# Mrs. Vanderpool — The Quest of the Silver Fleece character guide > Mrs. Vanderpool in The Quest of the Silver Fleece by W. E. B. Du Bois. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Vanderpool, dear Mrs. Vanderpool **First appearance:** 0022-xx-the-weaving-of-the-silver-fleece ## Snapshot A Wells of Boston married into old New York money, she treats philanthropy as a parlor game and people as pieces worth arranging. ## Who they are Mrs. Vanderpool moves through Lake George society with the ease of someone who finds it all rather a joke, collecting interesting people like Mary Taylor and taking a casual interest in Zora's schooling. Her charm conceals a calculating mind: she wants her husband's ambassadorship and is willing to play Southern politics to get it, even as she quietly backs Alwyn's nomination. She matters because her whims and her reach shape what the novel's Black strivers can and cannot become. ## Relationships ### [Zora Cresswell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/characters/zora_cresswell) _psychological_ Mrs. Vanderpool is a wealthy white patron who manipulates Zora, seeing her as a project to control and exploit for her own social agenda. ### [Mr. Easterly](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/characters/mr_easterly) _professional_ Mr. Easterly is a political ally and business associate of Mrs. Vanderpool, working together to advance their mutual interests in the cotton trade. ### [Harry Cresswell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/characters/harry_cresswell) _romantic_ Harry and Mrs. Vanderpool have a flirtatious, manipulative relationship, each using the other for social and financial gain. ### [Colonel Cresswell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/characters/colonel_cresswell) _professional_ Colonel Cresswell and Mrs. Vanderpool are business partners in the cotton industry, cooperating despite underlying distrust. ### [Zora Cresswell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/characters/zora_cresswell) _psychological_ Mrs. Vanderpool is a wealthy white patron who manipulates Zora, seeing her as a project to control and exploit for her own social agenda. ### [Zora Cresswell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/characters/zora_cresswell) _psychological_ Mrs. Vanderpool is a wealthy white patron who manipulates Zora, seeing her as a project to control and exploit for her own social agenda. ### [Mr. Easterly](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/characters/mr_easterly) _professional_ Mr. Easterly is a political ally and business associate of Mrs. Vanderpool, working together to advance their mutual interests in the cotton trade. ### [Harry Cresswell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/characters/harry_cresswell) _romantic_ Harry and Mrs. Vanderpool have a flirtatious, manipulative relationship, each using the other for social and financial gain. ### [Colonel Cresswell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/characters/colonel_cresswell) _professional_ Colonel Cresswell and Mrs. Vanderpool are business partners in the cotton industry, cooperating despite underlying distrust. ### [Colonel Cresswell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/characters/colonel_cresswell) _professional_ Colonel Cresswell and Mrs. Vanderpool are business partners in the cotton industry, cooperating despite underlying distrust. ### [Harry Cresswell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/characters/harry_cresswell) _romantic_ Harry and Mrs. Vanderpool have a flirtatious, manipulative relationship, each using the other for social and financial gain. ### [Mr. Easterly](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/characters/mr_easterly) _professional_ Mr. Easterly is a political ally and business associate of Mrs. Vanderpool, working together to advance their mutual interests in the cotton trade. ## In the story ### [II: The School](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/chapters/ii-the-school) A wealthy visitor who refuses to donate, viewing the students as servants rather than equals. ### [VI: Cotton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/chapters/vi-cotton) A wealthy socialite who holds condescending views on educating Black people, reflecting the era's class and race hierarchies. ### [XIII: Mrs. Grey Gives a Dinner](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/chapters/xiii-mrs-grey-gives-a-dinner) Adds a dismissive anecdote about a servant's piano lessons, illustrating Northern condescension. ### [XVI: The Great Refusal](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/chapters/xvi-the-great-refusal) Mrs. Vanderpool is present at the meeting and moves toward the door when Miss Smith refuses the offer. She had previously left Miss Smith 'coldly in the lurch.' ### [The Rape of the Fleece](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/chapters/xvii-the-rape-of-the-fleece) Observes the Christmas market as 'unusually interesting' and recognizes Zora as 'our Venus of the Roadside.' ### [XX: The Weaving of the Silver Fleece](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/chapters/xx-the-weaving-of-the-silver-fleece) Stopping at Cresswell Oaks, she is looking for a new maid and becomes interested in Zora after seeing her in town. She visits Miss Smith to inquire about hiring her. ### [The Marriage Morning](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/chapters/xxi-the-marriage-morning) Mrs. Vanderpool hires Zora, finding her a 'jewel' and a soothing presence, and watches her work with curious silence. ### [XXIII: The Training of Zora](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/chapters/xxiii-the-training-of-zora) Finds a new human interest in Zora, training her in art and taste. She is amused by Zora's observations and is considering taking her to France, though her motives are partly selfish. ### [The Campaign](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/chapters/xxv-the-campaign) Acts on Zora's suggestion to secure a high political position for Bles, relaying the idea to Mr. Easterly. ### [XXVI: Congressman Cresswell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/chapters/xxvi-congressman-cresswell) Defends Alwyn's appointment, showing interest in honest politics. ### [XXVII: The Vision of Zora](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/chapters/xxvii-the-vision-of-zora) Attends the settlement meeting, supports Zora, and attempts to arrange for Zora to attend the colored ball, revealing her well-meaning but patronizing attitude. ### [The Annunciation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/chapters/xxviii-the-annunciation) Attends the inaugural ball and later the Negro ball, where she greets Miss Wynn. She is also noted as a strong influence backing Bles Alwyn's appointment. ### [XXX: The Return of Zora](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/chapters/xxx-the-return-of-zora) Admits her lie about the embassy, faces political defeat, and vows to secure her husband's confirmation. ### [A Parting of Ways](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/chapters/xxxi-a-parting-of-ways) She secretly works to discredit the Cresswells in Washington society, using the art exhibit as a means to expose racial hypocrisy and undermine their political influence. ### [XXXII: Zora's Way](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/chapters/xxxii-zora-s-way) Her gift of a check, which Zora discovers is for ten thousand dollars, becomes the financial cornerstone of Zora's plans for the school and a new community. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/characters/mrs_vanderpool - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_quest_of_the_silver_fleece_se/characters