The Conjure Woman · Chapter
A Victim of Heredity explained
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 had cheated his nephew
What happens
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 had cheated his nephew Tom and mistreated his slaves.
Themes in this chapter
Conjure and Superstition
Aunt Peggy's conjure powers are central to the plot: she creates a goopher that makes slaves crave chicken, manipulating Mars Donal' into feeding them.
Deception and Manipulation
Mars Donal' cheats his nephew Tom out of his inheritance, and Aunt Peggy deceives Mars Donal' by pretending to work against the goopher while actually reinforcing it.
Injustice and Cruelty
Mars Donal' reduces his slaves' rations to save money, causing them to become weak and unproductive, and he robs his nephew of his rightful property.
Characters to notice
- Uncle Julius
Julius defends the claim that Black people are naturally fond of chicken, then tells a story tracing this trait to a conjure scheme.
- Annie
Annie rebukes Julius for slandering his race, but listens to his explanation.
- Mars Donal
Mars Donal' McDonal' is the wealthy white man who cheated his nephew Tom and later sought Aunt Peggy's help to control his slaves.
- Tom
Young Mars Tom is the nephew who was robbed of his inheritance by his uncle Mars Donal', and who later saved Aunt Peggy from drowning.
- Aunt Peggy
Aunt Peggy, the free conjure woman, is saved by Tom and later uses her powers to trick Mars Donal' into feeding his slaves chicken.
- Liza
Miss 'Liza M'Guire is Tom's second cousin and sweetheart, whom he wishes to marry.
Key passages
“I think it unkind, John," returned my wife, "to charge upon a whole race the sins of one worthless individual.”
Annie scolds John for blaming all Black people for one thief's actions.
Annie defends the race against generalization.
“cullud folks is mo' fonder er chick'n 'n w'ite folks. Dey can't he'p but be.”
Julius insists that Black people have an inherited fondness for chicken.
Julius introduces the idea of a hereditary trait.
“A w'ite man's ter blame fer dat.”
Julius says a white man is responsible for this trait.
Julius shifts blame to white exploitation.
“Mars Donal' had rob' his neffy, but dey wa'n't no way ter prove it.”
Mars Donal' cheated his nephew Tom out of his inheritance without legal proof.
Theft by a white guardian is described.
“You mought see ef dey won' eat chick'n.”
Aunt Peggy suggests feeding chicken to the starving slaves.
The conjure woman's ironic solution.