The Last Carolina Girl

Jesse is the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Barna. Leah’s father rents a cottage from Mr. Barna, with Jesse growing up next door in a large and expensive home. Jesse and Leah’s proximity fosters a deep bond from childhood. They explore the Barnas’ wooded property together and share interests in physical activities, local flora and fauna, and astronomy.

Leah briefly lives with Jesse and his family before she is sent to the Griffins. Jesse, unfamiliar with the Griffins, encourages Leah to give them a chance. Despite his reluctance to see her leave, Jesse prioritizes Leah’s happiness over his own, as he hopes that she will find a happy home with the Griffins. Their romantic relationship blossoms after Leah moves away, with Jesse sending Leah multiple letters that Mrs. Griffin hides from Leah. When Leah starts to realize that her life with the Griffins is untenable, she conspires to send letters to Jesse, first to arrange a meeting at the local fair and later to tell him that she wants to return to his parents’ home for good.

Upon Leah’s return to the Barnas’ house, Jesse’s unconditional love and support provide solace. He reassures Leah, saying, “You’re home now, Leah. You’re home” (283), reflecting his newfound understanding that true belonging transcends material wealth or social status. Their evolving relationship exemplifies the transformative power of unconditional love and acceptance within chosen families.

Mrs. Griffin, the novel’s antagonist, is Harley Payne’s sister. The siblings shared a tumultuous upbringing marred by poverty and an abusive father who drank heavily. Mrs. Griffin’s resentment toward Harley deepened when he ran away with Emma, leaving her to fend for herself amid challenging circumstances. She felt betrayed and insulted by Emma’s abandonment of her high social standing and secure lifestyle to pursue a life with Harley.

Determined to elevate her family’s status once she is a wife and mother, Mrs. Griffin declares, “Family’s what you make. It’s what I’ve built here despite all of them” (279), encapsulating her unwavering commitment to social climbing. Mrs. Griffin exerts control over her family through manipulation and harsh discipline, driven by her obsession with status. She imposes unrealistic expectations on her children and withholds parental affection, highlighting the damaging effects of her ambitions. Her character embodies The Shortcomings of Upward Mobility, illustrating how aspirations for societal acceptance can erode familial bonds and moral integrity.

Mrs. Griffin exercises a significant degree of abusive control over Leah. She denies Leah the opportunity to attend school and forces her to work as the family’s unpaid housekeeper. She hides the truth of Leah’s past from her so that Leah does not realize that Mrs. Griffin is her aunt until later in the novel. She also intercepts Jesse’s letters and hides them, denying Leah an important connection with someone from her old life. Most significantly of all, Mrs. Griffin arranges for Leah to undergo a forced sterilization without Leah’s knowledge or consent.

Mrs. Griffin foils Leah in every aspect. In stark contrast to Mrs. Griffin’s obsession with appearances, Leah presents herself modestly, donning loose house dresses and wearing her hair down. Her focus lies not in material wealth but in upholding Harley’s compassionate ideals. While Leah finally breaks free of Mrs. Griffin’s power, the novel does not offer any definitive closure or information as to whether or not Mrs. Griffin ever changes her destructive ways, making her a flat and static character.

Mr. Griffin is a passive and unassertive character who, by failing to intervene, allows his wife to torment Leah and mistreat their own children. His occupation as a traveling salesman provides the family with greater security and opportunities than he or Mrs. Griffin experienced in their youth. Despite this, Mrs. Griffin undermines his work by incessantly pressuring their eldest son, Michael Henry, to pursue a more lucrative career path. Mr. Griffin met his wife in Raleigh shortly after Harley Payne’s departure with Emma. He frequently visits their hometown, and Leah overhears him discussing acquaintances, much to Mrs. Griffin’s dismay. Mr. Griffin advises his wife to forgive the past and let go of painful memories, a suggestion she stubbornly rejects.

Each of the Griffin children reflects The Shortcomings of Upward Mobility. Mrs. Griffin criticizes Michael Henry for struggling academically, leaving him feeling inadequate and powerless. Similarly, she harshly judges Eva Jane’s eating habits and body, unfairly blaming her when respectable suitors fail to invite her to the debutante ball. Mrs. Griffin stifles Eva Jane’s academic interests, instead grooming her solely for marriage into an affluent family. Both Eva Jane and Michael Henry are constrained from pursuing their ambitions.

Mary Ann, the youngest Griffin child, becomes Leah’s closest companion during her stay with the Griffins. Like Leah, Mary Ann endures Mrs. Griffin’s harsh treatment. Mary Ann often faces isolation in her room for minor childhood mishaps, even enduring periods without food. Mrs. Griffin dismissed Alma, the previous household help, for refusing to discipline Mary Ann as severely as she desired. Despite her suffering, Mary Ann empathizes with Leah and supports her during difficult times. She aids Leah in corresponding with Jesse and is the sole family member who checks on Leah and brings her food after her surgery. Leah feels betrayed by Mrs. Griffin’s concealment of her true relationship to Mary Ann, the only cousin Leah considers searching for in the years following her departure from the Griffin household.

Tulla is the Barnas’ dedicated housemaid. Despite the fact that she is elderly, she impresses Leah with her unwavering strength while performing physically demanding tasks. She enjoys a close bond with the Barnas, who treat her more like kin than an employee. Leah acknowledges Tulla’s potential for higher-paying positions in Raleigh or Charlotte but admires her loyalty to the Barnas. Although the novel does not specify Tulla’s race or ethnicity, her dialogue is rich with African American Vernacular English, suggesting that she is a woman of color. Tulla expresses a longing to reunite with her mother yet remains private about her family history.

Throughout the narrative, Tulla plays a pivotal supporting role to Leah, providing comfort and assistance during key moments. She generously supplies Leah with art materials and scraps for Maeve and adjusts her wardrobe as she grows. Following Harley’s passing, Tulla assumes a caretaking role for Leah while managing her domestic duties, imparting valuable life skills that prove indispensable to Leah in later chapters. Tulla contributes significantly to the novel’s exploration of The Complexities of Home and Family by becoming a cherished member of Leah’s chosen family, enriching Leah’s evolving definition of kinship and belonging.