Tom Burwell

Tom Burwell is the African-American man who loves Louisa, a kitchen maid in the house of the Stone family. Because Tom works all day in the fields, he has little time to spend with her or even to show his feelings for her. Even when he is with her in the evenings, he seems to be somewhat shy in expressing himself: "Strong as he was with hands upon the ax or plow, he found it difficult to hold her." Known in the town by the nickname "Big Boy," he has a reputation for losing his temper and for using his knife as a threat and as a weapon. Although he admits to having "cut two niggers," one of the workmen says that he has "been on th gang three times fo cuttin men." When a man suggests that Bob Stone gave Louisa silk stockings, Tom quickly asserts...