Bily teaches writing and literature at Adrian College in Adrian, Michigan, and writes for various educational publishers. In the following essay, she examines the concept of family in Mphahlele's story.

While it is certainly a story of politics, and a story of growing up, Es'kia Mphahlele's "Mrs. Plum" is also a story of family. Mphahlele's own family has always had a strong influence on him, and he has drawn throughout his life on the strength of women. Raised by his grandmother and then by his single mother, Mphahlele has been married to his wife Rebecca for over fifty years. By all accounts, his relationships with his children are based on love and respect. The author's mentions of humble family matters in his two volumes of autobiography demonstrate the importance he places on the family bond. In "Mrs. Plum," the author uses the states of his characters' families...