Midnight Rider

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death.

“‘No! You didn’t! Promise is my horse—Papa’s gift to me.’ Hannah’s knees buckled and she fell to the floor. Through a sea of tears she looked up at her aunt, who now towered above her. ‘Please, Aunt Phoebe,’ she sobbed. ‘Please tell me you didn’t sell my horse.’”

Hannah discovers that her callous, unfeeling aunt sold her beloved horse, Promise, while Hannah herself was too sick with smallpox to object. The physical reaction of her knees buckling reveals Hannah’s profound emotional attachment, indicating that he is her one remaining connection to her deceased father. Harlow also uses physical positioning to emphasize the imbalanced power dynamics involved, as Hannah literally falls to the floor while her aunt “towers” above her. The name “Promise” functions simultaneously as a symbolic reminder of her father’s commitment, establishing the horse as both a character and a symbol of Hannah’s family heritage.

“During all of which time the said Hannah Andrews shall well and faithfully serve the household of Governor Gage and everywhere and at all times obey his lawful commands. She shall do no damage to General Gage, nor willfully suffer any to be done by others.”

The formal, legal language of Hannah’s indenture contract establishes the rigid parameters of her bondage. The repetition of the word “shall” functions as both legal terminology and a rhetorical device that implacably robs Hannah of freedom. This document signifies Hannah’s commodification, proving that her aunt has sold her into servitude, just like Promise. The scene therefore introduces the parallel between Hannah’s personal servitude and America’s colonial relationship with Britain. The language also raises questions about what constitutes “damage” and “lawful commands,” foreshadowing Hannah’s future resistance to these unjust circumstances.