Character Analysis
Tiffany's beloved grandmother is resting in peace when we first meet Tiffany at the beginning of the book, but that doesn't mean we don't get a real sense of the headstrong, awesome Grandma Aching. In fact, we get to know her quite well through a series of flashbacks that Tiffany recounts:
Grandma Aching, the story went, stared at the sunset for a while and then said: "Then be down at the little old stone barn at dawn tomorrow, and we'll see if an old dog can learn new tricks. There will be a reckoning. Good night to ye." (4.201)
Even when the Baron asks her for help with his dog, she doesn't bow to him or treat him any differently than anyone else—she's the authority in this community. Grandma Aching is strong, fearless, and uses her skills and expertise to do magical things—which is why Tiffany thinks she's a witch, even if she doesn't necessarily have proof of supernatural powers. Tiffany always looks to Grandma Aching for guidance when she's doing something; when she's preparing to go off to seek Wentworth, she thinks about what Grandma Aching would do.
Grandma Aching wouldn't back down, and she wouldn't let anyone bully other people either. Because that was what Grandma Aching stood for, Tiffany wants to follow her legacy. At the end of the day, Grandma Aching is definitely a heroine to the people of the Chalk, and it looks like her granddaughter is going to follow in her footsteps.