Chapter 33: Then: Mummy and Pearl – Summary and Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Before her mother disappeared, Covey remembers the cake business Mathilda ran with Pearl. Pearl made the best black cake in town, and Mathilda created exquisite icing flowers. Despite gossip about Mathilda's relationship with Johnny Lyncook, they gained wealthy clients. These alliances later enabled Mathilda to leave the island, and Pearl remained to watch over Covey. As a child, Covey was unaware of her mother's plans, only associating black cake with sisterhood and laughter in the kitchen.
Key Events
- Covey recalls the successful cake business her mother Mathilda and Pearl operated.
- Pearl’s black cake is widely considered the best; Mathilda’s icing flowers are unmatched.
- Townspeople gossip about Mathilda’s relationship with Johnny Lyncook and her racial background.
- The women cultivate alliances with wealthy female clients.
- Covey later learns that these alliances helped her mother leave the island.
- Pearl stays in Johnny’s employ to keep an eye on Covey.
Character Development
- Covey: Reflects on her childhood ignorance of her mother’s struggles and the sacrifice Mathilda made by leaving.
- Mathilda Brown: Revealed as a skilled cake decorator who strategically builds relationships to secure her future and her daughter’s.
- Pearl: A talented baker and loyal partner who agrees to watch over Covey after Mathilda’s departure.
- Johnny Lyncook: Shown as an absent father, often at cockfights, yet still popular.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Black cake: Symbolizes sisterhood, community bonds, and the hidden strengths of women.
- Social prejudice: Highlights racial and class biases against dark-skinned domestic workers and interracial relationships.
- Female alliances: Wealthy clients become unlikely allies, demonstrating how women across classes support one another.
- Maternal sacrifice: Mathilda’s departure is framed as an act of love and necessity to give Covey a better future.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter deepens the novel’s exploration of motherhood and hidden histories. It reveals the foundation of the cake business and the social networks that enable Mathilda’s escape. The backstory adds emotional weight to the black cake recipe as a legacy of female resilience and sacrifice. It also foreshadows Pearl’s ongoing role in Covey’s life.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why do some townspeople resent Pearl’s success?
They consider her “uppity” for a domestic with dark skin. -
What skill does Mathilda contribute to the cake business?
She makes icing flowers that are unmatched, including periwinkles, hibiscus, and orchids. -
How do the alliances with wealthy clients affect Covey’s future?
They enable Mathilda to leave the island, and Pearl stays to watch over Covey.
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