Through my studies of slavery, I have learned about the strong connection between identity and names. Many slave owners changed the names of the slaves to break their moral and separate them from their African heritage as means to elongate slavery. I noticed that the first chapter is titled "Hetty Handful Grimké" while the following chapters are titled "Handful." Instead of going by the proper name that her master and missus had given her, she identified with her "basket name" her mother assigned to her at birth. Handful's connection to her basket name, foreshadows, from the beginning, Handful's rebelliousness and objection to her enslavement. Because her basket name came from how "mauma looked on [her] the day [Handful] came into the world...and she called [her] Handful" (4). This also shows that her name and therefore identity is closely connected to her mother who is also quite rebellious. In the paragraphs from Sarah's perspective, Handful is referred to as "Hetty." As Hetty, she is submissive and a servant. As Handful, she is more rebellious and spends times with her mother.
Staci, I found your point very interesting! I had never noticed that the first chapter called Handful by her full name and then changed in the later chapters. I had always thought that by using her basket name Handful was trying to uphold her connection to her mother, and your quote really speaks to that idea. Your point of "Hetty" being submissive and "Handful" being rebellious really comes through when "Hetty" admits to stealing thread from Sarah and Sarah replies, "...but please Hetty, don't steal anymore, even little things. You could land in terrible trouble" (60). Hetty powerfully replies to her statement by responding, "My real name is Handful" (60). Handful shares her basket-name, her real identity, with Sarah at this moment which really highlights the value of a name.
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About Staci S.
I am a junior at the Hockaday School. This blog was created to share my thoughts and reflections on Sue Monk Kidd's The Invention of Wings.