While the society depicted in When She Woke is strongly patriarchal women still yield power. Who are they and how to they do it?

Simone and Rev Easter were women who held power in this patriarchal society. Even Mrs Henley held power. Mrs Henley's power was through control and intimidation. She worked with the system that was in place. Simone and Rev Easter worked against the system but did it quietly. Rev Easter used compassion. Simone used her anger over what was done to her to help others. This is reflective of the women in the Old Testament days. That was a patriarchal society but the women had a lot of strength -- Sarah, Rebeccah, Rachel, Leah, Tamar, Hannah, Deborah, Yael, etc. Still in the Middle East today the women hold quite a bit of power, contrary to what many people are led to believe.

Women having power is the only thing that would make it bearable to live in that society as a woman.

Hannah's mom, also, definitely held the power in that family... her dad would have been willing for Hannah to come home, but Mom put her foot down.