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EspañolFEVER 1793
'''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.
Plot summary
The Cook family own a business called the Cook Coffeehouse.The Cook family contain Matilda (Mattie), her grandfather and her mother. Eliza, a free African, is the cook. A servant girl named Polly Logan is late one day. It was not until later that the family discovers the horrifying truth, Polly has died. 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.
The mother sends 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 the city and find Philadelphia. While Mattie and her grandfather try to fend for themselves, grandfather catches a "summer grippe", and dies when 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 shes 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 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, loosing a loved one, fending for herself, and helping fever victims, Mattie has a new appreciation for life, family, and friends.
Characters in "Fever 1793"
The Cook Family
Matilda Cook
The main character and protagonist of the book. Matilda, a teenage girl is nicknamed Mattie. She matures throughout the course of the book which forces her to "grab reins" to her own life instead of her mother. She also survived the fever herself. After the epidemic, Matilda runs the coffeehouse with the help of Eliza. Matilda has a crush on Nathaniel Benson, a painter's helper, and once watched the first hot air balloon rise with him.
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.
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 Matilda 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.
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.
King George
A parrot named after the British the United Kingdom 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.
Eliza's Family
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.
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.
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.
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 stays alive through 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.
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. 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.
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, 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 was better for Nell to stay with her.
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
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
External links
★ Fever 1793 Website
★ Laurie Halse Anderson Website
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