Grant's relationship with Vivian appears to be rather one-sided. Grant expects her to be there for him, but he thinks of her only in terms of his wants and needs. Vivian is there to satisfy his need for sex and conversation. She is there to support him and to nurse his wounds. We never see him reciprocate. While Vivian is willing to accept her responsibilities as a mother, teacher, and lover, Grant is unwilling to assume the responsibilities that accompany his roles as nephew, teacher, and lover. For him, being a teacher means having a steady job and a measure of status in his community. For Vivian, it means being a leader and role model.
While Grant's attitude perpetuates the cycle of poverty and racism, Vivian takes an active role in trying to change the status quo. And while Grant is content to go through the motions of teaching, Vivian challenges her students and gives them hope for the future. Vivian's goal is to instill hope in her students for a brighter future and a life outside the limited plantation community. She does this by building their self-esteem and helping them become contributing members of the community, while Grant — as evidenced by his ever-present Westcott ruler — is primarily concerned with control and discipline.
