The Vanishing of Tera

"The Vanishing of Tera" by Fergus Hume is a tale from the late 1800s, that centers around Tera, also known as Bithiah, a young Polynesian woman trying to find her place between her old culture and her new life in England after becoming the responsibility of a missionary. The story looks closely at what it means to belong, who you are, and the problems that come when different cultures meet, especially as Tera deals with her feelings for Jack, a sailor she loves, and also her guardian, Mr. Johnson, who secretly loves her but she doesn't love him back. The story begins with Tera listening to a missionary speak about the evils of her homeland as she struggles with her feelings for Jack and her guardian's secret love for her. As her father makes arrangements form her return to her homeland, the narrative emphasizes her struggle to control her own destiny, leading up to the mystery around her disappearance.