Fever 1793
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| Author | Laurie Halse Anderson |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Lori Earley |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Historical novel |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
| Released | 2000 |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 243 pp |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-689-83858-1 |
Fever 1793 (2000) is a historical novel by Laurie Halse Anderson. Set during the Philadelphia yellow fever epidemic, its protagonist and narrator is a teenage girl named Matilda (nicknamed Mattie) whose father has died.
Contents |
[edit] Plot summary
The book begins on August 16th, 1793. The Cook family (composed of Matilda "Mattie" Cook, her mother, and her grandfather) own a business called the Cook Coffeehouse. Eliza, a free African, is the cook and a girl by the name of Polly Logan is one of the servants. One day, Polly is late. It was not until later that the family discovers a the horrifying truth, Polly is dead. As the story continues, they discover more and more people are dying. The doctors believe that this is the cause of Yellow Fever, a terrible disease that causes hemorrhaging in the stomach, causing the victim to vomit blood and a foul smelling black substance. The Disease is named for the high fevers and pale yellow skin of the victim. As more and more people die of yellow fever, more people become aware of it too, and it becomes an epidemic. Many decide to flee Philadelphia. Early in the book Matilda's mother becomes ill with yellow fever. Several doctors attend to her and she is bled (a common remedy). After a few days Matilda's mother thinks that it would be best for Matilda if she goes off to a friend's farm.
Matilda and Grandfather plan to get there by riding on a wagon with others out of the city. Matilda and her grandfather are on their way there when they are stopped by people who are checking for fever victims (nearby counties do not want fever victims in their area). Even though neither Grandfather nor Matilda has yellow fever, they are stopped because Grandfather suddenly and unexpectedly had a coughing fit. The two of them are then kicked off the wagon, 10 miles from Philadelphia. They then try to survive on their own. When Matilda is out collecting fruit, she suddenly falls ill and passes out.
When she wakes up, Matilda finds herself in a mansion on Bush Hill, transformed into a makeshift fever hospital. Her nurse, Mrs. Flagg helps her recover. After she is well again, the two go back to the city (on a wagon provided by the hospital). They find Philadelphia, the former most populated and largest city in America, tramsformed into ghost city and with barely anyone remaining. Thieves and rats roam the street, and Philadelphia is now a dangerous place to be. When they make it to their home, Matilda finds the coffeehouse a mess and no sign of her mother. Not knowing the whereabouts of her mother, Matilda fears the worst.
Matilda must grow food and fend for herself and Grandfather. One night, the coffeehouse is burglarized and Grandfather is severely injured by several lacerations to the head in attempt to rescue Matidla. Matilda goes into a rage, picks up Grandfather's sword from the ground, and gashes the shoulder of one of the thieves, chasing him into the night. Matilda later returns and takes care of Grandfather. But due to the severe wounds in his head, he dies just after he mumbled his last words. Next morning, his body is taken to a field to be buried with many other dead people. Matilda is distraught, but does not lose her head. Instead she goes to live with Eliza, who is living with her brother’s family. Matilda helps around the house and when Eliza’s young nephews fall ill, Mattie cares for them. Finally, the frost kills off the fever, and Matilda is happy except for one thing - she still does not know the fate of her mother.
Because of the frost, many return to Philadelphia. Again there is food in the markets and noise in the streets. Finally, her mother returns to the coffee shop, saying she had been at a friend’s farm. Although Matilda's mother recovered from the fever, she is weak. The responsibility of running the coffeehouse is now given to Matilda, who has a new appreciation for life, family and friends. It is estimated that the death toll during the epidemic in Philiedlphia is 5,000 people, nearly 10% of the city's former population.
[edit] Characters in "Fever 1793"
[edit] The Cook Family
[edit] Matilda Cook
The main character and protagonist of the book. Matilda is nicknamed Mattie. She matures throughout the course of the book as she encounters difficulties. She also survived the fever herself. Matilda is the one that runs the coffeehouse with the help of Eliza after the epidemic. Matilda has a crush on Nathaniel and once watched the first hot air balloon rise with him. She is 14 years old.
[edit] Lucille Cook
Matilda's mother. She was the leader of the Cook household before the fever epidemic and was rather strict and somewhat demanding, but reasonable. She becomes ill with the fever and sends Matilda away to the Ludington farm in the countryside along with Grandfather, but eventually flees to the farm as well. After nearly dying at the Ludington farm, she returned to the coffeehouse after the epidemic passed. However, she is very weak and incapable
[edit] Captain William Farnsworth Cook
Matilda's grandfather. He was a soldier in the American Revolution and also taught Matilda how to play chess. He was most happy working under George Washington. He taught Matidla old soldier's tricks, which was later used to find water. He was killed during a robbery and was buried, upon Matilda's insistence, with a prayer. He and Matilda had to live by themselves for about a month.
[edit] Silas
The family cat. He loves to pounce on mice and kill them in front of Matilda. Silas is still there when Matilda returns to the coffeehouse.
[edit] King George
A parrot named after the British King George III himself. Grandfather won him in a card game and is often disliked by Matilda. Matilda realizes she has lost King George after she gets back to the coffeehouse.
[edit] Eliza's Family
[edit] Eliza
The coffeehouse cook. Eliza is a free African American and is part of the Free African Society. According to Mattie, without Eliza's fine food her family would have been out on the streets. Mattie also claims Eliza to be her best friend.
[edit] Joseph
Eliza's brother. He works as a cooper and has two twin sons: William and Robert. His wife, Betty had recently died and when Mattie first met him he was still recovering. And he is being taken care of by Mother Smith and Eliza.
[edit] Mother Smith
A member of the Free African Society. Sent to help take care of Joseph due to his tragic loss, she tries all that she can to help him recover. Mother Smith has a snappy personality that Mattie is unhappy about.
[edit] William and Robert
Joseph's twin sons. When they become ill with the fever, Mattie and Eliza help take care of them.
[edit] The Ogilvie Family
A very wealthy family. The names of the family members mentioned are:
- Pernilla Ogilvie (the mother)
- Colette & Jeannine Ogilvie (the Ogilvie sisters)
They invite Mattie and her mother over for a tea party. But due to the fever, Mattie and her mother are the only ones that arrive. Conflict rises between Mattie and the Ogilvie sisters during the party. When Jeannine calls the Cook Coffeehouse a tavern and a "Grog Shop" (a slang term used in that time for a place where criminals and other dregs of society gather to drink whiskey and fight), Matilda's mother angrily interferes, and the two leave just as Colette collapses with the fever.
[edit] Other Characters
[edit] Nathaniel Benson
Matilda's crush and friend. He is a teenage boy who works for The Peales as an apprentice. He stays alive through the epidemic and likes to snatch apples from Matilda's basket. Nathaniel once watched the first hot air balloon rise with Mattie. Although at first he is disliked by Matilda's mother and grandfather, in the end of the book they seem to get along better. He has a crush on Matilda as well.
[edit] Polly Logan
The coffeehouse servant girl. In the first few chapters the family wonders why she is late. Matilda assumes she is at the forge, stealing a kiss with Matthew, the blacksmith's son. Later, they discover that she died from the fever.
[edit] Mrs. Flagg
A nurse at the mansion at Bush Hill who takes care of Matilda. Grandfather charms her and she eventually reveals her maiden name: Bridget. She soon restores Matilda to full health, overcoming yellow fever.
[edit] Nell
A small, blonde girl whose mother died of yellow fever. Matilda finds her keening at an alley and decides to take care of Nell. Nell eventually catches the fever as well, but survives. They get very close but Matilda soon had to take her to an orphanage. However, as the orphanage had too many children, Matilda decided that it is better for Nell to stay with her.
[edit] Famous historical people mentioned in the book
- George Washington
- Thomas Jefferson
- Jean-Pierre Blanchard
- Dr. Benjamin Rush
- Charles Willson Peale
- Rembrandt Peale
- Stephen Girard
- Richard Allen
- Absalom Jones
[edit] Awards and nominations
- An ALA Best Book of Young Adults
- A Junior Library Guild Selection
- New York Public Library's 100 Books of Reading and Sharing
- New York Public Library's Best Books for the Teen Age
- An IRA Teacher's Choice
- An ABA Pick of the Lists
