When the Jessamine Grows

Joetta’s neutrality in the Civil War creates numerous problems with her family and her town in the novel, but she remains determined to follow her morals. Joetta does not want to become involved in the war and wants her life to remain peaceful and simple on the farm. She and Ennis come into conflict with Rudean over his glorification of the war and his encouragement of their sons to support the Confederate cause. For this reason, Henry becomes frustrated with his parents and isolates himself from them before leaving to volunteer, after which Ennis goes after him. The townspeople, especially Joetta’s friend Bess Caldwell, do not support Joetta’s neutrality, viewing her as “disloyal,” and even some in the church say she and Ennis “must be Unionists” (64). The townspeople believe that if Joetta is not with the Confederates, then she is against them. She finds this black-and-white, absolutist thinking ridiculous and unreasonable, as she feels they should see her as neutral and not an enemy. As the townspeople become less tolerant of Joetta’s neutrality, Robert—who is already angry about his father leaving—blames Joetta for their retaliatory acts, such as the men’s destruction of some of the crops after she gave water to Union soldiers and the man running him and Joetta off the road.