Midnight Rider

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

Promise, Hannah’s beloved black gelding, functions as a symbol of personal freedom and family heritage, embodying Hannah’s deepest connections to her past and her yearning for independence. The horse serves as a tangible link to her deceased father, who gave Promise to Hannah as a fulfillment of his own promise to provide her with a horse. This symbolic connection transforms Promise into a living embodiment of paternal love and family continuity, even amid Hannah’s orphaned existence.

The symbol’s meaning evolves as Hannah’s circumstances change, but her connection with Promise consistently represents her resistance to bondage in any form. When Aunt Phoebe sells Promise, this act mirrors her decision to deliver Hannah herself into indentured servitude. These parallel events show that both horse and girl are equally enslaved to circumstances beyond their control, and they have both been denied their rightful freedom. 

Promise’s significance culminates in Hannah’s climactic ride to Salem, during which the horse literally carries the message of freedom to her community. His injury during this mission illustrates the cost of resistance, but his eventual recovery mirrors Hannah’s own liberation from servitude. Through Promise, Harlow demonstrates that true liberty cannot be purchased or controlled; it must be earned through loyalty, sacrifice, and the courage to act according to one’s convictions.