Miss Lucy is one of the proctors in South Carolina. She has a “severe aspect,” but Cora comes to like her—that is, until Cora discovers the true purpose of the medical “treatment” that the dormitory residents receive. Miss Lucy herself claims to be committed to supporting black people, however she is all-too-happy to comply with Fugitive Slave Laws that dictate that she must hand over any black dormitory residents who are found to be runaways. Furthermore, she puts pressure on Cora to become sterilized, saying only through doing this would Cora be a “credit to [her] race.”
Miss Lucy Character Timeline in The Underground Railroad
The timeline below shows where the character Miss Lucy appears in The Underground Railroad. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 4: South Carolina
...potatoes made by Margaret, another dormitory resident. On her way back upstairs, Bessie runs into Miss Lucy , a white proctor with a “severe aspect” but “quick smile.” Miss Lucy corrects Bessie... (full context)
...new hospital. Cora and the other dormitory residents are regularly monitored by the doctors, and Miss Lucy explains that their findings will be used to understand “colored life.” Cora goes into an... (full context)