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 also learns about relationship with the opposite sex from her. She discovers that love can change a person. As Golly " instead of being strong, tough and totally in control, she looked as though she might faint" (pg 96). She realizes that a person can be in high spirits in a relationship.
Golly explains things about her father to her and it helps Harriet to understand him a little better. She explains what is a high-pressure job to her. .
Her relationship with Golly is unhealthy when she listens to her more than her parents. She is rude as she says "I"ll be dammed if I go "to her parents when she refuse to take dancing lessons(pg 85). However, with Golly she is meek as "There was something that made her feel ridiculous when she shouted at Ole Golly" (pg 86). This is because she feels that her parents "never heard anything".
