Midnight Without a Moon

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2017

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

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Part 4Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 4: “October”

Part 4, Chapter 32 Summary: “Sunday, October 2”

On the morning of their baptism, Queen is hesitant about entering the water. It is said that anyone who is disingenuous in their claims of having been saved will choke once they are submerged, but Ma Pearl insists that Queen proceed with her commitment. Rose, too, is apprehensive; she hasn’t learned to swim and fears slipping out of the reverend and deacon’s grasp and drowning in the lake. She watches the youngest initiate, gaining confidence as she progresses toward the shore behind the others in front of her. She freezes in fear for a moment, tears streaming down her face, but the reverend guides her into the water, and she keeps her eyes open against Ma Pearl’s guidance. She is struck by the beauty of the blue sky sparking through the clear lake water. Knowing she would be asked what should be recorded on her baptismal documents, Rose asked Ma Pearl to see her birth certificate. There, in Miss Addie’s handwriting, is Rosa Lee Carter. Rose decides that Rosa is what she will have printed on her baptismal record and is what she will be known as when she starts her new life in Saint Louis.

Part 4, Chapter 33 Summary: “Sunday, October 2”

After the baptism, Rose sits beneath an oak tree with Fred Lee, Hallelujah, and Queen. Rose is embarrassed for Hallelujah, who tries to impress Queen with his knowledge of a new artist named Elvis Presley, who embraces both white and Black elements in his unique musical style. Rose has already decided she will not address the issue of Queen’s pregnancy with either her cousin or her best friend. Rose knows that Queen, who once thought herself above him, will now never be considered worthy of marrying a reverend’s son. Aunt Ruthie arrives, and it is clear from the bloodied bandage on her head that her husband has assaulted her again. Hallelujah tells Rose that his father once proposed to Aunt Ruthie after Hallelujah’s mother died. Reverend Jenkins still considers her one of the most beautiful women in Stillwater. Rose is about to counter that opinion, citing the depth of Aunt Ruthie’s skin tone, but Fred Lee says, “Dark women is pretty too” (305). As she sits beneath the tree, Rose thinks about the changes coming to Mississippi and her discussion with Hallelujah about stars shining brightest when the night is darkest. She also thinks of her grandfather and what it would mean to leave him, especially now that Queen is expecting a baby. She worries for Fred Lee, too, so obviously impacted by their mother’s abandonment, and cannot bear the thought that she might be responsible for causing him any further pain. Rose decides in that moment that she will stay in Stillwater, where she can remain around those she loves, and become instrumental in the changes the future holds for people of color. Rose knows that she can pursue all she dreams of right in Mississippi and that the goals she achieves will be all the more rewarding for having been accomplished with courage and conviction.

Part 4 Analysis

The relationship that evolves most distinctly in Midnight Without a Moon is that between Rose and her grandfather. Papa not only restores her faith and inspires her to connect with their religion in a way she has never felt before, but he also acknowledges aloud that he understands how intelligent and promising a young mind she possesses and promises that he will not stand in her way. Rose finally feels a sense of safety with Papa and the solace she finds with her faith, which illustrates The Physical and Spiritual Sanctuary of Religious Community. It is her commitments to him and her brother that are the primary motivating factors behind her decision to stay in Mississippi, but Rose has also realized just how strong her friendship with Hallelujah is and how many other members of their community not only see Rose for who she is but also love and support her individuality.

Hallelujah has always made her feel worthy, not only of personal respect but also of feeling and being perceived as beautiful. Learning that an adult, respected member of their community like Reverend Jenkins wanted to marry her Aunt Ruthie, in conjunction with the relationship she witnessed between Aunt Belle and Monty, gives her hope that she will find a romantic partner who will look at her and see someone other than the girl her grandmother sees. As she grows older and takes more responsibility in her community, symbolized by her baptism, the domineering opinions of Ma Pearl will not be the only ones upon which Rose will rely on for receiving feedback on who she is and her value to others. She is able to see Ma Pearl’s perpetuation of Colorism and Black Racial Identity in the South as a viewpoint best left in the past.

Rose was under the impression that her life would never change for the better until she escaped the confines of Ma Pearl’s house and Mississippi at large. Instead, Queen, who needed only to remain in the house and allow their grandmother to wait on her, committed what their grandmother believes to be the worst transgression she possibly could. Ma Pearl has raised two generations of children and is now likely about to begin raising a third, at the age of 56. Queen’s pregnancy has already begun to alter her conduct; whereas Queen once thought herself above Hallelujah, now she is willing to entertain conversation with him. Rose’s decision to ignore the subject in the final scene in the novel demonstrates her growth as well. Earlier in the year, Rose would have relished the opportunity to tell Hallelujah about Queen’s pregnancy because she is tired of facts about Queen falling on deaf ears when it comes to her best friend’s opinion of her. Instead, Rose’s decision to let Hallelujah find out for himself is a sign that she does not need to prove what she knows, despite the fact that she feels vindicated, and chooses instead to focus on her own personal growth.