The Quest of the Silver Fleece · Chapter
XXIII: The Training of Zora explained
Zora travels north with Mrs.
What happens
Zora travels north with Mrs. Vanderpool, experiencing the vastness of the world for the first time. She is struck by the constant motion of New York City, comparing it to the swamp she knew. Mrs. Vanderpool, intrigued by Zora's quick mind, begins to train her in art, dress, and language, treating her more as a companion than a maid. Mary Cresswell warns against giving Zora 'impossible ideas,' but Mrs. Vanderpool is fascinated by her potential. Zora immerses herself in books and history, feeling a deep connection to the world's stories, while Mrs. Vanderpool cynically observes her development.
Themes in this chapter
Class and Color Hierarchy
Mrs. Vanderpool's training of Zora highlights the complex dynamics of race and class, as she can be a 'perfect maid' but is seen as having 'impossible ideas' if treated as an equal.
The Quest for Identity and Dignity
Zora's journey north and her exposure to a larger world fuel her search for meaning and understanding, as she questions the purpose of the ceaseless activity around her.
The Intersection of North and South
Zora's observations of the city versus the swamp, and her comparisons of the lands she passes, underscore the contrasts between the rural South and the urban North.
Characters to notice
- Zora Cresswell
Travels north with Mrs. Vanderpool, experiencing the world's vastness and the constant motion of the city. She is deeply curious, comparing New York to the swamp, and is searching for meaning and 'the Way.'
- Mrs. Vanderpool
Finds a new human interest in Zora, training her in art and taste. She is amused by Zora's observations and is considering taking her to France, though her motives are partly selfish.
- Mrs. Harry Cresswell
Visits Mrs. Vanderpool and expresses concern about Zora's treatment, warning that it is unfair to give her 'impossible ideas' in America. She mentions Bles Alwyn's position in Washington.
- Bles Alwyn
Mentioned as being a clerk in the Treasury Department at Washington, D.C., and the boy in whom Zora was once interested.
Key passages
“Don't they ever get there?" "Few arrive," said Mrs. Vanderpool.”
Zora wonders if people ever reach their destinations, and Mrs. Vanderpool replies that only a few do.
This exchange highlights Zora's existential questioning and Mrs. Vanderpool's cynical worldview.
“I wonder what I shall make out of her?" queried Mrs. Vanderpool. "Do you know, I believe I could mould her into a lady if she were not black.”
Mrs. Vanderpool muses about what she can make of Zora, believing she could shape her into a lady if not for her race.
This reveals the racial limits that even a wealthy patron sees as insurmountable.
“It's people in the swamp," asserted Zora, dreamily, smoothing out the pillows of the couch, " 'little people,' I call them. The difference is, I think, that there I know how the story will come out; everything is changing, but I know how and why and from what and to what.”
Zora explains that the swamp is also full of people, but there she understands the narrative of change, unlike in the city where everything seems chaotic.
Zora's comparison shows her deep connection to her origins and her struggle to comprehend the new world.