Song Character Analysis Worksheet - The University of North ...

Ferber’s novel begins with the narrative of Magnolia’s near demise in delivering
her daughter as a glimpse of her zest for life and her wicked sense of humor. The novel
then flashes back to the eight-year-old Magnolia and her introduction to life on the show
boat. The most apt description for Magnolia’s childhood is that of a “tomboy.” She was
happiest when falling into creeks, flouncing through fields with Julie, learning the ways
of the rivers from the doctor and boat pilot, or reading “yellow” romance novels cast off
by the troupe. She indulged in all these activities in spite of her mother’s insistence on
finely starched pinafores and freshly brushed hair, and the routine of daily piano practice
and lessons. Magnolia was enthralled by the theatre and often snuck out onto her
bedroom veranda to watch the nightly shows. Ferber described Magnolia’s enthusiasm
for the stage:
She never tired of watching these simple blood-and-thunder dramas. Automatically
she learned every part in every play in the Cotton Blossom’s repertoire,
so that by the time she was thirteen she could have leaped on the stage at a
moment’s notice to play anything from Simon Legree to Lena Rivers. 39
Hammerstein’s libretto begins just before Magnolia turns eighteen as the Cotton Blossom
docks at Natchez, Mississippi, and the troupe performs a sample show to advertise the
evening’s performance. The opening scene is a master stroke of economy and spectacle.
All of the main characters are introduced both visually and through musical leitmotivs,
alongside the social issues of racial inequality, class structure, and prejudice.
39 Ferber, Show boat, 101.
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