The Shadow

"The Shadow" by Mary White Ovington is a story set in the early 1900s south, focusing on tense emotional and social problems. It follows Judge George Ogilvie and his wife as their lives take an unexpected turn because of a child who brings disgrace, making them face shame and deal with the outcome of earlier choices. The story kicks off with Judge Ogilvie struggling with the death of a man who embarrassed his family, leading him to a moral problem about what's right and wrong. Meanwhile, his daughter Lillias is trying to heal from something awful that happened to her. The story also shows us the town of Merryvale, which has a rich history and changing relationships between black and white people. All these troubles from society and people's personal challenges set the stage for looking closely at what the characters have to overcome as they deal with who they are, both as individuals and as a community.