Discussion #4 - The Sugar Camp Quilt

[homesteadmamma]

Please do not read if you haven't gotten to page 207 yet

1. Where do you think Dorothea is heading after Uncle Jacob dies. Should she have used a horse and done it at a different time considering the weather?

2. When she arrived at the Brauns, she said "they would die before they would betray them". Do you think at this point her parents felt the same way?

3. Why did the Brauns not tell Dorothea everything the first night?

4. When the Brauns finally told her there could be a seizure of the farm, imprisonment, etc if she or her parents were caught, do you think if her parents knew this might happen, especially seizure of the farm they would still carry on helping the slaves escape?

5. Why do you think Cyprus didn't pay respects right after he heard Uncle Jacob died? I'm beginning to not like this man, do you feel the same way?

6. Why do you think Dorothea did not say no to finishing the quilt. Does Mrs. Engle have that much control over everyone or do you think Dorothea is someone who doesn't stand up for herself.

7. What would be the reason for Mrs. Engle making a queery about Uncle Jacob's will?

8. How did you feel when you read the part of the "dark barking"? Did you wonder whose dog it was or did you already know.

9. Was it right to feed Mr. Liggett whiskey?

10. Would you have thought Zachariah was still there after they returned from the will being read. I never thought about the lock being locked from the inside. Zachariah was very clever to think about it and unlock the lock. Would you have thought that?

11. When Dorothea seen the sawdust on the floor, did you suspect what it was. Then to top it off, did you know who it was that built the wardrobe?

12. Whose boot tracks were they that was around the sugar camp?

13. Why do you think Cyprus was distant and chilly when he picked up Dorothea for a ride.

14. Page 206 states "You're certain your mother wishes for me to finish the quilt top according to my best judgement". Do you think Mrs. Engle is going to blow her stack once she sees it. And is Dorothea right in finished the quilt her way, knowing Mrs. Engle probably will?

15. Now why would Cyprus want to know if the will had been read and why was he so interested in knowing if Uncle Jacob had left anything to Dorothea?

16. Just what do you think Mrs. Engle and her boy are up to?

17. At this point of the book, who is your favorite character? Who is your least favorite character? And do you see yourself in anyone of the characters?

[Julia Kimber]

1. Where do you think Dorothea is heading after Uncle Jacob dies. Should she have used a horse and done it at a different time considering the weather?

She is trying to follow the map of the quilt, in some respects she would have been better to have taken a horse and gone when the weather was less harsh, but as she knows the runaways probably wouldn't have a horse or a choice of when to go, she needs to do it the way that they would, on foot and in the winter.

2. When she arrived at the Brauns, she said "they would die before they would betray them". Do you think at this point her parents felt the same way?

Yes I believe so.

3. Why did the Brauns not tell Dorothea everything the first night?

They had to make sure of her commitment before telling her everything, they had to make sure she and her family were totally commited to helping the runaways despite the risks.

4. When the Brauns finally told her there could be a seizure of the farm, imprisonment, etc if she or her parents were caught, do you think if her parents knew this might happen, especially seizure of the farm they would still carry on helping the slaves escape?

Yes I think they would, they were a God fearing couple who abhored slavery.

5. Why do you think Cyprus didn't pay respects right after he heard Uncle Jacob died? I'm beginning to not like this man, do you feel the same way?

I haven't liked him for some time, too good to be true. He didn't care about Uncle Jacob only about his own interests.

6. Why do you think Dorothea did not say no to finishing the quilt. Does Mrs. Engle have that much control over everyone or do you think Dorothea is someone who doesn't stand up for herself.

Dorothea could definitely stand up for herself but I think as it was her suggestion to make a quilt in the first place she felt bound to finish it when Mrs Engle asked.

7. What would be the reason for Mrs. Engle making a queery about Uncle Jacob's will?

Because she wanted to know if Dorothea was going to inherit a large amount of money which would make her a good marriage partner for Cyrus.

8. How did you feel when you read the part of the "dark barking"? Did you wonder whose dog it was or did you already know.

I didn't really suspect it was Liggetts dog, just someone after the runaway.

9. Was it right to feed Mr. Liggett whiskey?

He had to be mollified in some way to take his mind off the search for the slave. I think it was right that they gave it to him.

10. Would you have thought Zachariah was still there after they returned from the will being read. I never thought about the lock being locked from the inside. Zachariah was very clever to think about it and unlock the lock. Would you have thought that?

No I don't think I would, I suspected they'd been and taken him.

11. When Dorothea seen the sawdust on the floor, did you suspect what it was. Then to top it off, did you know who it was that built the wardrobe?

Yes I believed I knew why it was there and that it was her father that had built the false back into the wardrobe.

12. Whose boot tracks were they that was around the sugar camp?

I suspected Liggett was the owner of the footprints.


13. Why do you think Cyprus was distant and chilly when he picked up Dorothea for a ride.

I think her anti-slavery views, as shown in the authors she chose were not to his liking.

14. Page 206 states "You're certain your mother wishes for me to finish the quilt top according to my best judgement". Do you think Mrs. Engle is going to blow her stack once she sees it. And is Dorothea right in finished the quilt her way, knowing Mrs. Engle probably will?

I don't blame her for doing what she did, Mr Engle said for Dorothea to do it her way and she did! Mrs Engle will be highly displeased but she gave Dorothea the quilt to finish to her best judgement.

15. Now why would Cyprus want to know if the will had been read and why was he so interested in knowing if Uncle Jacob had left anything to Dorothea?

For the same reason that his mother wanted to know, to find out if Dorothea had inherited a large sum of money.

16. Just what do you think Mrs. Engle and her boy are up to?

I think they just wanted Cyrus to make a good match with Dorothea, money and property wise.

17. At this point of the book, who is your favorite character? Who is your least favorite character? And do you see yourself in anyone of the characters?

My least favourite character is Liggett and my favourite is Dorothea.


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[Vannie]

1. Where do you think Dorothea is heading after Uncle Jacob dies. Should she have used a horse and done it at a different time considering the weather?

She is following the trail of the quilt-map. Because runaway slaves would not have the option of delay because of bad weather.

2. When she arrived at the Brauns, she said "they would die before they would betray them". Do you think at this point her parents felt the same way?

I do think so. But I say that with caution.

3. Why did the Brauns not tell Dorothea everything the first night?

Because everything they were doing for the slaves depended upon total commitment and secrecy. They had to 'feel' her out first.

4. When the Brauns finally told her there could be a seizure of the farm, imprisonment, etc if she or her parents were caught, do you think if her parents knew this might happen, especially seizure of the farm they would still carry on helping the slaves escape?

Yes. I am sure that they were aware of what would happen.
They knew the risks of helping slaves, but thought that were they were doing was worth the risk.

5. Why do you think Cyprus didn't pay respects right after he heard Uncle Jacob died? I'm beginning to not like this man, do you feel the same way?

I find Cyprus a bit too self-serving for my tastes. Personally, I would not trust him. He did not pay respects, because he did not care.

6. Why do you think Dorothea did not say no to finishing the quilt. Does Mrs. Engle have that much control over everyone or do you think Dorothea is someone who doesn't stand up for herself.

I think I remember Dorothea saying the she would do it earlier, so she was just following through with her plans. I don't think anyone can really have real control over Dorothea.

7. What would be the reason for Mrs. Engle making a queery about Uncle Jacob's will?

She wanted to know where Dorothea fit in the will? and also would she get money and ow much.

8. How did you feel when you read the part of the "dark barking"? Did you wonder whose dog it was or did you already know.

I had an idea whose dog it was, but was not sure.

9. Was it right to feed Mr. Liggett whiskey?

I understand why it was done and agree with that end. But not sure if it was right.

10. Would you have thought Zachariah was still there after they returned from the will being read. I never thought about the lock being locked from the inside. Zachariah was very clever to think about it and unlock the lock. Would you have thought that?

Yes. I do think that I would have thought of it. But I worked for for lawyers for 25 years. I had to think of "what might happen if.." because it was part of my job.

11. When Dorothea seen the sawdust on the floor, did you suspect what it was. Then to top it off, did you know who it was that built the wardrobe?

I did not suspect at first, I had to read that part again to make it clearer to me. Then I knew what it was, also why and who had built the closet.

12. Whose boot tracks were they that was around the sugar camp?

Mr. Liggets

13. Why do you think Cyprus was distant and chilly when he picked up Dorothea for a ride.

Their politics concerning slavery are miles apart. I think he likes Dorothea but hates her thoughts and opinion on slavery.

14. Page 206 states "You're certain your mother wishes for me to finish the quilt top according to my best judgement". Do you think Mrs. Engle is going to blow her stack once she sees it. And is Dorothea right in finished the quilt her way, knowing Mrs. Engle probably will?

Dorothea was told to finishd the quilt to her best judgement. This means that she was given permission to do. Mrs. Engle may be angry, if she knows what it means.

15. Now why would Cyprus want to know if the will had been read and why was he so interested in knowing if Uncle Jacob had left anything to Dorothea?

Money-wise Dorothea will make a good catch, even with her anti-slavery thinking.

16. Just what do you think Mrs. Engle and her boy are up to?

Same answer at #15 :-)

17. At this point of the book, who is your favorite character? Who is your least favorite character? And do you see yourself in anyone of the characters?

I am not crazy about Cyprus, I don't like Ligget. I do like Dorothea. I like strength and courage. Yes. It may seem like bragging :-( but I can relate to Dorothea.