Charlie Bell is the white man whose family owns Sybela Owens. As was the cruel custom among slave-holding men, he has forced Sybela to be his concubine. One night he comes to her cabin and "steals" her and her two children, of whom he is the father, and together they run north toward Pittsburgh where the neighborhood in which they settle becomes known as Homewood.
Called Mother Bess, she's May's sister and fellow caretaker of Sybela's spirit and the family's history.
Maggie is the oldest of Sybela's two children who accompany her in her flight from slavery (with Charlie Bell). The story does not specify, but it is reasonable to suppose that they are Bell's children as well.
Called Aunt May most of the time by the.....
This is a free excerpt of 135 words. This section contains 393 words. This
study guide contains 11,652 words (approx. 39 pages at 300
words per page).
Read the rest of this Literature Guide with our The Beginning of Homewood Access Pass.
