Copper Sun Character Analysis

Amari

Amari is one of the novel’s protagonists; she’s a 15-year-old young woman from the Ewe tribe in Western Africa. Amari is open, loving, and curious, and she looks forward to her future marriage to Besa… read analysis of Amari

Polly

Polly is one of the novel’s protagonists; she’s a 15-year-old white indentured servant whose indenture is purchased by Mr. Derby on the same day that he purchases Amari. Polly has grown up believing that… read analysis of Polly

Teenie

Teenie is the slave cook at Derbyshire Farms. Teenie is diminutive in stature, but she’s larger than life in personality and commands respect from everyone—even from her white masters. Amari notices that no matter what… read analysis of Teenie

Mr. Derby

Mr. Derby is the white master of Derbyshire Farms and one of the novel’s antagonists. Though not as overtly cruel or as physically abusive as his son Clay, Mr. Derby consistently dehumanizes the slaves… read analysis of Mr. Derby

Clay Derby

Clay is Mr. Derby’s 16-year-old son and one of the novel’s antagonists. Like his father, Clay is cruel, callous, and unfeeling, and he has a disgusting habit of spitting. He fully believes in slavery… read analysis of Clay Derby

Tidbit

Tidbit is Teenie’s four-year-old son. Tidbit is a bright, happy, and mischievous child. He can often be found underfoot in Teenie’s kitchen playing with his dog, Hushpuppy. He is instrumental in teaching… read analysis of Tidbit

Mrs. Isabelle Derby

Mrs. Derby is the lady of Derbyshire Farms. She’s Mr. Derby’s second wife; she’s only 18 years old, comes from a wealthy family, and brings land and slaves to the marriage. Mrs. Derby is… read analysis of Mrs. Isabelle Derby

Afi

Afi is an older woman whom Amari befriends in the slave factories at Cape Coast and remains close with up until they’re sold at the slave auction in Charles Town. Afi is large and motherly… read analysis of Afi

Besa

Besa is Amari’s fiancé. He’s handsome and kind, and he’s an assistant to the village drummer. They’ve been engaged for about a year when the novel begins, and Amari is looking forward to her… read analysis of Besa

Dr. Hoskins

Dr. Hoskins is the local doctor, though he lives several hours away from the Derby plantation. Mr. Derby sends for the doctor when Mrs. Derby goes into labor, but Dr. Hoskins doesn’t arrive in time… read analysis of Dr. Hoskins

Inez

Inez is the Black woman who is the first to welcome Amari, Polly, and Tidbit to Fort Mose. A former slave from Georgia Colony, she and her husband escaped to Fort Mose about… read analysis of Inez

Noah

Noah is Mrs. Derby’s personal slave and bodyguard. Amari sees little of him throughout the novel, since he serves primarily at the house, but several of the other slaves resent him. It’s rumored that… read analysis of Noah

Fiona O’Reilly

Fiona is a white woman who discovers Amari, Polly, and Tidbit sleeping in one of her husband’s hunting shacks. She agrees to help them. Fiona is a puzzle for Amari and Polly: she… read analysis of Fiona O’Reilly

Cato

Cato is the oldest slave on the Derby plantation; he works in the rice fields but has a reputation for doing very little work and getting away with it. Though he has a sense of… read analysis of Cato

The Red-Haired Sailor/Bill

Bill is a red-haired sailor on the ship that transports Amari and other African slaves to the English colonies. Unlike his colleagues, Bill doesn’t seem interested in raping the female captives and often busies himself… read analysis of The Red-Haired Sailor/Bill

Lena

Lena is a house slave on the Derby plantation. Amari and Polly have little contact with her, though they do sometimes spend time together working in the kitchens. Lena is jealous of what she perceives… read analysis of Lena

Amari’s Mother

Amari’s mother is murdered when the Ashanti and the white men raid their village to abduct and enslave people. Amari thinks of Mother often once she’s enslaved in the colonies, as she wishes she’d… read analysis of Amari’s Mother

Nathan

Nathan is a red-haired young man whom Polly, Amari, and Tidbit meet on their journey south to Fort Mose. He’s somewhat snotty and sarcastic, but Polly develops an immediate crush on him. Nathan… read analysis of Nathan

Tybee

Tybee is a Black slave who gives instructions to newly arrived slaves on Sullivan’s Island. Though he presumably says what he’s supposed to say in English, when there are no white people present, he switches… read analysis of Tybee

Captain Francisco Menendez

Captain Mendez is the Black captain at Fort Mose. He’s an escaped slave. Meeting Captain Menendez is exhilarating for Amari, as he’s the first Black man in a position of power she’s met since… read analysis of Captain Francisco Menendez

Amari’s Father

Amari’s father is the head storyteller and one of the elders of her village. He’s also a skilled weaver. Amari adores Father’s stories and desperately wants to weave, like he does, but weaving is… read analysis of Amari’s Father

Minor Characters

Domingo Salvador

Salvador is a drunk Spanish soldier whom Amari, Polly, and Tidbit encounter close to the border between the English colonies and Spanish Florida. His drunkenness, however, seems like an act as cover for him to pass along important information to Amari.

Sarah Jane

Sarah Jane is a slave woman who works in the rice fields on Mr. Derby’s plantation. She has a baby who’s several months old, so Amari and Teenie ask Sarah Jane to nurse Mrs. Derby’s baby while they figure out what to do with the infant.

Patrick

Patrick is Fiona O’Reilly’s husband. He never appears in person in the novel. Fiona describes him as a good man but a hard one; he prefers hunting to farming and seems to be very controlling of his wife and slaves.

Esi

Esi is one of Amari’s friends in her village. She’s recently married and is pregnant with her first baby. However, Esi miscarries on the forced march from their village to Cape Coast and dies due to complications and blood loss.

Jeremy Carton

Carton is a dirt former and the original holder of Polly’s indenture. He sells her indenture to Mr. Derby for reasons unknown to Polly. Polly describes Carton as cold and unfeeling.

Kwasi

Kwasi is Amari’s spunky eight-year-old brother who loves to climb trees and run wild. The Ashanti murder Kwasi when he and Amari attempt to flee the massacre in their village.

Tirza

Tirza is Amari’s childhood friend. She gives up all hope and dies on the march from their village to Cape Coast.

Hushpuppy

Hushpuppy is Tidbit’s dog. He’s extremely loyal to Tidbit and consistently growls at Clay Derby.

Hildy

Hildy is a slave woman who dies from copperhead snake bite that she sustains in the rice fields.

The Chief

The chief is the leader of Amari’s village.

Copper Sun Characters