# Mars Jeems's Nightmare explained — The Conjure Woman

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

## What happens

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 bad dreams, and tells the story of Mars Jeems McLean, a harsh slaveholder who forbade singing, dancing, courting, and marriage among his slaves, and whose brutal treatment only worsened after a failed courtship.

## Themes in this chapter

### Injustice and Cruelty

Mars Jeems McLean's brutal treatment of his slaves, including forbidding marriage and selling those who formed attachments, exemplifies systemic cruelty.

### Resistance and Agency

The slaves' quiet endurance and the failed courtship with Miss Libbie, who refuses to marry a cruel master, show subtle forms of resistance.

## Character check-ins

### Uncle Julius

Julius introduces his grandson Tom for employment, and later tells the story of Mars Jeems's nightmare after witnessing a neighbor's cruelty to a horse.

### Tom

Julius's grandson, hired by the narrator but discharged for laziness and untrustworthiness.

### Annie

The narrator's wife, who expresses indignation at the neighbor's cruelty to his horse.

### Mars Jeems McLean

The grandfather of the neighbor seen beating his horse; a notoriously cruel slaveholder who forbade singing, dancing, courting, and marriage among his slaves.

## Key lines

> A man w'at 'buses his hoss is gwine ter be ha'd on de folks w'at wuks fer 'im.

A man who mistreats his horse will also be harsh with the people who work for him.

_Julius draws a direct connection between cruelty to animals and cruelty to enslaved people._

> Mars Jeems didn' 'low no co'tin' er juneseyin' roun' his plantation—said he wanted his niggers ter put dey min's on dey wuk, en not be wastin' dey time wid no sech foolis'ness.

Mars Jeems forbade any courting or socializing on his plantation, insisting that his slaves focus entirely on their work.

_Illustrates the extreme control Mars Jeems exerted over his slaves' personal lives._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_conjure_woman_se/chapters/mars-jeems-s-nightmare
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