The Marrow of Tradition Lesson Plan

When he refuses to let Dr. Miller operate on Dodie, Major Carteret insists, "I could not permit a negro to enter my house upon such an errand." Why does he make a distinction between Northern cities like Philadelphia and his house? What is significant about the claim that the house is his?

Major Carteret is insisting that although the rest of the country may be moving toward integration, he has the right to operate his house according to his own principles. Students should note that his vision of Wellington moving toward integration is consistent with his fear of "negro domination." Despite his fears, the fact remains that white supremacy is the norm in Wellington, and his...