The Conjure Woman · Chapter
Po' Sandy explained
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.
What happens
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 stay on the plantation. The tree is later cut down and milled into lumber, which is used to build a schoolhouse. The schoolhouse is later rumored to be haunted by Sandy's spirit. In the frame story, the narrator plans to tear down the schoolhouse for a new kitchen, and Julius asks to use it for church meetings.
Themes in this chapter
Family Separation
Sandy is repeatedly lent out and his first wife is sold away; he is then separated from Tenie when ordered to go to Robeson County.
Conjure and Superstition
Tenie uses conjure to turn Sandy into a tree, and the tree is later believed to haunt the schoolhouse built from its lumber.
Characters to notice
- Uncle Julius
Tells the story of Po' Sandy to the narrator's wife, and later asks to use the old schoolhouse for church meetings.
- Sandy
A slave who is constantly lent out and eventually turned into a pine tree by his wife Tenie to avoid separation.
- Tenie
Sandy's wife and a conjure woman who turns Sandy into a tree to keep him from being sent away.
- Mars Marrabo McSwayne
Sandy's master who lends him out to family and eventually swaps Sandy's wife for another woman.
- Annie
The narrator's wife, who listens to Julius's story and allows the seceders to use the old schoolhouse for meetings.
Key passages
“Sandy was a nigger w'at useter b'long ter ole Mars Marrabo McSwayne.”
Sandy used to belong to old Master Marrabo McSwayne.
Julius introduces Sandy as a slave owned by Mars Marrabo.
“I wisht I wuz a tree, er a stump, er a rock, er sump'n w'at could stay on de plantation fer a w'ile.”
I wish I were a tree, or a stump, or a rock, or something that could stay on the plantation for a while.
Sandy expresses his desire to remain in one place rather than being constantly moved.
“Ef you'll des say de word, I kin turn you ter w'ateber you wanter be, en you kin stay right whar you wanter, ez long ez you mineter.”
If you just say the word, I can turn you into whatever you want to be, and you can stay right where you want, as long as you remember.
Tenie offers to use her conjure powers to transform Sandy so he can stay on the plantation.