Taking Up the Slack and The Magnolia Tree Summary

"Taking up the Slack": Rawlings has farming in her blood, but it is harder than she had thought. Wise old Martha Mickens says that if you love the area you will make it, and no one ever goes hungry. Martha is the nucleus of a large family of mixed characters.

Martha helps everyone, and "takes up the slack" when people are ill or otherwise indisposed. Rawlings feels if Martha were white she would be a "natural aristocrat," since she is gracious and well-bred. Her husband no longer works. Martha is a Baptist and sings old and rare spiritual songs. She cleans Rawlings' home and is generally in service to everyone who needs her.

"The Magnolia Tree": The perfection of the magnolia tree etched against the sky is an inspiration...