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"She who had never had one but this one; she who left a dirt floor to come to this one; she who had to bring a fistful of salsiy into Mrs. Garner's kitchen every day just to be able to work in it, feel like some part of it was hers, because she wanted to love the work she did, to take the ugly out of it and the only way she could feel at home on Sweet Home was if she picked some pretty growing thing and took it with her. The day she forgot was the day butter wouldn't come or the brine in the barrel blistered her arms."

The quote introduces the nothing motif that occurs in many novels. During slavery, those who suffered the most always returned to nothing. They may have had a job, but it was overly demanding. They had slaves who abused them. Their lives were anything but bliss. Seethe is holding onto the things she holds dearest ("she who had never had one but this one,") which indirectly characterizes as a hopeful, yet insecure character. The last sentence also indirectly characterizes Seethe as a responsible person. These actions are held so she will not receive any unnesscary problems; she already tolerates enough. Sweet Home is also mentioned as somewhere she could feel at home, which is ironic because of everything that went on there. The poetic diction also used in the sentence contrasts the brutal life Sweet Home gave Seethe.