P.S. Be Eleven

The title of the book, P.S. Be Eleven, is a reference to advice that Cecile offers her daughter Delphine during a summer visit to Oakland, California, and as a postscript in her letters to Delphine. The postscript is a reminder that despite Delphine’s intense emotions and adult responsibilities, she is still a child, albeit one on the cusp of becoming an adolescent. When the book opens, Delphine believes that it is her job to manage her sisters’ behavior, and she finds this role to be a source of power and a burden. On one hand, Delphine gains credit with her older family members because of this role, as is demonstrated by Pa and Big Ma’s willingness to leave her to manage her sisters alone during the trip to and from Oakland. In this role, Delphine can defy adults like the stewardess, who tells them to stay on the plane when they land. Her assertive actions show that she is willing to claim space for herself and her sisters in the public sphere despite Big Ma’s warning to the contrary.

Delphine’s comfort in that defiance changes as soon as she encounters