Fever 1793
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| Author | Laurie Halse Anderson |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Lori Earley |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Historical novel |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
Publication date | 2000 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 243 pp |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-689-83858-1 Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character |
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 whose father has died.
Plot summary
The Cook family own a business called the Cook Coffeehouse. They live in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.The Cook family contains 14-year old Matilda (who goes by her nickname, Mattie) her grandfather and her mother. Eliza, a free African, is the cook. A servant girl named Polly Logan is late one day. They think she is probably at the blacksmith's shop to try to kiss Matthew, the blacksmith's son.It was not until later, that the family discovers the horrifying truth, Polly has died from the yellow fever. As the story continues, deaths accumulate. The doctors believe that this is the cause of Yellow Fever, a disease named for the high fever, pale yellow eyes, and skin of the victim. As more people die, the people around them become aware of it, and many flee Philadelphia. Early in the book, Matilda's mother became ill with Yellow Fever.Apparently Matilda gets the disease from a mosquito bite on her forehead.
The mother sends Mattie's grandfather and Mattie off to a friend's farm. However on the way there ,they're stopped by border watchers because Grandfather looks ill. The two of them are kicked off the wagon, 10 miles from Philadelphia. They then try to survive on their own. While her grandfather sleeps Mattie tries to find food and water. As she does so, she suddenly passes out. When she wakes up, Mattie finds herself in a mansion being used as a fever hospital. Her nurse, Mrs. Flagg helps her recover. Mattie and her grandfather go back to Philadelphia. While Mattie and her grandfather try to fend for themselves, grandfather catches a "summer grippe", and dies when two robbers attack their coffeehouse. Mattie manages to find Eliza and her family. She lives with them and helps Eliza deliver goods to fever victims and their families. Finally, the frost comes and kills off the fever. Mattie rejoices the end of the fever but worries about her mother, not knowing her whereabouts, or if she's even living. Realizing she might have to run the coffehouse on her own, Mattie asks Eliza to be her joint partner in running the coffeehouse. After some persuasion, Eliza agrees to the matter.
Because of the frost, many return to Philadelphia. Again there is food in the markets and noise in the streets. Mattie's mother returns to the coffeehouse with many others following. Her health had been greatly damaged because she stubbornly tried to seek Mattie Cook when she was still recovering from the fever, but she had stayed at her friend's farm and was taken care of. After a long journey, getting over the fever, losing a loved one, fending for herself, and helping fever victims, Mattie has a new appreciation for life, family, and friends.
Characters in "Fever 1793"
Matilda Cook
The main character of the book. She is a fourteen year old girl nicknamed Mattie or Little Mattie. She falls in love with Nathaniel Benson, a painter's assistant, and once watched the first hot air balloon rise with him. She matures throughout the course of the book which forces her to "grab reins" to her own life instead of her mother. Matilda survived the fever herself, and at one point in the book is lost. She needs to find her way through the chaos and get life back to normal and in doing so her ways are put on hold and she is forced to grow up.
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 and the passing of the epidemic, she returned to the coffeehouse. However, now she is very weak and incapable. It is assumed that she is a Quaker because of her hard work ethic and intolerance of slavery. Owns the cook coffee house.
Captain William Farnsworth Cook
Matilda's grandfather. He was a soldier in the American Revolution. He was most happy working under George Washington. He was killed during a robbery and was buried, upon Matilda's insistence, with a prayer. He also had a parrot named King George(See below) named after George III of the United Kingdom.
King George
A parrot named after the British King George III himself. Grandfather won him in a card game and he is often disliked by Matilda. Matilda realizes she has lost King George after she gets back to the coffeehouse. He was a nasty tempered bird who enjoyed talking back to Matilda.
Eliza's Family
Eliza
The coffeehouse cook. Eliza is a free African American and is part of the Free African Society. According to Mattie,"If not for Eliza's fine victuals,...[Mattie's Family] would have been in the streets long ago." Mattie also claims Eliza to be her best friend. She is also about 30
Joseph
Eliza's brother. He works as a cooper and has two twin sons: William and Robert. His wife, Betty had recently died from the fever and when Mattie first met him he was still recovering. And he is being taken care of by Mother Smith and Eliza.
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 is very wise and tells Mattie if shes doing wrong. At first Mattie doesn't appreciate her then grows to love her.
William and Robert
Joseph's young twin sons. They become friends with Nell who is about their age when Mattie stays at Eliza's as the yellow fever dies down. They become ill with yellow fever but recover as Nell does.
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)
- Edward Ogilvie (youngest son)
They invite Mattie and her mother over for a tea party (Lucille is inclined to go because she is interested in marrying Mattie off to Edward). 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.
Other Characters
Nathaniel Benson
Matilda's crush and friend. He is a teenage boy who works for The Peales as an apprentice who survived the epidemic. Nathaniel often snatches apples from Mattie’s basket when he sees her at the market because he has a crush on her too. In the beginning of the book Mattie’s mother does not like him because she thinks he does not behave like a gentleman. He works for Mr. Peale and stays with the Peales through the epidemic. Mattie and Nathaniel plan to be together in 3-4 years, when he has enough money to support them. He shows his love toward Matilda by throwing flowers to her and painting a picture.
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.
Mrs. Bridget Flagg
A nurse at the mansion at Bush Hill who takes care of Matilda. Grandfather charms her and she eventually reveals her given name: Bridget. She soon restores Matilda to full health, overcoming yellow fever. She and the Grandfather liked each other a little bit in the book.
Nell
A small, blonde girl whose mother died of yellow fever. Matilda finds her keening at an alley with her dead mother by her side and decides to take care of Nell. They get very close but Matilda soon had to take her to an orphanage. However, as the orphanage had too many children, Matilda happily decided that it was better for Nell to stay with her. Nell eventually catches the fever, along with the twins, but survives!
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
See also
