Mrs. Wiggins

Despite the Great Depression, Mrs. Dowler appears prosperous. She is a tidy woman in her eighties and lives alone in a grand house. She welcomes Maggie, seats her in the living room, and tells her stories. She is quite active and only needs Maggie to do her washing and ironing and get rid of pests in the garden. Mrs. Dowler talks at length but Maggie is as agreeable as can be, complimenting Mrs. Dowler on how well she looks for her age. Mrs. Dowler serves Maggie tea cakes and red wine and tells her to use the front entrance when she comes to work.

Mrs. Dowler, who reminds her of the First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, proves an inspiration to Maggie in many ways. She believes in equality and is generous with her money. She buys pews for Maggie’s church and even visits one Sunday when “[w]hite folks wouldn’t be found dead in a colored church” (107), according to Maggie.

It is now 1939. Maggie works for Mrs. Dowler for three years, happily. She continues to be friends with Jessie and helps care for Earl. Jessie reveals that Claude, who is 21, has taken up with Daisy Compton, who is 32, unmarried, and has four children. Daisy is uneducated and has a reputation for being sexually promiscuous and irresponsible; she is “the type of woman that mothers warned their sons about” (110). In contrast, Sister Compton, Daisy’s mother, is regarded as a saint; she attends church regularly, doesn’t smoke, drink, or curse, and takes every job she can to support her family. Jessie advises Maggie to hope that Claude will simply use Daisy and then move on, as other men have done.

Maggie anxiously tells Hubert that Claude is involved with Daisy Compton, whom she calls a “low-down, low-life hussy” (114). Daisy is reputed to have a mean streak and goes out with many different men. Hubert says Claude is grown and they need to let him make his own mistakes. Maggie accuses him of not caring because Claude isn’t his biological son. When they speak with Claude, he declares that he is serious about Daisy and becomes defensive when his parents challenge him. A few days later, he announces he is moving in with Daisy. She’s threatened to break up with him if he doesn’t, and he doesn’t want to lose her or make her angry. Maggie is so upset that she faints. Ma and Pa Wiggins are upset as well.

Despite her stressful weekend, Maggie goes to work for Mrs. Dowler on Monday, taking the bus to get to her house. Maggie confides in Mrs. Dowler, who advises her not to interfere, saying if Maggie meddles, “you’ll only be pushing him toward that woman even more” (123). She tells a story about her son, Buford, who got involved with a woman named Maizie who broke his heart, and he’s never been the same since.

Maggie admires how active and social Mrs. Dowler is. One day Mrs. Dowler confides that her younger brother, Oswald, is coming to stay. Oswald’s life is in turmoil because his wife is divorcing him and he’s had to quit his job. Mrs. Dowler warns Maggie that Oswald holds racist ideas, having grown up hearing white people complain about how the Civil War was the fault of enslaved people. Maggie assures Mrs. Dowler she’s dealt with racist white people before, but privately, she’s worried about Oswald’s arrival.

Maggie tries calling Claude, but Daisy won’t allow her to speak to him. Finally, Maggie and Hubert drive to Daisy’s house and find Daisy in her bathrobe during the day. She claims Claude doesn’t want to see them, but when Claude arrives, he reveals that he hadn’t known they tried calling. Daisy is unfriendly, but Claude asks Maggie to befriend Daisy for his sake. When Maggie invites Daisy to lunch, Daisy says she would rather simply have the money, as she needs to pay the light bill.

Daisy visits Maggie and mentions that she expects to inherit their house when Maggie and Hubert pass. Her nerve astonishes Maggie. She gives Daisy five dollars. Daisy says Claude is the one who came after her and insists on offering financial help. She eats Maggie’s lunch and leaves. Jessie says Daisy was at the bootlegger’s house boasting about how she is manipulating both Claude and Maggie. She refers to Claude as her “meal ticket” but is also talking about moving up north after the wedding (138). Jessie wonders if Daisy would consult a hoodoo to try to get pregnant to entrap Claude. Orville returns and speaks rudely to Jessie. Claude announces to Maggie and Hubert that he intends to marry Daisy.

Claude’s description of events leads Maggie to believe that Daisy manipulated him into proposing marriage. When Maggie becomes upset over his news, Claude leaves. Maggie follows him outside, calling his name, and sees lights in neighboring houses come on. On Monday, Mrs. Dowler is also in distress. She reveals that her husband died by suicide, and Oswald is so upset about his wife leaving him, that she fears he may die by suicide also. She loves her brother and vows not to abandon him. Mrs. Dowler listens to Maggie’s saga with Claude and warns her not to try paying Daisy off. For a moment, Mrs. Dowler strikes Maggie as evil-looking when she suggests Maggie might have to find a way to get rid of Daisy.

On Tuesday, Oswald arrives at Mrs. Dowler’s. She warns Maggie that he’s not in a good mood and pleads with Maggie not to let his behavior upset her. Mrs. Dowler considers sending Maggie to buy more arsenic to sprinkle in the garden, but Maggie reminds her she has difficulty getting served at that store. Mrs. Dowler leaves, and Oswald comes downstairs demanding to know how Maggie got into the house.

Oswald is rude to Maggie and warns her not to steal his things. She’s nervous about the way he looks at her. Mrs. Dowler is low in spirits because it is her husband’s birthday. He died by suicide when he became ill and didn’t want to suffer. She mentions Oswald had a son who died in the Great War. Maggie reflects that she doesn’t know what she would do if she lost Claude.