Small Island: Chapter 33: Hortense Summary & Analysis

Meeting Queenie at her door to go to the shops, Hortense is horrified to see the Englishwoman’s dreary coat, at first believing it to be something she only wears indoors. For her part, Queenie is surprised to see Hortense dressed up in her best coat and freshly washed gloves. She reassures Hortense that she’s not ashamed to be seen with her; Hortense wonders why she would say this, given that Queenie is the one venturing out in a scruffy outfit with no gloves or jewelry.

Outside, Hortense is astonished to find that every Englishwoman is dressed like Queenie. Queenie explains the concept of a grocery store as if Hortense has never seen a shop before, but Hortense is too busy looking at the strange and uncouth people around her to be frustrated. When she asks the grocer for condensed milk, he can barely understands her; this perplexes Hortense, since her she had the best diction in her college. Requesting bread next, she’s disgusted to see him handle the loaf with his dirty hands, even wiping his nose while he holds it. Thinking that Hortense has never seen it before, Queenie explains what bread is.

Looking inside a draper’s shop, Hortense is surprised to see bolts of cloth lying all over the floor, many of them dirty and frayed. She explains to Queenie that in Jamaica, all the fabric is organized by color on neat shelves; in response, Queenie simply expresses surprise that there are draper’s shops in Jamaica.

In the hardware store, a child points at Hortense and shouts to his mother that she’s black. When they leave, some young men shout slurs at her from across the street. One of them throws a piece of bread at Queenie, but she just hustles Hortense away rather than confronting them. As they walk home, Queenie explains that it’s probably best if Hortense, “a visitor to this country,” steps off the pavement when an English person wants to pass. Hortense is disgusted by the suggestion that a woman should walk in the busy road.

Their argument ceases abruptly when they reach the house to find a tall, thin man standing at the doorway. Hortense has never seen him before, but Queenie is speechless and collapses into Hortense’s arms as she recognizes Bernard.