The Darkest Child

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussions of physical and sexual abuse, child sex trafficking, lynching, infanticide, and segregation. The source material includes racial slurs and ableist and anti-gay language, which is replicated in this guide only in direct quotes.

“Already I had attended school longer than any of my siblings. I was in ninth grade, which in itself was miraculous, considering I had never set foot in an eighth-grade classroom. Academically, I had surpassed my peers, but at home I was a complete failure. At the age of twelve, my mother’s children were expected to drop out of school, get a job, and support the family. I fell short of expectations.”

This quote illustrates The Role of Education in Achieving Liberation: Tangy takes pride in her academic achievements and finds a sense of identity through school. At the same time, her devotion to her studies alienates her from her family, especially her mother, who believes that academic achievement is a selfish and pointless distraction from real work. This tension mounts throughout the novel and, the further Tangy gets in school, the further she drifts from Rozelle and the closer she gets to personal liberation.

“‘I swear, I got the dumbest children in the world. Sometimes I wonder if all y’all belong to me.’

I wondered, too. Sometimes I even prayed there had been a mistake, and that somebody would come along, take my hand, and say, ‘Rozelle Quinn, I believe this child belongs to me.’ Mama would push me into the arms of the stranger and say, ‘You’re right. I knew all along she was your child, but I loved her so I just couldn’t bear to let her go. You take her, though, because she rightfully belongs to you.’ I would go off to my new home where there would be a bed from the Griggs furniture store, a dress for every day of the week, a change of underpants, and two pairs of shoes with good hard-bottom soles. I would have an electric light to read by, and rows and rows of all sorts of great books.”

This passage illuminates the poverty of Tangy’s family, and it also establishes her belief that access to books and knowledge is as important as access to essentials such as clothing. Early on, Tangy’s fantasy includes the notion that Rozelle isn’t her real mother, but it also includes the notion that Rozelle loves her deeply. This illustrates Tangy’s early ambivalence toward Rozelle. Eventually, to make the right decision for her own well-being, Tangy will have to place less emphasis on Rozelle’s positive qualities so that she can leave.

“Mushy is the first to move. She wraps her arms around Martha Jean and pulls her to her feet. We all begin to move, fetching water, tearing bandages, pouring our love onto a wound that will never heal. We work as a silent, defeated army, beaten down by our mother, tending our wounded. We do not retaliate, for our victory is inconceivable.

In less than five minutes, our mother had taught us to never touch her metal box, and the true meaning of fear. I wondered that day if I was the only one in the room who knew that there was something terribly wrong with our mother.”

This passage moves from individual narration to collective narration to emphasize the camaraderie between the Quinn siblings. With an abusive, neglectful mother, the siblings have formed strong bonds with each other and have taken on the role of caretakers.