# Miss Curdy — Home to Harlem character guide

> Miss Curdy in Home to Harlem by Claude McKay.

**Role:** supporting

**First appearance:** 0017-xiv-interlude

## Snapshot

A light-skinned woman who claims to know 'real society' from the inside, Miss Curdy matches wits with Lavinia over what the servant window reveals.

## Who they are

Miss Curdy holds her own in the kitchen-table philosophy of Harlem's working women, insisting she has 'seen the real life, mixing as I used to in real society.' When Lavinia counters that she knows society too — only from the servant window — Miss Curdy concedes the point: it's the same life, champagne or gin. Her easy, knowing talk with Lavinia sketches the social type Ray is drawn to, a woman whose polish is real but whose world is never quite as grand as she lets on.

## In the story

### [Myrtle Avenue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/home_to_harlem_se/chapters/vi-myrtle-avenue)

A guest at the party who is attracted to Jake and tries to get his attention.

### [VII: Zeddy's Rise and Fall](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/home_to_harlem_se/chapters/vii-zeddy-s-rise-and-fall)

A constant visitor to Susy's gin parties, Miss Curdy is present at the failed party and later joins the feast at Susy's, where she praises the stewed corn.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/home_to_harlem_se/characters/miss_curdy
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/home_to_harlem_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/home_to_harlem_se/characters