Fever 1793

by

Laurie Halse Anderson

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Fever 1793: Chapter 29 Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
Mattie dashes into her mother’s arms. Lucille feels “like a frail bird.” At last she breaks away from Mattie and introduces her friend, Mrs. Ludington. Mattie, Mrs. Ludington, and Nathaniel escort her into the coffeehouse. As they do so, the customers fall silent, and each man stands out of respect for Lucille. Eliza comes from the kitchen, crying, to embrace Lucille. She pours coffee for them all and leaves them in the kitchen to catch up.
Lucille’s reappearance is moving for everyone, especially because the epidemic has clearly taken a toll on her. Even though the family is reunited, there’s immediately a sense that things will never be quite as they were before.
Themes
Mothers, Daughters, and Familial Love Theme Icon
Ingenuity, Ambition, and Survival Theme Icon
Mrs. Ludington explains that Lucille is still recovering from the fever; the doctors say it’s a miracle she survived. When she came to the Ludington farm and realized Mattie was missing, Lucille was “frantic,” taking one of their horses to search for Mattie herself. The Ludingtons found her beside the road two days later, near death. Her heart was damaged by the exertion; the doctor has instructed her to “live a life of leisure.” Mrs. Ludington wants her to sell the coffeehouse and move to the country.
The yellow fever exacted a double toll on Lucille. After surviving the first time, she nearly died from exposure and stress in her desperate search for Mattie. If it could possibly be doubted, this underlines Lucille’s deep love for Mattie, despite her restrained and sometimes prickly exterior. While Mattie was gaining strength and independence during the epidemic, Lucille used up her strength in her search for Mattie—resulting, ultimately, in a loss of independence.
Themes
Mothers, Daughters, and Familial Love Theme Icon
Ingenuity, Ambition, and Survival Theme Icon
After Mrs. Ludington leaves, Mattie tells Lucille about Grandfather’s death. At last, Mother’s eyes well with tears as she tells Mattie how desperately she searched for her. Mattie hushes her and cradles her mother’s head on her shoulder, assuring her that she no longer has to worry. As she continues to tell her mother the details of her survival, she marvels at the stillness of her mother’s hands. She “had a sudden sense of what was to come and […] blinked away the tears.”
For the first time, Mattie comforts and supports Mother, not the other way around. This is a clear picture of the role reversal that’s occurred between the two of them and brings their relationship, once so combative, full circle. Even as Mattie accepts this new reality, she grieves. With her newfound independence comes the pain of losing the strong, independent mother who helped make her who she is.
Themes
Freedom and Independence Theme Icon
Mothers, Daughters, and Familial Love Theme Icon
Quotes