Summary

This second section of Book One begins with first-person narration suggesting that “the elders say that where you find a suffering village, you will hear the wind give warning” (41), and refers to the Emerson plantation as one such place. The narrator identifies herself as Charlotte Emerson, describes her plain, average appearance, and how she was ignored by the other women that she worked with. She then describes what she believes to be the reason for their indifference – how she had been unable to protect a young girl named Shan from being whipped for not being at work and then for trying to explain. Charlotte ran out to try and protect her, but got knocked to the ground by the overseer, and fell unconscious. That night she woke up where she fell and went to find Shan, only to have the door closed in her...