Fever Pitch
This serving girl’s sudden death is one of the first signs that something is wrong in Philadelphia.
Who is Polly Logan?
At the beginning of the novel, Mattie often wants to avoid this kind of responsibility.
What are cooking and cleaning?
People believe the fever is spreading near this part of Philadelphia first.
What are the docks/wharves?
This character is a former soldier and often treats life like a military campaign.
Who is Grandfather/Captain Cook?
Mother and Mattie often argue because Mother wants Mattie to be more this.
This event at the Ogilvie house makes Mother realize the fever is spreading beyond the docks.
What is Collette collapsing?
Mattie dreams of expanding the coffeehouse and owning businesses, showing that she is this.
What is ambitious?
Many wealthy families do this when the fever becomes serious.
What is flee the city?
This character works as the coffeehouse cook and becomes one of Mattie’s strongest helpers.
Who is Eliza?
The Ogilvie tea scene shows conflict between social classes and also reveals this illness.
What is yellow fever?
Mattie and Grandfather leave Philadelphia in this type of vehicle to escape the epidemic.
What is a wagon wheel?
Mattie shows responsibility when she takes care of this young orphan girl.
Who is Nell?
The city fires guns and cannons because people believe this will help purify the air
What is loud noise and smoke?
This character is strict with Mattie but is also trying to protect her.
Who is Mother/Lucille Cook?
When Mattie finds Nell, she chooses compassion instead of this.
What is leaving her behind?
After being refused entry outside the city, Mattie becomes ill and is taken to this hospital.
What is Bush Hill?
After Grandfather dies, Mattie has to do this emotionally difficult task.
What is survive and move forward without him?
Doctors disagree about how to treat fever patients, including whether to use this harsh treatment.
What is bleeding the patients?
This painter’s apprentice sends Mattie flowers and cares about her safety.
Who is Nathaniel Benson?
The robbers who break into the coffeehouse show that crisis can bring out this side of people.
What is selfishness, greed, or cruelty?
This natural event signals that the yellow fever epidemic is finally ending.
What is first frost?
By the end of the novel, Mattie changes from a dependent girl into this kind of person.
What is independent, mature, or responsible?
The epidemic reveals that fear can make people do this to the sick and vulnerable.
What is abandon, avoid, or mistreat them?
Eliza’s work with the Free African Society shows this theme.
What is community, service, or helping others in crisis?
Mattie reopening and improving the coffeehouse at the end shows this larger theme.
What is resilience?