The Conjure Woman

Although, I side with John’s notions of validity to Uncle Julius’s stories, these stories as a whole weren’t about John at all. In my opinion the stories were to shed light on the relationship between Julius and Annie. A symbiotic relationship, in which Annie and Julius relied on each other to grow stronger, and indirectly express ideas and thoughts between just the two of them.

Throughout the stories, Annie’s, who is frail and sickly in the beginning of the stories, grows stronger both physically and mentally with the companionship of Julius’s stories. Both Julius and Annie are in similar positions in this time of history. Annie being a female and Julius being black, they had to find creative ways to change John’s mind. Annie was making more decisions in the face of John by the end of the Hot-Foot Hannibal. Whether it was to use only new wood for the new kitchen (Po’ Sandy), to keeping the rabbits foot that Julius gave her (Sis Becky’s Pickaninny), to making the decision to take the long route (Hot-Foot Hannibal).

Yes, Uncle Julius made some gains in results to the stories he told, but he kept coming back, and telling stories that hit closer to home and the heart. By the end of The Conjure Woman stories, he was saving relationships, and establishing his place among the white couples family.