Joan in Memphis: Character Analysis of the Protagonist and Aspiring Artist

Overview of Joan North in Memphis

Joan North is the protagonist and one of the novel's primary narrators, telling her story in first-person chapters set in 1995, 1997, 2001, 2002, and 2003. She is a young Black girl from Memphis who survives childhood sexual assault by her cousin Derek and later confronts him while pursuing her dream of art school in London. Joan's arc moves from a traumatized child who freezes at the sight of her abuser to a confident artist who claims her own future. Her journey is inseparable from the novel's larger exploration of how Black women endure, create, and heal across generations.

Plot Role

Joan is the emotional and thematic center of Memphis. Her chapters anchor the narrative, while other chapters—told from the perspectives of her mother Miriam, her aunt August, and her grandmother Hazel—fill in the family history that shapes her. Joan carries the secret of Derek's assault, and her gradual ability to confront that trauma drives the novel's forward motion. She is also the character who connects past and future: her art depicts the women of her neighborhood, linking her to the quilts made by her great-grandmother Della and to the legacy of Black women's creativity. Her decision to apply to the Royal College of Art in London becomes the culmination of her personal and artistic growth.

Motivations and Traits

Joan is driven by a fierce, almost religious devotion to art. She describes placing pencil to page as “worship” and says “art is air.” This passion is so strong that she is willing to risk poverty and defy her mother's wishes to pursue it. She is also motivated by a need to reclaim power over her own body and story after Derek's assault. Her actions show resilience: she forces herself to enter Auntie August's house despite her fear, she protects her younger sister Mya, and she eventually confronts Derek in prison. Joan is observant and detail-oriented, as seen in her sketches of hands and faces—she spends a year mastering fingertips and another learning to shade the veins in hands. She is also defiant, talking back to Derek and to her father's friend Uncle Bird. Yet she is vulnerable, struggling with rage and with the fear that she might resemble her abusive father.

Chronological Arc

Joan's arc spans from 1995 to 2003. In 1995, she arrives in Memphis with her mother and sister, fleeing her father's abuse. She immediately recognizes Derek, the cousin who assaulted her years earlier, and becomes paralyzed with fear, wetting herself without realizing it. Over the next two years, she begins to find her footing: she sketches the neighborhood women, and at Miss Dawn's urging, she buries Derek's comb in the backyard—a ritual that she later believes contributed to his imprisonment. By 2001, she is a junior in high school, taking AP art classes at Rhodes College under Professor Mason. She is the only high school student featured in the college's annual art show. In 2002, Professor Mason encourages her to apply to the Royal College of Art in London. She creates a portfolio of ten large works depicting the women of her community, and on Christmas night she digs up the comb and spits on it, symbolically releasing her anger. In 2003, she and Mya drive to Riverbend prison to visit Derek. There she confronts him, tells Mya about the rape, and returns home to find an acceptance letter from the London art school. The novel ends with her mother and aunt preparing to make her a quilt before she leaves.

Relationships

Mya: Joan's younger sister is her closest ally. Joan protects her, and Mya provides comic relief and emotional support. Mya is the one who insists they visit Derek, and Joan finally tells her the truth about the assault on the drive back.
Miriam (Mama): Joan's mother is a nurse who wants Joan to become a doctor to avoid poverty. Their relationship is tense because Miriam disapproves of art, but Miriam ultimately supports Joan's dream after seeing her daughter's work in Derek's room.
Auntie August: Joan's aunt is a hairdresser and a surrogate mother. She encourages Joan's art, helps hide her drawings, and drives her to classes. August's own sacrifices—giving up college, raising Derek—deepen Joan's understanding of family.
Miss Dawn: An elderly neighbor who becomes Joan's model and mentor. She tells Joan to bury Derek's comb and later to dig it up, framing the ritual as necessary for Joan's future. Miss Dawn also shares stories about Joan's grandparents, connecting Joan to her family history.
Professor Mason: Joan's art teacher at Rhodes. He recognizes her talent, pushes her to apply to London, and provides the technical and emotional support she needs.
Derek: Joan's cousin and abuser. He is a source of terror and rage. Joan's confrontation with him in prison is a turning point, as she asserts her power and refuses to be silenced.
Jax (Daddy): Joan's father, a Marine who abused her mother and abandoned the family. Joan resents him but also longs for his approval. When he returns after 9/11, she is cold, but she later learns to drive stick with him, and she keeps his car.

Key Decisions and Consequences

Burying Derek's comb: At Miss Dawn's instruction, Joan buries Derek's comb in the backyard at midnight. Two years later, Derek is in jail. Joan is unsure if the ritual caused it, but she thanks God and Miss Dawn for the “magic.” This decision gives Joan a sense of agency over her trauma.
Applying to the Royal College of Art: Joan decides to pursue her dream despite her mother's opposition. She creates a portfolio of ten works, hides them in Derek's room, and submits the application. The consequence is her acceptance, which opens a new future.
Digging up the comb and spitting on it: On Christmas night, Joan digs up the comb and spits on it repeatedly. This act symbolizes her release of anger and her refusal to let Derek define her.
Visiting Derek in prison: Joan agrees to go with Mya, despite her fear. In the prison, she confronts Derek, tells him he is “not murder folk,” and later tells Mya the truth about the rape. This decision allows her to speak her truth and begin healing.
Accepting the London offer: Joan accepts the acceptance letter, and her mother and aunt make her a quilt. This decision represents her commitment to her art and her own path.

Themes and Symbols

Joan's story embodies the novel's themes of resilience and self-invention, art as healing and legacy, intergenerational trauma and healing, sisterhood and community as sanctuary, and the South as homeplace. Her art is a direct link to her ancestors: the quilts made by Della, the drawings of her grandfather Myron, and the women she paints. The comb is a symbol of her power to reclaim her narrative. Her journey from silence to speech mirrors the novel's larger exploration of how Black women survive and thrive.

Questions and Answers

Why does Joan bury Derek's comb?

Miss Dawn tells Joan to bury something of Derek's—a comb—at midnight in red earth. Joan does this as a ritual to gain power over him. Two years later, Derek is in jail, and Joan believes the act may have contributed to his imprisonment, though she is not certain.

How does Joan's relationship with her mother change?

Initially, Miriam wants Joan to become a doctor and disapproves of her art. Joan resents this pressure. However, after Miriam sees Joan's ten large paintings in Derek's room, she is moved and declares that Joan will attend the overseas art school. She then makes Joan a quilt, signaling her acceptance and support.

What role does Miss Dawn play in Joan's life?

Miss Dawn is a mentor and model. She tells Joan to bury the comb and later to dig it up, framing it as necessary for Joan to “go anywhere.” She also shares stories about Joan's grandparents, connecting Joan to her family history. Miss Dawn's hands are a recurring subject in Joan's art.

Why does Joan decide to visit Derek in prison?

Mya insists they go after Derek calls collect. Joan initially protests, but she agrees. The visit allows her to confront Derek directly, to tell him he is “not murder folk,” and to finally tell Mya the truth about the rape. It is a step toward reclaiming her voice.

What does the acceptance letter to London represent for Joan?

The letter represents the fulfillment of her artistic dream and her escape from the limitations of her environment. It also symbolizes her healing and self-invention—she has transformed her trauma into art and earned a place in a prestigious institution. Her mother's decision to make her a quilt underscores the family's blessing.

For a deeper look at how Joan's story ends, see the ending explained page, or explore common questions about the novel.