# The Conjure Woman — Chapters explained

> Chapter companions for The Conjure Woman by Charles W. Chesnutt.

- [The Goophered Grapevine](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_conjure_woman_se/chapters/the-goophered-grapevine.md): The narrator and his wife Annie meet Julius McAdoo, an old Black man, while inspecting a vineyard they consider buying. Julius warns them that the vineyard is 'goophered' (bewitched) and tells the story of how Mars Dugal
- [Po' Sandy](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_conjure_woman_se/chapters/po-sandy.md): Julius tells the story of Sandy, a slave who is constantly lent out by his master Mars Marrabo McSwayne, causing him to be separated from his wife Tenie. Tenie, a conjure woman, turns Sandy into a pine tree so he can sta
- [Mars Jeems's Nightmare](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_conjure_woman_se/chapters/mars-jeems-s-nightmare.md): Julius's grandson Tom proves lazy and is discharged by the narrator. While waiting at a mineral spring, the narrator and his wife witness a neighbor cruelly beating his horse. Julius remarks that such cruelty leads to ba
- [The Conjurer's Revenge](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_conjure_woman_se/chapters/the-conjurer-s-revenge.md): On a dull Sunday afternoon, the narrator and his wife Annie are visited by Julius, who warns against buying a mule. Julius tells the story of Primus, a slave who was transformed into a mule by a conjurer after stealing a
- [Sis' Becky's Pickaninny](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_conjure_woman_se/chapters/sis-becky-s-pickaninny.md): Julius tells the story of Sis' Becky, a field hand separated from her husband and later traded by her owner for a racehorse. Her baby Mose is sold to a speculator, causing Becky deep despair. Through conjure and the help
- [The Gray Wolf's Ha'nt](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_conjure_woman_se/chapters/the-gray-wolf-s-ha-nt.md): On a rainy day at the vineyard, Julius warns the narrator against clearing a neck of woods by the swamp, telling a tragic story from slavery days about Dan, a strong enslaved man, and his wife Mahaly. A conjurer's son pu
- [Hot-Foot Hannibal](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_conjure_woman_se/chapters/hot-foot-hannibal.md): The chapter opens with the narrator overhearing a violent quarrel between his sister-in-law Mabel and her fiancé Malcolm Murchison, which leads to a broken engagement. Ten days later, during a family drive, old Julius st
- [Other Julius Tales](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_conjure_woman_se/chapters/other-julius-tales.md): This chapter collects additional stories told by Uncle Julius, each illustrating themes of slavery, superstition, and resistance. The tales include the story of the goophered vineyard, the haunting of the gray wolf, and 
- [Dave’s Neckliss](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_conjure_woman_se/chapters/dave-s-neckliss.md): On a Sunday afternoon, Julius eats ham at the narrator's home and is moved to tears, prompting him to tell the story of Dave, a literate enslaved man who was falsely accused of stealing a ham and forced to wear it around
- [Lonesome Ben](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_conjure_woman_se/chapters/lonesome-ben.md): While inspecting clay banks for a potential brick-making enterprise, the narrator and his wife witness a poor white woman eating clay. Uncle Julius explains the practice and is prompted to tell the story of Lonesome Ben,
- [A Victim of Heredity](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_conjure_woman_se/chapters/a-victim-of-heredity.md): The narrator catches a chicken thief and debates the appropriate punishment, while Julius explains that Black people's fondness for chicken is a result of a conjure plot by Aunt Peggy against Mars Donal' McDonal', who ha
- [Tobe's Tribulations](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_conjure_woman_se/chapters/tobe-s-tribulations.md): Julius tells the story of Tobe, a slave who, after his wife dies, desires to run away to the North for freedom. Aunt Peggy attempts to transform him into a bullfrog temporarily to evade capture, but a mistake in the poti
- [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_conjure_woman_se/chapters/endnotes.md): This chapter contains endnotes providing brief explanations of terms used in the main text, including a description of a card used by rural Black communities as a comb and a definition of 'jewel.'

HTML index: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_conjure_woman_se/chapters