Absalom, Absalom Lesson Plan

What do we learn about Rosa's relationship with Clytie in Chapter 5 and in particular when she returns to Sutpen's Hundred after Henry is killed? How does her present-day self explain her actions and words?

When Rosa tried to find Judith, Clytie said, "Don't you go up there, Rosa." Rosa responded, "take your hand off me," followed by a racial slur. While these are the only words that were spoken aloud, Rosa goes to great lengths to extrapolate the subtext. As a Black woman, Clytie would have been expected to address her as "Miss Rosa." But she maintains that this is not the reason for which she replied with such vehemence, for Clytie "did me more grace and respect than...