The Indigo Girl

“Indeed, his manner of conversing with me had slowly evolved into more partner or friend than that of a father to his offspring.”

In this passage, Boyd emphasizes Eliza’s father’s predisposition to see beyond the societal limitations placed upon his daughter’s gender. Rather than simply viewing her as his daughter, the colonel recognizes her intellect and her aptitude for running his estates, empowering Eliza to succeed despite The Impact of Gender Roles on Female Ambitions.

“It was Ben’s knowledge of plants that had lit the flame of my own passion for botany.”

When Eliza credits Ben with the expertise that is vital to the success of her endeavors with indigo, the passage highlights the central role that the dissemination of crucial knowledge plays in the plot. Just as Ben has inherited his indigo knowledge from his grandmother, Eliza inherits his love of botany (and eventually compels him to impart his indigo knowledge as well).

“Back home in England, the idea that my father would leave his sixteen-year-old daughter in charge of his estates was absurd.”

In this excerpt, the author outlines the conflicting realities of two different societies. While England retains its strict and gendered social structures, the colonies do not have the same luxury, and this shift allows Eliza to redefine the social realities that dictate the structure of her daily life.