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John

This central character in the novel is an escaped slave who returns to the South with the mission of teaching other slaves how to read.

Sarny

This character is the protagonist and narrator of the novel. Born into slavery, she is 12 years old when the narrative opens.

Old Delie

Known as "Mammy" to the younger slaves, this character acts as a mother to all the infants born on the plantation.

Clel Waller

This character is a plantation owner and a ruthless master who regularly beats and dehumanizes his slaves.

Alice

This character is a teenage slave with a mental disability. She is raped in the breeding quarters and then wanders the plantation in a traumatized state.

Jim

This character is the first slave that the narrator ever heard of who had tried to run away. He was killed by the master's dogs as he clung to a tree...

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