Fair Oaks, White Pines

Fair Oaks is the name of the plantation where Lisbeth lives and where Mattie is a slave. It is a mid-size plantation. White Pines, on the other hand, is the name of a plantation near Fair Oaks. Larger and wealthier, it represents both competition and inspiration to the owners of other plantations in the area, including Fair Oaks. The names of both plantations can be seen as symbolic of the social and economic hierarchies of plantation life.

Mattie’s Mirror

Early in the narrative, when Mattie first moves into the nursery at Fair Oaks, she sees a reflection of herself for the first time in an old mirror. In that reflection, Mattie sees a resemblances to her mother Naomi and to her grandfather, Poppy.

Mattie’s Necklace of Shells

Throughout the narrative, Mattie wears a necklace of shells that was passed down to...