Sofia | Eleanor Jane

Exposition: Eleanor sticks up for Sofia when Billy tried putting the blame on her for his actions. Sofia thought nothing of it and still didn't after Celie pointed it out to her.
Rising Action: Eleanor Jane tries to get Sofia to like her husband and, again, Sofia could care less.
Climax: Eleanor Jane constantly asks Sofia if she likes her new baby and finally, Sofia told her she feels nothing for or against the baby.
Solution: Eleanor stays close to Sofia by working in Celie's store with her.

The nail is symbolic of the first time we experience Eleanor Jane taking a stand for Sofia. Even when Eleanor was just a little girl, she was on Sofia's side and Sofia thought nothing of it and to this day, she still doesn't.

"Little girl pipe up. Billy do it to his own self, she say. Trying to kick Sofia leg. The little girl dote on Sofia, always stick up for her. Sofia never notice (101)."

          Sofia and Eleanor Jane's relationship is a prime example of how some white people claim to care about black people but really don't. Even though Eleanor says how important of a figure Sofia has been in her life, she never cared enough to even bother to ask Sofia why she was a maid in her house. As much as she claims to and as important of a figure as she was to her survival in the mayor's house, Sofia feels nothing towards Eleanor Jane and she knows Eleanor doesn't truly feel anything for her either.
          A significant point was when Eleanor Jane was so desperate to have Sofia love her her baby boy and Sofia told her that she felt nothing for him. This situation was important because it goes against whites' stereotype of "black mammies," that no matter how bad they treated the black people, all black people love all white children.