Copper Sun Characters

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 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 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 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.

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

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

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

The chief is the leader of Amari’s village.