Goophered Grapevine

Summary of Goophered Grapevine
· The story is set contemporary to the time of Chesnutt’s writing period. (Late 1800’s) The protagonist in the story is a northern man and his wife who are interested in buying a piece of land in North Carolina. Which happens to be an old grape vineyard.
· The husband and wife run into a black man sitting on a log eating a hatful of grapes. (“Respectable black man”)
· When Henry hears that the couple is interested in purchasing the land he proceeds to tell them his very knowledge of the lands history.
· He says it’s “goophered” – bewitched. Long ago a man named Mars Dugal owned the property. His slaves and slaves from other plantations use to steal his (scuppernons). He would set traps and stay up all night to try and catch them but couldn’t.
· Mars visits a woman on the other side of town that is known to have powers. He hires her to protect his grapevines with her powers.
· She does this by taki...