Mama Day: Analysis of Major Characters
"Mama Day" is a novel that explores the lives and intricate relationships among the residents of Willow Springs, particularly focusing on its central character, Miranda (Mama) Day. As the matriarch of the Day clan, Miranda is portrayed as a powerful conjure woman, possessing both healing and destructive capabilities rooted in her ancestral legacy from Sapphira Wade. The narrative also delves into the bond between Miranda and her sister Abigail, emphasizing their deep connection and shared wisdom, as well as their role in guiding younger generations.
Ophelia (Cocoa) Day emerges as the protagonist who navigates her life between the bustling streets of New York City and her familial roots in Willow Springs. Her relationship with George Andrews, her husband, forms a pivotal part of the story, intertwining themes of love, sacrifice, and the supernatural. The character of George, though he faces his own struggles with health, plays a significant role in Ophelia's journey, even beyond death.
The novel also features a cast of supporting characters, including the antagonist Ruby, whose jealousy drives her to dark actions against Ophelia, and Bernice Duvall, whose desperation for motherhood leads her to seek Miranda's magical assistance. Through these characters, "Mama Day" weaves a rich tapestry of themes such as kinship, the power of magic, and the complexities of human relationships, set against the backdrop of African American culture and history.
Mama Day: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Gloria Naylor
First published: 1988
Genre: Novel
Locale: The island of Willow Springs, off the coast of South Carolina and Georgia, and New York City
Plot: Psychological realism
Time: The 1980's
Miranda (Mama) Day, the elderly matriarch of the Day clan and unofficial ruler of Willow Springs. Linked to Sapphira Wade, her ancestor, in terms of possessing intuition, herbal knowledge, and magic, she is a conjure woman with the power to destroy and to heal. As midwife and healer, she has medicinal powers superior to those of medical doctors.
Abigail Day, Miranda's sister and soulmate, grandmother to Ophelia. Abigail and Miranda know each other's minds and write joint letters to Ophelia.
Ophelia (Cocoa) Day, who, despite the title of the novel, is the protagonist and one of the narrators in the novel. She is Miranda's spiritual descendant as Miranda is Sapphira's. She leaves Willow Springs to make her fortune in New York City, where she meets and marries George Andrews. She returns to Willow Springs for two weeks every August. The novel primarily concerns the events that occur when she brings George home one summer.
George Andrews, a successful engineer with heart trouble. When Ophelia is sick, he is the means by which she is saved, though he loses his life in the process. Although he is dead, he is the other narrator in the novel, and his love not only saves his wife but also enables him to communicate with her.
Sapphira Wade, an African American slave and wife to Bascombe Wade, whose plantation consisted of Willow Springs. She persuaded him to free his slaves and deed his property to them, and she was responsible for his death when he would not free her. The mother of seven sons, she is a legend on the island.
Ruby, Miranda's adversary, a jealous, murderous “mountain” of a woman who uses magic to kill Frances so that she can marry Junior Lee. When he shows an interest in Ophelia, Ruby uses nightshade and a spell to almost kill her. Miranda destroys her and her home with lightning.
Bernice Duvall, Ambush's wife, so desperate to have a child that she resorts to quackery and pills. Miranda saves her life and takes her to the “other place,” one associated with Sapphira, to ensure her pregnancy. Her son is known first as Chick, a term related to his appearance and the ritual Miranda performs to help Bernice get pregnant, and then as Little Caesar. He dies in the storm at the end of the novel.
Dr. Buzzard, whose real name is Rainbow Simpson, a bootlegger, gambler, and herbalist with pretensions of possessing magic. Unlike Ruby, he knows better than to challenge Miranda's magic.
Mrs. Jackson, an administrator and mentor to George at the Wallace P. Andrews Shelter for Boys. Her consistency, sympathy, and fairness help mold George's character. He is guided by her declaration that only the present has potential.
Dr. Smithfield, a local physician who has confidence in Miranda's medical knowledge and who works with her on Bernice.