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Golly, Harriet’s nanny is her role model. Initially, she takes on the role of her absent parents. Through Golly, she learns about life and values. She respects her and listens to her not only because she is knowledgeable but because she cares for Harriet. Harriet’s bildungsroman can be credited to Golly. Initially, Harriet grows through Golly but later, she grows out of Golly when she learns to make her own decisions. Hence, her relationship with Golly is more healthy than unhealthy. She also teaches Harriet about life so that Harriet will learn values such as loving others and appreciating what she has. She exposes Harriet to a different kind of lifestyle, which is the poor. She takes Harriet to her mother’s small private house “that has one bed, one table, four chairs, and a bathtub in the kitchen” (pg 16). She also unshamelessly tells Harriet that her mother is a simpleton who just eats, sleeps and is waiting to die (pg 18). She is perhaps telling Harriet that there are different types of people in this world and that everyone should be loved. This message is reinforce when Golly tells her to “Love all God’s creation…” (pg 22). Harriet