The main
subplot in the novel concerns Mattie's ambitions to be an entrepreneur. After her close friend
Polly dies of yellow fever, Mattie takes on a much bigger role in running the family coffee
shop. Although it's a bit of a chore at first, she eventually develops into something of a
businesswoman and sees an opportunity to expand the coffee shop by investing in a vacant
property next door. This puts her at odds with her mother, who'd much rather save money than
invest it.
The subplot relates to the overall plot in that it shows how
Mattie has matured in response to the public health disaster sweeping the city. The yellow fever
epidemic has forced Mattie to grow up fast, to put aside childish things, and to take her place
in the adult world. The fever has changed the people of Philadelphia in so many different ways.
In the case of Mattie, it's turned her from a girl into a woman.
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