Chapter 17 Summary, Analysis, and Study Notes

⚠️ 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

Chapter 17 opens with Jezebel practicing the spirit travel she first experienced in the marsh. While Jay sleeps, she deliberately relaxes her body and lifts out of it, floating above her bed and then through the closed window. She explores the farm and the surrounding area, moving with intent as Doc taught her. A sudden noise from Doc's cabin startles her, and she is pulled back into her body. She wakes up hungry and is found by Mama eating leftover rice in the dark kitchen. Worried, Mama calls a doctor, who examines Jezebel and takes a urine sample. A week later, the tests come back clean, and the doctor can find nothing wrong.

Jezebel continues to fly every night, visiting other farms, the marsh, and neighbors' houses. She witnesses both joyful scenes—dice games, dancing, parties—and disturbing ones, including screaming, fistfights, neglected children, and animals being hurt. One night, tired of the trouble she sees, she floats above the cornstalks and feels a pull toward the sky. She fears that going up means dying, and she resists, but the pull grows stronger. She becomes frightened and falls back into her body, waking with a start. Then she hears a small voice asking for help. Dinah, her doll, seems to point toward Doc's cabin, and Jezebel follows her there.

Doc listens to her story and realizes she has picked up a haint—a ghost—during her travels. The ghost is inside her, speaking through her. Doc calms her and guides her through another flight, this time to a place called Zar, a beautiful realm of children's spirits. There, the haint separates from her, and an older spirit gives Jezebel a coin and a message for Mr. Benjamin: his daughter is happy and well. Jezebel returns to her body to find that she was gone all day. Mama, Doc, and Jay are relieved and proud of her.

Later, Jezebel discovers that pages are missing from her rootwork notebook. She suspects Susie, who was the last person near the book when she fell asleep by the marsh. She runs to the marsh to confront Susie but cannot find her. That night, a police car circles the house, blares its horn, and throws something at the window, leaving Jezebel and Jay trembling while Mama comforts them.

Key Events

Jezebel successfully practices leaving her body at night, floating through the house and exploring the farm.
A noise from Doc's cabin pulls her back into her body, and she wakes up hungry.
Mama calls a doctor, who finds nothing wrong after tests come back clean.
Jezebel continues nightly flights, witnessing both happy and disturbing scenes in the community.
She feels a dangerous pull toward the sky, becomes frightened, and falls back into her body.
She hears a voice asking for help and follows Dinah to Doc's cabin.
Doc determines she has picked up a haint and guides her through a flight to Zar.
In Zar, the ghost separates from her, and an older spirit gives her a coin and a message for Mr. Benjamin.
Jezebel returns to find she was gone all day; her family is relieved and proud.
She discovers missing pages in her rootwork notebook and suspects Susie, but cannot find her at the marsh.
That night, a police car circles the house, blares its horn, and throws something at the window.

Character Development

Jezebel grows more confident in her spirit travel, moving from fear to wonder. She learns to control her flights and gains a sense of purpose when she helps the haint reach Zar. She also faces the fear of death and the pull of the sky, showing her courage. Her suspicion of Susie reveals her vulnerability and her desire to trust a friend.
Doc acts as a wise mentor, recognizing the haint and guiding Jezebel through the journey to Zar. He admits he cannot do what she does, showing humility and respect for her unique gift.
Mama shows deep worry and care, calling a doctor and later expressing pride in Jezebel. Her comfort at the end of the chapter highlights her protective love.
Jay supports Jezebel, defending himself when accused of tearing the notebook and comforting her during the police incident.
Susie remains absent, and her possible betrayal creates tension. Jezebel realizes she knows very little about her friend, deepening the mystery.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Spirit travel and ancestral connection: Jezebel's ability to leave her body connects her to the spirit world and to her ancestors, as seen in her journey to Zar.
Fear of death: The pull toward the sky represents Jezebel's fear of dying and leaving her family. Her resistance shows her attachment to life.
Helping others: Jezebel's flight to Zar helps a lost spirit find peace, fulfilling her desire to help others, which Jay acknowledges.
Trust and betrayal: The missing pages from her notebook raise questions about Susie's loyalty, highlighting the theme of trust.
Stolen knowledge: The careful tearing of pages suggests someone wants the rootwork information for themselves, linking to the theme of stolen knowledge.
Community violence and racial intimidation: The police car circling the house and throwing something at the window is a clear act of harassment, reflecting the dangers the family faces.
Symbols: Dinah, the doll, acts as a guide and protector. The coin given by the spirit is a tangible token of her journey. Zar represents a peaceful afterlife for children's spirits.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is pivotal for Jezebel's development as a rootworker. It establishes her unique ability to travel outside her body, a skill even Doc cannot perform, and shows her using that ability to help a spirit find peace. The journey to Zar deepens the novel's spiritual and cultural themes, connecting Jezebel to her Gullah heritage and the afterlife. The chapter also introduces a major conflict: the missing pages from her notebook, which sets up suspicion and mystery around Susie. Finally, the police harassment at the end underscores the real-world dangers the family faces, adding tension and urgency to the story.

Study Questions and Answers

What does Jezebel learn about her spirit travel in this chapter? She learns that she can control her flights with intent, but also that the ability carries risks. She discovers she can pick up spirits during her travels, and that she can help them find peace, as she does with the haint in Zar. Doc tells her that very few rootworkers can leave their bodies, making her gift rare.
How does Doc help Jezebel deal with the haint? Doc recognizes that Jezebel has picked up a ghost and guides her through a flight to Zar, where the spirit can separate from her. He stays with her body and uses protective scents like sage and cinnamon. He also reassures her and helps her understand the experience.
Why does Jezebel suspect Susie of tearing pages from her notebook? Jezebel remembers that the last time she left the book unattended was when she fell asleep near the marsh, and Susie was there when she woke up. Susie has also been absent from school since that day, which seems suspicious. Jezebel struggles with this suspicion because she values Susie's friendship, but she cannot think of anyone else who could have done it.