Margaret Character Analysis in Girl, Woman, Other

Margaret is Penelope’s mother and Edwin’s wife. When she was young her family migrated to the Union of South Africa to take advantage of a 1913 law that distributed 80 percent of South African land to white people. When the Black workers on her father’s farm weren’t working hard enough, he took the advice of his neighbors and flogged them. This worked for a while until one day, when his workers attacked him back. After that, the family moved back to England. Margaret’s time in South Africa leaves her with deeply embedded and vile racist beliefs, which she then passes down to Penelope.

Margaret Character Timeline in Girl, Woman, Other

The timeline below shows where the character Margaret appears in Girl, Woman, Other. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...away inside his toolbox, a place he never expected a woman to look. Her mother, Margaret, is equally boring despite her “exotic” background. She was born in the Union of South... (full context)

Contradiction, Complexity, and Intersectionality Theme Icon

After the forced transfer, native South African people were desperate for work, and landowners like Margaret’s father would hire them for cheap. The farm isn’t successful, and he blames it on... (full context)

Radical vs. Reformist Social Movements Theme Icon

Margaret was happy to return to “civilized” England to get away from South Africa, which was... (full context)

Edwin took Margaret out but didn’t let her do things he found unbecoming of a woman, like swimming,... (full context)

...when Penelope’s parents tell her that she was adopted. She no longer feels bad for Margaret, only resentful for the way they revealed this information to her. Over dinner one night... (full context)