding calling her Harriet. This chapter highlights Margaret's second dream about Harriet Tubman, the result of which is a series of very creative codes for her underground railway game, as well as a fervent need to change her name to Harriet. It is during a conversation with her mom, regarding her desire for a name change, that Margaret learns about her mother's hatred of her own name. Vashtina agrees to call her daughter Harriet and this chapter ends with her going on an errand to get her father from the Billings' house.
Chapter 9
Margaret goes to visit Mrs. Billings and she is welcomed with the statement that her father is there playing dominoes. She goes downstairs and tells him that Vashtina says that dinner is ready and he tells her to wait for him. She goes upstairs to Mrs Billings and they have a conversation about Harriet Tubman, while Margaret eats chocolate chip cookies. Margaret learns that Mrs. Billings' family actually knew families that had traveled north with Harriet Tubman. She also learns that Mrs. Billings had escaped North as well. Margaret has to leave, however, before she can hear the story. Harriet tries to have a conversation with her father while they driving home, but it quickly devolves into a lecture on the 'good old days' in Barbados. The chapter ends with Cuthbert inquiring if Margaret would like to go live in Barbados for a while. She responds in the negative and is treated to another lecture on 'Rudeness'.
Chapter 10
Zulma calls Margaret on Sunday morning in tears, so Margaret rushes over to Zulma's house. Later that night Zulma tells Margaret that her stepfather hit her mother, and gives her details about the event. Margaret suggests that they should get Lloyd deported. They discuss the viability of this option, and Zulma concludes that she is going to run away. Margaret then informs Zulma that she is trying to get her mother to purchase Zulma's plane fare to Tobago. This is in an attempt to prevent Zulma from running away. She even promises Zulma that she will go with her. She later dreams that Harriet Tumban was helping Zulma escape to Canada, and her to Tobago.
Chapter 11
Margaret tells us about the formation of the Underground Railway Game in this chapter. She was hanging out with Ti-Cush and Zulma one Saturday afternoon, listening to Bob Marley and doing their hair and make-up, when Margaret told them about her idea for the game. The three friends then sat down and organized the Underground Railway Game. They decided to meet at the baseball diamond and to bring friends who were interested in playing the game.
Chapter 12
Margaret gave an informative speech about the Underground Railway Game to the children at the baseball diamond during the lunch break. The children met again after school, but no one wanted to be dogs or slave owners. David Shaw then suggested that they draw names from a hat to assign roles, which solved the problem. Margaret was happy at the end of this inaugural game, but T-Cush, from Margaret's perspective, was not.
Chapter 13
The children played the game for about six more weeks and it helped Zulma to forget her problems. Everyone who played the game called her Harriet, including her mother and Jo-Ann. The only person who refused to participate in the name change was her father. We are given a description of one of their games, at the end of which Ti-Cush is, again, upset. She is upset because Margaret has introduced the concept of the free paper and did not discuss it with her. The children play the game again, but Margaret and Ti Cush are left confused because no one gets to 'freedom'. They went to the school and discovered a group of quarreling children. They believe that someone had 'fnked' the location of freedom. Margaret suggested that they change freedom and switch roles, but no one wanted to change from their designated roles.
Chapter 14
Despite the fact that the game got less exciting after they changed 'freedom', they still kept playing and even introduced playing at night. This held inherent dangers, however, one of which was being caught by the cops, as well as being discovered by parents. In fact, Margaret was caught one night, by her sister Jo-Ann, and was nearly blackmailed for her indiscretion. Margaret believed that it was the beginning of the end of the game because there was a lot of conflict between the players. Margaret's mother also reported that teachers were asking questions and parents were reporting incidents that had a direct relationship with the Underground Railroad Game. It is on this basis that Margaret called a meeting, where she managed to convince the players to stop playing the game. This decision was too little too late, however, because she was called into the principal's office and shown a note. This note declared that she knew 'all'. Margaret told the principal everything, except the fact that sometimes played in the night, and her confession was met with understanding. Mrs. Chalmers, however, told Margaret that parents had to be fully apprised of the details of the Underground Railroad Game and its effects. She reported the details of her meeting with the players, as well as repeated her stance that they had to stop playing the game. Everyone left with happy memories, and thoughts, about the game, except Ti-Cush. She was upset because she thought that Margaret thought that she was the informer.
Chapter 15
Margaret, and her mother, receive a lecture from Cuthbert about the inappropriateness of the Underground Railroad Game. The lecture ends with Margaret being consigned to Barbados in order to finally receive some good West Indian discipline. Margaret went from screaming to pleading and then simply leaving the room when her mother offered no support in defense of her daughter. Comfort and support came from the unlikely figure of Jo-Ann, who called her Harriet and told her that she did not want her sister to go to Barbados.
Chapter 16
Margaret and Zulma discuss running away, but they are hampered by the fact that they have no money. This problem, however, is miraculously solved for them, at least in Margaret's eyes, when she finds seven hundred dollars in her father's car. She knows that it is her mother's money, from her partner's savings scheme, and that she will never declare the loss in order to avoid her husband's reaction. She, therefore, decides to keep the money in aid of the Zulma and Margaret escape plan. Margaret, however, has an attack of conscience and decides to consult Mrs. Billings. Mrs. B listens intently to Margaret and asks her what she wants to do. Margaret says that she wants to buy a ticket for Zulma and herself to go to Tobago. Mrs. B responds by telling her that she will help her.
Chapter 17
Mrs. B tells Margaret the heart-wrenching story about how, upon the death of her mother and the desertion of her father, she and her thirteen siblings were parceled out to friends and relatives as free labour. She ended up with Aunt Cleo, who overworked, flogged, and starved her. She ran away at fourteen, and stole money and jewelry from Aunt Cleo as well, in exchange for her health, strength, and youth. Life got easier for Mrs. B after that; she worked in white people's kitchens and went back to school, then she met Mr. Billings and went to live in Canada. Mrs. B then focuses on Margaret's problem. She decides to pray about the situation and to meet Zulma, she also encourages Margaret to leave the seven hundred dollars with her.
Chapter 18
Zulma and Margaret discuss the morality of using Tina's money, to fund their escape, while walking to Mrs. B's house. Mrs. B has a candid conversation with Zulma about her options, in relation to her situation. Mrs. B then decides to talk to Zulma and Margaret's parents to see if she can convince them to allow the girls to visit Tobago. She tells the girls that if she is unable to convince their parents, she will help them to achieve their goals.
Chapter 19
Mrs. B is unsuccessful in convincing the parents to give the girls what they want, but she goes back on her promise to the girls. She tells them that she cannot help them unless she has at least one parent's approval. She gets a bright idea at the end of the chapter, however, and instructs the girls to meet her at her house on Sunday at two in the afternoon.
Chapter 20
Margaret gets her period for the first time in this chapter. She told her mother and she was very pleased. The two then had a bonding session before Margaret went to bed.
Chapter 21
Mrs. B sent Margaret and Zulma to the basement rec room to watch TV while she spoke to their parents. She invites the girls upstairs where Tina tells Margaret that her period was the stimulus for her change of heart. She wants to defend her child and be able to watch her grow up. Zulma's mother tells her that her happiness is all she ever wanted and that she will buy her a ticket to Tobago. She also told Zulma that she was planning on leaving her husband. The chapter ends with Tina volunteering to use her seven hundred dollars to purchase tickets for the girls' trip to Tobago. Tina and Carol agreed that if Zulma wanted to visit Canada in the future, and her mom was still living with her stepfather, Zulma would stay with the Cruickshanks.
Chapter 22
Margaret's mother arranges her trip to Tobago, unbeknownst to her husband. She also starts to assert herself in her relations with Cuthbert, which makes him uncomfortable. We also see Margaret attempting to initiate positive communication with her father, but he is not accommodating. Her relationship with her mother, however, improved. Mrs. B, on the other hand, promised to be a source of support for Mrs. Clarke in Zulma's absence. Margaret then wrote 'departure' notes to Jo-Ann and her brother and tried to write one to her father, but decided against it.
Chapter 23
Margaret was at home one Sunday, relaxing with a book when Cuthbert received a visit from Mr. Clarke. She eavesdropped on their conversation, which revealed that Mr. Clarke had discovered the plan to send Zulma and Margaret to Tobago. The two gentlemen discuss their theories on women's place in the society. Cuthbert then calls Tina and they argue about the conflicting plans that were made for Margaret by both of them. Tina won the argument and gave her daughter a fierce embrace. Margaret then visited Zulma, who was at Mrs. Billings' house, where she discovered that Mrs. Clarke had been beaten by her husband. Both Zulma and Mrs. Clarke got away because Zulma broke a glass pitcher over his hand. Zulma and Margaret then discussed the hardships that women endure, as well as Zulma's desire for her mother to stay with Mrs. B. Margaret predicts that her parents' relationship will go through a transition period.
Chapter 24
They all met at Mrs. B's house on the morning of their departure and the girls received very meaningful gifts from Mrs. B. She also gave Zulma the news that her mother would be staying with her, and told Margaret that her mother would be fine because she was coming into her own. She advised the girls not to bottle up their feelings.
Chapter 25
Zulma and Margaret are in the jet, on their way to Tobago and Zulma reveals all that is worrying her. This worry manifested itself in various dreams during the flight. The plane lands and the girls meet Gran at last.
Contributor: Leisa Samuels-Thomas
Nourbese Philip, Marlene. Harriet's Daughter. England: Pearson Education Limited, 1988.
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Nourbese Philip, Marlene. Harriet's Daughter. England: Pearson Education Limited, 1988.
BACK