| Author |
Chesnutt, Charles W. (Charles Waddell), 1858-1932 |
| Title |
The Conjure Woman
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| Note |
Reading ease score: 80.8 (6th grade). Easy to read.
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| Contents |
The goophered grapevine -- Po' Sandy -- Mars Jeems's nightmare -- The conjurer's revenge -- Sis' Becky's pickaninny -- The gray wolf's ha'nt -- Hot-foot Hannibal.
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| Credits |
Produced by Suzanne Shell, Sjaani and PG Distributed Proofreaders
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| Summary |
"The Conjure Woman" by Charles W. Chesnutt is a collection of short stories written during the late 19th century. The narratives, set in the post-Civil War South, revolve around the experiences of former enslaved individuals and their interactions with both their white neighbors and the complexities of their new social status. The primary character introduced in the opening story is Uncle Julius McAdoo, a former enslaved man who uses folklore and superstition to navigate life, particularly through his storytelling, which blends humor and social commentary. At the start of the book, the narrator recounts his move to a Southern state for grape cultivation due to his wife's ill health. He meets Uncle Julius while inspecting a neglected vineyard, where Julius warns him that the land is "goophered" or bewitched, leading to the narrator's curiosity about the vineyard's history and the folk tales surrounding it. Julius then shares a detailed and enchanting story about the vineyard's original owner, Mars Dugal', and the superstitions surrounding his grapevines, encapsulating themes of magic, belief, and the legacy of slavery. This sets the stage for a series of stories that explore the lives and traditions of African Americans in the South, emphasizing the interplay of folklore and reality. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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| Language |
English |
| LoC Class |
PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature
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| Subject |
African Americans -- Fiction
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| Subject |
Southern States -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
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| Category |
Text |
| EBook-No. |
11666 |
| Release Date |
Mar 1, 2004 |
| Most Recently Updated |
Dec 26, 2020 |
| Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads |
963 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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