# Po' Sandy explained — The Conjure Woman

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

## 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.

## Character check-ins

### 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 lines

> 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._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_conjure_woman_se/chapters/po-sandy
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_conjure_woman_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_conjure_woman_se/chapters