Maud Martha

“It was comforting to know that what was common could also be a flower.”

Maud compares herself to a dandelion and is comforted that something so common is still a flower. Dandelions are weeds, though, and as such are generally removed from well-groomed gardens. The mistaken comparison adds irony while also demonstrating Maud’s optimism and humility.

“This was no Willie or Richard or Sylvester coming to call on her. Neither was she Charles’s Sally or Joan. She was the ‘colored’ race, and Charles was the personalization of the entire Caucasian plan.”

Maud is anxious about Charles calling on her. She’s overwhelmingly aware of her race as well as his, and she feels the weight of both races upon them. She’s flattered by his interest in her but feels she’s now a representative of her entire race.

“What she wanted was to donate to the world a good Maud Martha. That was the offering, the bit of art, that could not come from any other.”

Maud is not interested in an extravagant life or an ambitious creation of art. She doesn’t seek fame or an audience. She values the simple things in life and keeps her ambitions simple as well. Rather than create something new or recreate herself, she prefers to work on being the most perfect version of herself. This is an example of Maud’s genuine appreciation for the everyday things that make life and people valuable and worthy of notice.