# data[].attributes.body
What do we know about her?
Her parents are from Montserrat & St Lucia in the Caribbean, although her dad disappears for most of her life. LaTisha hated school and Shirley and never understood what happened to Carole. She works in a supermarket. When Dwight gets her pregnant her mum violently kicks her out of the house. She has 3 children in total, one of them with Trey who is a rapist in both this and Carole's stories. Ultimately LaTisha's dad comes back and is a grandfather to the three children and LaTisha struggles to progress in her career despite all the difficulties.

What characteristics does she have?
Survivor - "LaTisha keeps abreast of it in preparation for her next promotion" (p202) "This is the new LaTisha...the one who got herself two A-Levels" (p213)
Low Self Worth - "They headed to his place for a private romantic meal...what could she say to that?" (p210) "he leaned over and whispered, you're so fit, LaTisha, that's all it took" (p203)
Alone - "it's not happening to you, LaTisha shot back, that got her a slap." (p205) "she'd lost the one person who could show her how to raise him" (p206) "she's ninteen, got two kids, no man, and feeling overwhelmed by the absolute mess she'd made of her life" (p208)

How does she link to other characters?
Carole was her school friend, they both were assaulted by Trey. Shirley was her teacher.

What are our opinions about her?
LaTisha has nobody championing her in her life, nobody helping to build her up and make her feel good. Her dad left for another family, her mum beats her, the boys she sleeps with use her and leave, and the friend she admired most, Carole, just left without saying why. She's got such low self esteem that she interprets even small gestures from others as hugely meaningful. She is in contrast to Carole who was able to break the cycle and get out and progress to somewhere else.

What are some good quotes to typify her?
See above

# data[].attributes.body
What do we know about her?
Shirley is a school teacher who wants to make a difference and teach about black issues. She struggles at first to be taken seriously especially by Penelope. She is married to Lennox and thinks she has everything planned out. Later in her career she's so bitter about the issues she's been struggling with she ends up having a lot in common with Penelope.

What characteristics does she have?
Career-focussed - "Shirley's rants about Penelope dominate her conversation" (p227) "She wanted a man who was...responsible with a sensible career plan" (p228)
Boring & serious - She meets friends and does things with Lennox on a schedule, never spontaneously e.g. "Saturday evenings " (p231) "once every two weeks" (p232) "Lennox thinks Amma is a right character, which makes Shirley feel that she isn't" (p233) "Shirley doesn't meet many new people" (p233)
Activist - "Shirley had long felt angry on behalf of her brothers" (p231) she calls the education system "Gestapo HQ" and the government "Third Reich" (p235) "the nineties couldn't wait to bring more problems than solutions" (p236)
Homophobic . "Amma came out as a lesbian to Shirley at sixteen, which was initially quite disgusting" (p232)

How does she link to other characters?

Her mum is Winsome, her friend from school is Amma. She was Carole's & LaTisha's teacher.

What are our opinions about her?
Shirley is extremely complex and talking about her requires you to also talk about Amma, Winsome & Lennox. She is very important for discussing intersectionality - on the one had she considers herself an activist and thinks its important for kids from all backgrounds to have the opportunity to do well, but on the other hand she's homophobic and has very rigid ideas about what is right and what is wrong for marriage, class, careers, relationships and behaviours.

What are some good quotes to typify her?
"an emotional dumper...complaining about her terrible job in that terrible school" (p251)

# data[].attributes.body
What do we know about her?
Winsome at the time of the chapter is retired and living in Barbados where Shirley is visiting with her husband Lennox. It becomes clear that at some point in the past she had an affair with Lennox and her feelings about it are bound together with a more general jealousy she has about Shirley having a good life.

What characteristics does she have?
Jealous - She had it hard growing up "Spent her working life on a Routemaster bus...bombarded with rain...giving her round shoulders and back pain to this day...deal with under payers who cussed her for being a bloody foreigner" (p251) and so she resents Shirley for having a good life"Shirley who's never satisfied with what she has: excellent health, cushy job, hunky husband" (p251)
Conflicted and hypcritical - she "counts her blessings every day and thanks Jesus" (p253) and considers herself "grateful" (p252) but what she has isn't enough to stop her resenting her own daughter and sons. They have good jobs "Police service" and "Children's Services" (256) and they work hard, but somehow Winsome only elevates other people's status in her mind (e.g. "women asked her to join their reading group...and she was honored" (p253)), and never acknowledges the successes of her own children. There are also subtle digs at other women/men for cheating e.g. "her boyfriend visits her on nights he doesn't visit other women" p253 and "divorce was shameful and only granted on the grounds of adultery" p259, when Winsome herself does the cheating in this chapter.
Lonely Winsome's only companion throughout her life has been Clovis and she has always had to do what he wants because divorce was not allowed. (p259). She has never even french kissed before she meets Lennox (p272)

How does she link to other characters?
She is Shirley's mother and she has a holiday home that Amma visits in Barbados.

What are our opinions about her?
Alex is writing a whole essay about how Winsome is the morally worst character, so I think its safe to assume that the class don't like her.
However, Isatu is writing about trauma and Winsome has suffered a lot of trauma (never could get a good career, was racially abused in Cornwall, had to follow Clovis when she didn't want to). Instead of confronting her difficult life and the terrible things that happened to her, she supresses them and passes her trauma on to her own children through her actions.

What are some good quotes to typify her?
See above.

# data[].attributes.body
What do we know about her?

In the beginning of the chapter it seems that Penelope is white with white South African ancestry, but in fact she is the adopted daughter of Hattie and the only hint of her blackness is in some freckles and when she tans in the sun (p283). She has 3 husbands over her life, and she tries to balance being a feminist with having a career as a teacher and a family.

What characteristics does she have?

Racist - "Sarah's housemates...were Asian, well-educated and well-spoken so hardly Asian at all" (p302) "Saint Shirley the Puritanical of the Caribbean" (p299) Although the irony is that Penelope has black heritage without knowing it.
Old-School Feminist - "she loathed that feminism was on the descent, and the voiceferous multi-culti brigade was on the ascent" (p289) Penelope represents white middle-class British feminism which, in its early form, did not include the views and perceptions of women of different classes and races (this newer view of intersectional feminism is instead portrayed by Shirley and is why they hate each other at first).
Lonely "she was secretly relieved when a gal pal's marriage collapsed too, because then she didn't feel so awfully, terribly alone" p301 "there were two Pennys: the Sober One was logical, whereas the Drunk Sister was irrational" (p293)
Particular and snobby - "art exhibitions, holidays at her authentically rustic cottage in Provence, spa trips to the Alps" (p301) "Now pass the walnut loaf, Camembert and fig chutney, darling" (p293)

How does she link to other characters?

Her real mother, though she doesn't know it, is Hattie. She works with Shirley. Her cleaner is Bummi.

What are our opinions about her?
Here are some quotes you said in your notes: "only likeable for her looks", "gives me a racist vibe", "unlucky with men and sad about being adopted" .

What are some good quotes to typify her?
See above

# data[].attributes.body
What do we know about her?

Hattie is 93 in her chapter and enjoying being surrounded by family in Greenfields farm. When we start reading the chapter we have already heard about her several times from other characters. She was married to and loved an African-American called Slim who helped her run Greenfields farm, and who wanted to teach the violent history of black people in the US to the family. All her family are visiting for "Greedymas" and she reflects on several family members and their identity struggles. She thinks about how she had a secret child at 16 that was given up for adoption.

What characteristics does she have?

Open-minded, but old-fashioned - "just be who you want to be and let's agree not to talk about it" (p352)
Strong and capable - "she kept farm production going a long time, well into her eighties" (p365)
Family oriented - "she's only ever wanted what's best for them, but children don't listen to their parents, do they?" (p354)
A farmer - "when Hattie looks at her children these days she sees a pair of crippled wrecks who rejected life on a farm where they'd have stayed fit in body and mind" (p354)

How does she link to other characters?

She is Daisy's daughter, and Megan's Great-Grandmother. She doesn't know it, but Penelope is her daughter who she gave up for adoption.

What are our opinions about her?

Hattie is vital for showing changes in attitude to race, gender and feminism over 100 years. Think about how her mother, Daisy, and her husband, Slim, consider race and the fight that black people have for recognition all over the world. Think about how she doesn't call Morgan they/them or accept that they are male, but at the same time is supportive, listens, and encourages them to inherit the farm. Think finally about Hattie's love of the farm, the fact that she lived a long and happy life and that she wants her family to return to Greenfields - what does this show about Evaristo's views on countryside living?

What are some good quotes to typify her?
see above.

# data[].attributes.body
What do we know about them?
Morgan (they/them) was raised by a mother who really wanted her to be feminine. As a woman Megan didn't fit in her skin, worked meaningless jobs, got high by the quayside and rejected a "normal" life. Eventually they meet Bibi online (formally a man named Gopal) and through being in a relationship together they navigate what it means to be transgender. They inherit the farmhouse from Hattie and plan to make it into a safe space for transgender people.

What characteristics do they have?

rebellious - "slowly her pain transmuted into body art to show the world how upset she was with it" (p316)

independent - "she moved into a hostel with other teenagers determined to live a life no longer defined by her parents" (p317)

activist - "maybe she should become a missionary of the gender non-conforming crusade going forth to spread the gospel that gender is one of the biggest lies of our civilization" (p327)

How do they link to other characters?
They are the great-granddaughter of Hattie and they meet Yazz at a university lecture about gender.

What are our opinions about them?
Morgan is by far the class' most popular character. Y'all use words like "inspiring", "interesting", "intriguing". You like that they are a character who "lets you have a glimpse" at what it means to be transgender. Race takes a back seat in Morgan's story, and gender takes the wheel - this suggests that gender is a hot topic for you as readers and is more universally relatable and approachable than race as a theme.

What are some good quotes to typify them?
"Morgan... you're a true trans warrior who's making people pay attention to important issues" (p333)

# data[].attributes.body
What do we know about her?
The daughter of Daisy and an Abyssinian sailor, her mother died of tuberculosis from working with coal (it was probably some time in the early 1900s during the industrial revolution). She was raised in the Northern Association's Home for Girls which was probably an orphanage. After working as a maid she meets Joseph Rydendale and lives in Greenfields farmhouse. After trying to have many children and suffering a lot of loss she finally has a daughter called Hattie who inheirits the farm house (even though Joseph wanted sons all along to do that).

What characteristics does she have?
Othered - Having been raised in a northern town and called "half-caste" (373) "too much personality" (381) and denied a job because she'd "put customers off" (383)...
Fetishized - ...She is, in the end, really flattered to be complemented by Joseph who nevertheless others and fetishises her blackness, calling her "lady of the Nile" (386) a complement which is so close to sounding like "lady of the night" (prostitute) that Evaristo surely does this on purpose.
Low self esteem  -"Grace couldn't believe her luck when Joseph asked for her hand in marriage, that he should behave as if she were a prize and not the booby prize" (388)
quiet, understated strength - She survives her sorrow in having many miscarriages, and postnatal depression after Hattie is born "she'd not looked at sky for a very long time...only felt the heaviness inside her weighing her down...she dressed herself in proper clothes instead of keeping on her nightclothes" (400)
capable - She learns how to take care of the whole farm, "I learned to help out on the farm" (403) raise her daughter, "me and my Hattie found each other" (402) keep the house "he praised her on how refreshed the house looked " (392) and she does all these things while Joseph is sitting around lamenting not having a son "Joseph was so thankful that finally there was a boy who would one day carry on the farm" (404)

How does she link to other characters?
Her daughter is Hattie and the farmhouse comes up in other chapters.

What are our opinions about her?
Scarlett is writing this herself so doesn't want to influence you, but Grace is useful for portraying racism at the turn of the century when it was nearly unheard of for a landowner like Joseph to have a mixed race wife and children.

What are some good quotes to typify her?
See description above

# data[].attributes.body
What do we know about her?

She is the mother of Carole. She had a husband but he died of a heart attack. She has her own cleaning company with employees. She was born in Nigeria but moved to England with her husband at the time Augustine.

What characteristics does she have?

She is a determined woman who wants everything in her life to be her own way. She will do anything to get what she wants. An example of this is when she slept with a pastor to be able to get money she needed for something.

How does she link to other characters?

She is the mother of Carole.

What are our opinions about her?

I believe she is a strong woman and a strict mum. In my opinion she has the right to be like she is, but sometimes what others opinions are. This is the reason she stopped being with Omofe.

What are some good quotes to describe/typify her? (Page numbers please)

You don spit ontop your papa life! (153)
You are a Nigerian, first, formesot and last-most. (155)
Is this why we came to England? (185)

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What do we know about her?
She is African American, works in the USA builds timber houses. She is from a divorced family and gre up in a mobile home in a trailer park in Texas. Both her mother and boyfriend are drug addicts and the boyfriend rapes her. Nzinga is vegan, non smoking, radical feminist, doesn't like sweet, salty etc. After Dominique falls for her she moves to the USA and they live together in a women's community called Spirit Moon. Nzinga quickly becomes abusive, obsessive, obtrusive, paranoid, controlling and monitoring Dominiques every move. When the behaviour becomes too much Dominque has to leave.
What characteristics does she have?

She's a control freak towards everyone around her. She is very toxic with many psychological problems caused by trauma from her childhood. Her character is defensive and that is because of she wears her defensivness as a protective mechanism.
How does she link to other characters?
She is Dominiques ex-girlfriend and she is a black, lesbian and a feminist woman as most of the other characters. However the way she portrayed her feminity and blackness is quite different from the other characters. She is very enclosed on what a balck woman should be, meaning that they shouldn't be welcoming towards white people and she portrayed the bad side of feminism which is hating men instead of working for equality.

What are our opinions about her?

We didn't like her character but at the same time we could understand her. She went through a traumatizing childhood without fully getting healed from those trauma which later became a part of her personality. Her parents were drug addicts which made her detest all kind of drugs, she was rap*d by her stepfather which made her hate all men. We know all these could be seen as an excuse but they are quite reasonable, what she needed was someone to confide in when she was little but she never had that shhe later reflected badly on her. I understand her and feel a small amount of pity towards her but at the same time I didn't like her. The way she behaved towards Dominque was very suffocating and terrible maybe if she had meant someone caring and loving as a child she might have been different.

What are some good quotes to describe/typify her? (Page numbers please)

"Nzinga was teetol, vegan, non-smoking, radical feminist seperatist lesbian housebuilder," (page 84)

# data[].attributes.body
What do we know about her?
She is Ammas daughter, she goes to college where she plans to become a journalist. She's a millennial

What characteristics does she have?
Politically active, woke

How does she link to other characters?
Her mother is Amma whos best friend is Dominique and knows Nazinga.

What are our opinions about her?
She doesn't have much of a personality. The author is an old person trying to write about young relatable topics but did not succeed.

What are some good quotes to describe/typify her? (Page numbers please)
" she has a lot to say and it's about time the whole world heard her" p.42
"Two members of her uni squad, the unfuckwithables, are seated either side of her" p41(who says squad?! Who names their own group?!)
"Yazz is reading English Literature and plans to be a journalist with her own controversial column in a globally read newspaper because she has a lot to say and it's about time the whole world heard her." (Who reads English lit? What kinds of people?) p42

# data[].attributes.body
What do we know about her?
She is a second generation immigrant, her mother immigrated to England from Nigeria. After a troublesom childhood she asks her teacher for help to get her on a new path. She went to oxford where she met her white privliged husband and proceeded with economics where she became a banker.

What characteristics does she have?
Determined, Smart, Insecure

How does she link to other characters?
She is linked to LaTisha (school friends), and her mother is Bummi

What are our opinions about her?
Feel sorry for her, but also a rolemodel. She went from a traumatising childhood to graduating from Oxford, and have a successful life.

What are some good quotes to describe/typify her? (Page numbers please)
"Carole knows what drives people to such despair, knows what it's like to appear normal but to feel herself swaying"
p. 114
"She is used to clients and new colleagues looking past her to the person they are clearly expecting to meet" p117
"If it isn't related to work, it's not worth reading" p115
"She decided to prove the teachers who had given up on her wrong" p129

# data[].attributes.body
What do we know about her?
She's a lesbian woman from London, a good friend of Amma, who falls in love with an African American woman named Nzinga. She was an independent woman before meeting Nzinga. She is also  wild, exuberant and unapolegetic, similar to her friend Amma.

What characteristics does she have?
She seems very insecure, for example she doesn't return to England when given the oppurtunity by Gaia. Instead she goes to the west coast. This because of her insecurity of being humilliated by her friends. You can read this on page 106 where she replies to gaias question about returning to England: "Not really, at least not yet, I can't face the humiliation and I'd like to see more of America."

How does she link to other characters?
* Her best friend is Amma, a person that she called her soulmate.
* She had an abusive relationship with Nzinga that resulted in her moving to the US.
* Gaia helps her escape Nzinga to the US and sets her up on the west coast.

What are our opinions about her?
Maybe she was a bit ignorant and hasty when accepting the offer to go to the US with Nzinga. It was a really big decision that she decided on too quickly, especally since her best friend, or "soulmate", strongly opposed the idea.

What are some good quotes to describe/typify her? (Page numbers please)
Quote: "It took years for Dominique to stop beating herself up for staying with Nzinga for as long as she did."
Analysis: This quote showcases how Dominique punishes herself for someone elses abusive behaviour inflicted on her.

"Dominique worked out she had been drawn to Nzinga because she was subconsciously looking to be mothered"

# data[].attributes.body
What do we know about her?
Amma is a feminist Woman who is willing to know who she really is. She comes from London and works as a director in a theater.
What characteristics does she have?
Amma is comfortable in her own skin and with her skin color, she is confident and doesn't mind what other people think of her. But her daughter criticizes her.
How does she link to other characters?
Her ex girlfriend is Dominique and her daughter is Yazz.
What are our opinions about her?
I would say my opinion on her is I am happy that she doesn't give up on what she what. she really motivates me when I am reading by the things she does for example she do
What are some good quotes to describe/typify her? (Page numbers please)
"Age 16 aspiring to become an actress she headed to London where people proudly proclaimed their outsider identities on badges" p7
"Amma admited she loved writing, hated admin and was she really any good as an actor? She did anger brilliantly - which was the extent of her range" p15
"Amma prefered running solo and mixing with others who didn't try to impose their will on anyone else" p18
"She wants people to bring their curiosity to her plays, doesn't give a damn what they wear" p3
"Winsome told Shirley not to copy [Amma], to dress to blend in or she'd become a target...Winsome was wrong, Amma never became nobody's target" (p250)