The Slave Dancer

by Paula Fox

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Student Question

What is Jessie's mother, Mrs. Bollier's personality in The Slave Dancer?

Expert Answers

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Great question! In the book The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox, Jessie’s mother (Mrs. Bollier) has an admirable personality. In the book, many qualities of her personality are revealed, such as being hardworking, compassionate, and perseverant.

Foremost, Mrs. Bollier has a hardworking personality. After her husband’s death, Mrs. Bollier provides for her two children by sewing. Although this is difficult, she continues to work hard in order to provide for her children. As the text reveals:

“Without looking up, my mother said, ‘We need more candles,’ in such a fretful and desperate voice, I knew she was pressed for time and had before her a piece of work that would keep her up many nights.”

Furthermore, Mrs. Bollier has a compassionate personality. Although she struggles herself, she also cares about the slaves who suffer more than her. For example, when Jessie returns from his time on the slave ship, she cannot emotionally handle hearing about the slaves’ misfortunes. As the text shows:

“When I described how the slaves had been tossed into the shark-filled waters of Cuba, she covered her face with her hands and cried, ‘I can’t hear it! I can’t bear it!’”

Lastly, Mrs. Bollier has a perseverant personality. Although Jessie was missing for a long time, Mrs. Bollier questions the vendors at the marketplace daily to try finding her missing son. Although she fears that Jessie passed away, she continues looking for her son until the day he returns, demonstrating her perseverance.

Thus, Mrs. Bollier’s personality is quite admirable. The book reveals her personality as being hardworking, compassionate, and perseverant.

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