Tidbit Character Analysis in Copper Sun

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 Amari English, as he often talks to her as he teaches her how to perform tasks around the plantation. Occasionally, Amari speaks to him in Ewe, which fascinates Tidbit—he’s captivated by the idea of living in Africa, though he’s too young to fully understand what it means to be free. Both Amari and Polly come to genuinely love Tidbit, and both take it upon themselves to care for him when Teenie cannot. Polly begins to understand just how horrible life is for slaves when she learns that Tidbit will one day work in the rice fields—and she can’t fathom how anyone can condemn such a bright, innocent child to such deadly work. Amari does everything she can to protect Tidbit when Clay takes him from Teenie to use as alligator bait in the river. Following the birth of Mrs. Derby’s Black baby who’s fathered by one of her slaves, Mr. Derby punishes Teenie for her involvement by deciding to sell Tidbit. However, Tidbit escapes with Polly and Amari thanks to Dr. Hoskins’s kindness. Along the journey, Tidbit struggles to understand why they have to leave at all. For him, despite having experienced abuse at the hands of his white masters, being with Teenie is still more important than freedom, a concept he’s perhaps too young to fully understand. However, he promises to remember everything Teenie told him about Africa and her mother, and he ultimately asks Amari to be his mother in Fort Mose. In Fort Mose, Tidbit shares that his real name is Timothy. He begins to go by Timothy and decides that he’d like to be a soldier when he grows up so he can fight for his freedom.

Tidbit Quotes in Copper Sun

The Copper Sun quotes below are all either spoken by Tidbit or refer to Tidbit. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Slavery, Dehumanization, and Resistance Theme Icon

“And that’s just the first part. Then you gotta tend to the plants and flood the fields and cut the stacks and thresh the seeds—seem like it go on forever. That’s what be in your future, Miz Africa. And when he get old enough, this here boy’s future too.”

Polly looked at Cato in disbelief. “They’d put Tidbit out there?” she asked, horrified. The thought of little Tidbit sweating and working in the dangerous swampy water made Polly feel ill.

Related Characters: Cato (speaker), Polly (speaker), Amari, Tidbit

Related Symbols: Babies / Children

Page Number and Citation: 134

Explanation and Analysis:

When Amari, Polly, and Tidbit take food and water to Cato in the fields one afternoon, Cato frightens the girls by saying that both Amari and Tidbit will, at some point, find themselves working in the rice fields. It’s telling that Polly’s reaction is so strong. This shows that while she may have once thought slavery was right and just—and may still think that, as long as slaves perform work that’s safe compared to the rice fields—realizing that people she cares about will have to perform that work makes it much less palatable for her. Now that Polly spent so Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atqu

He took a deep breath, then said quietly, “I am ashamed to be a human being this morning. I witnessed not just murder last night, but violence and cruelty and vicious hatred. By saying nothing, I feel I am as responsible as my so-called friend who pulled the trigger.”

Amari and Polly exchanged stunned looks.

Dr. Hoskins continued. “I am just one man. I don’t know how to fight everything that is happening around me. I don’t understand how one man can own another. And I don’t know how to stop it.” He looked around at the deep woods and the darkness within them. “But I can help the three of you.”

Related Characters: Dr. Hoskins (speaker), Amari, Polly, Tidbit, Mr. Derby

Related Symbols: Babies / Children

Page Number and Citation: 202

Explanation and Analysis:

Though Mr. Derby sends Amari, Polly, and Tidbit with Dr. Hoskins with the understanding that Dr. Hoskins will sell them in Charles Town, Dr. Hoskins tells his charges that he cannot and will not continue to be complicit in the abuse and enslavement of other people anymore. Importantly, he recognizes that because he said nothing and did nothing yesterday, when Mr. Derby heartlessly murdered Mrs. Derby’s Black baby, he’s partially responsible for that abuse. With this, the novel makes the important point that even those who don’t directly dole out abuse are still significant players in the system—the institution of Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perfere

“My name be Amari,” she informed the two of them.

Polly opened her eyes and looked at Amari with a slight frown. “What’s wrong with the name they gave you?” she asked. “We’re used to it now.”

Amari took a deep breath of the woodsy air. “Not Myna no more. Amari.” She spoke with clarity and certainty.

If you say so,” Polly said with a shrug. “I suppose it is a good name for a free woman.”

“Free!” Amari exclaimed in quiet exultation. She had no intention of ever using that slave name ever again.

Related Characters: Amari (speaker), Polly (speaker), Clay Derby, Tidbit

Page Number and Citation: 207

Explanation and Analysis:

Not long after running into the woods, Amari announces to Polly and Tidbit that she wants to be called Amari, not Myna. For Amari, this finally allows her to announce her ownership over her body and her identity after months of abuse and dehumanization. The name that Clay gave her, moreover, is a symbolic representation of her slavery—he called her Myna because it sounds like “mine,” and she belonged to him. In order to come into her identity as a free woman, Amari must drop that name as soon as she can. Polly’s pushback, however, continues to illustrate Polly’s privilege Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis

Amari sat close to Polly for warmth and companionship, looking at the fire, thinking not of the horrendous fire that had destroyed her village, but of the smoky cooking fires that decorated the front of each household as the women prepared the evening meal. If she closed her eyes, she could almost smell the pungent fish stew.

Related Characters: Amari, Polly, Tidbit

Page Number and Citation: 223

Explanation and Analysis:

When the Amari and Polly discover a cave and feel safe building a fire, Amari is able to think back fondly on the nightly cooking fires in her village at home. Amari is able to focus on this positive memory because for the moment, she’s free—and she’s therefore able to draw on her happier memories rather than wallowing in the abuse and violence she and her fellow villagers suffered when the white men came to enslave them. This also speaks to how close Amari and Polly are becoming as they journey south together. Though Polly is white, Amari doesn’t associate Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo

“Of course, child. Everybody has slaves. How do you think we handle this land? But my Patrick is a good man and does not mistreat his property. Our slaves like it here.” Amari couldn’t understand how the woman could see no wrong in owning slaves as long as they were well treated.

Related Characters: Fiona O’Reilly (speaker), Patrick, Amari, Tidbit, Polly

Page Number and Citation: 256

Explanation and Analysis:

Amari is aghast when Fiona, a white woman who agrees to help Amari, Polly, and Tidbit move south, admits that she owns slaves and sees nothing wrong with that. Having been enslaved, it’s not difficult for Amari to recognize that owning another human being is abhorrent, no matter the terms of that person’s enslavement. Fiona’s words, however, betray that she might not even think of her husband, Patrick’s, slaves as real people. She does refer to them as “property,” after all—and given the power imbalance, it’s highly unlikely that any of her slaves would tell her to her face that Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusam

“It’s like this: if my Patrick brings home a new slave like he did last week, for example, that’s his right as master and man of this house, and I dare not interfere. As a woman, I ain’t got muckle to say about those kind of decisions. But when I got the chance to decide for myself, I find it gives me pleasure to choose to help you be free. That’s the truth, and I did not know it until I spoke the words.”

Related Characters: Fiona O’Reilly (speaker), Polly, Patrick, Amari, Tidbit

Page Number and Citation: 256

Explanation and Analysis:

When asked why she’s willing to help Amari, Polly, and Tidbit despite being a slave owner herself, Fiona suggests that her desire to help the runaways is rooted in a desire to make a decision—any decision—for herself. Fiona may describe Patrick as a good man and a fair master, but this doesn’t mean that she doesn’t chafe under his rules and seeming unwillingness to allow his wife to have any say in the trajectory of her own life. It’s telling that here, Fiona does acknowledge that as a woman, she has far less power than her husband does. To some Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium

“You know, I never really knew any black people before I came to Mr. Derby’s place. I mean, everybody had slaves, of course, but I never actually thought about them. And I certainly never had a black friend before,” she admitted.

Amari looked away. “Sometime I hate white people,” she admitted softly. “I never hate before I be a slave.” She stretched her arms. “I never even see white person until they attack my village. It be hard to have hate feeling and like feeling at same time.”

Related Characters: Polly (speaker), Amari (speaker), Mr. Derby, Teenie, Tidbit

Page Number and Citation: 267

Explanation and Analysis:

While stopped one day, Amari and Polly express all the ways they’ve changed over the last few months and reaffirm their friendship with each other. Polly makes it clear that the most essential contributing factor to her newfound rejection of slavery is her friendship with Amari (and though she doesn’t say so, probably Teenie and Tidbit as well). Friendship has the power to humanize Amari, whom Polly didn’t initially consider to be human. And in addition to giving Polly a good friend, it means that Polly also becomes kinder and more empathetic toward those who have less power than she Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde e

“What did your mama keep a-tellin’ you while you be with her?”

“She tell me stories about Africa and about her own mother, and she tell me, ‘Long as you remember, ain’t nothin’ really gone.’”

Amari, blinking away tears, hugged him. “You gonna always remember?”

“I ain’t never gonna forget nothin’ she done tell me,” the boy said with great seriousness. He squeezed the leather pouch.

Related Characters: Amari (speaker), Tidbit (speaker), Teenie, Afi

Related Symbols: Kente Cloth

Page Number and Citation: 282-83

Explanation and Analysis:

As Amari, Tidbit, and Polly get close to Fort Mose, Amari kneels down to comfort Tidbit when he once again asks for his mother, Teenie. Amari struggles to help Tidbit understand that he’s probably never going to see Teenie again—but if he makes a point to never forget her or the stories she told him about Africa and his grandmother, he’ll never truly lose his mother. Now that Amari is in a position where she has to impart knowledge to a young person, it’s her turn to draw on what both Teenie and Afi implied: that memory has the power Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut

Tidbit Character Timeline in Copper Sun

The timeline below shows where the character Tidbit appears in Copper Sun. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...and Amari as Myna, and the woman introduces herself as Teenie and her son as Tidbit. Polly calls her Miss Teenie, but Teenie warns her that they’ll get in trouble for... (full context)

...begins to eat with her hands, Polly realizes that she’ll have to teach table manners. Tidbit sits with a dog, Hushpuppy, under the table as Polly and Teenie discuss the dish.... (full context)

...some sleep. Amari curls up on the mat on the floor. A few hours later, Tidbit knocks on the door—he’s been sent to fetch Amari for Clay. Amari cries and begs... (full context)

...refuses to touch any of the slaves, and she and Amari merely tolerate each other. Tidbit shows the girls how to perform tasks. Amari learns to cook food she’s never seen... (full context)

Tidbit laughs constantly and makes the days easier. He’s a trickster, and he teaches Amari English.... (full context)

...like a copper pot, and all the animals. Now, Teenie passes the stories on to Tidbit. Teenie reiterates that if they remember, nothing is ever really gone, and she pulls a... (full context)

About a week later, Teenie sends Tidbit, Polly, and Amari to pick peaches for pie. Tidbit climbs into the tree and is... (full context)

Tidbit asks if there are boys like him there. Amari says she had a brother a... (full context)

...field slaves. Polly groans; this is another duty fit for only a slave. Teenie sends Tidbit too, but she warns him to stay out of the water. (full context)

Tidbit laughs, slithers like a snake, and runs ahead with Hushpuppy. Polly has never been so... (full context)

Tidbit asks if anyone ever goes back to Africa. Cato, serious, says that they don’t, but... (full context)

...slaves in the rice field screams. Cato rushes to the sound, and Polly, Amari, and Tidbit follow. A man, Jacob, hauls his wife, Hildy, out of the field—a snake bit her.... (full context)

...the next two weeks, Amari manages to stay awake for several hours at a time. Tidbit makes jokes when he can, and Teenie makes Amari special foods. One evening, Amari feels... (full context)

...Clay doesn’t call for her. Clay does send a bag of sweets for her with Tidbit, but Amari is disgusted and gives them to Tidbit. One morning, Teenie remarks that Amari... (full context)

...the kitchen one afternoon while Teenie, Amari, and Polly work on an apple pie and Tidbit and Hushpuppy sit under the table. Amari shrinks away, but Clay spits that Hushpuppy needs... (full context)

Amari follows behind. Tidbit sees that Hushpuppy is okay and then fixes his eyes on Amari. They head for... (full context)

Tidbit paddles as hard as he can, terrified. Clay and his friends laugh. Amari feels angry... (full context)

The young men throw Tidbit in several more times. By the time they call it a day, Tidbit seems to... (full context)

...so they’ll take the baby to her for now. They sneak past Clay, and then Tidbit takes Amari and Polly down to Sarah Jane’s. Teenie tells Polly that she should only... (full context)

...that everyone is alive now, but Mr. Derby will figure it out soon. She sends Tidbit to hide. Noah explains that he and Mrs. Derby grew up together and have loved... (full context)

...Amari to follow him. They stop at the kitchen, and he forces Teenie to call Tidbit. Then, he unlocks the smokehouse. He tells Polly that he won’t have liars in his... (full context)

...he’s selling her too. Mr. Derby says he could never sell Teenie, so he’s selling Tidbit. Teenie wails. (full context)

Teenie moans and holds Tidbit close. Polly asks if they can escape, but Teenie insists the smokehouse is secure. Amari... (full context)

...that he’ll be free if he’s dead. Then, very seriously, he tells Teenie to send Tidbit with the girls and insists that Dr. Hoskins doesn’t believe in slavery. Polly notes that... (full context)

...images of Mrs. Derby’s baby from her mind. Amari falls asleep and Teenie whispers to Tidbit that as long as he remembers, nothing will be gone. Polly thinks of the sorrow... (full context)

...keep a close eye on his wife. Polly wakes Amari and Teenie continues to ask Tidbit, who looks confused, if he remembers all her mother’s stories about the Ashanti, the drums,... (full context)

...money and the wagon back with a courier. Mr. Derby yells to Polly, Amari, and Tidbit to get in the wagon and to Teenie to have breakfast ready in a half... (full context)

Amari notices that the leaves on the trees are turning gold and rusty. Tidbit sobs in her arms as she wonders if she’s going to be sold like a... (full context)

...were attacked and fake an injury. Dr. Hoskins assures her that he’ll tell Teenie that Tidbit wasn’t sold. He pulls out a musket and warns the girls to use it in... (full context)

Amari, Polly, and Tidbit move into the woods until Polly suggests they stop. Amari feels at home in the... (full context)

...each other. Before Amari can reply, they hear someone approaching: It’s Hushpuppy. He rushes to Tidbit. Smiling, Polly asks if Amari really believes Fort Mose is real. Amari says she is... (full context)

...river, like Cato said. Polly shakes her head, but after a short nap, they wake Tidbit and march south. Amari looks to the stars. She wonders if they’re the same stars... (full context)

...they collect water from the river, and Amari announces that they’ve spent one day free. Tidbit asks how far away freedom is and then asks Polly what freedom is. Polly pulls... (full context)

By the fifth day, Polly, Amari, and Tidbit are exhausted. Amari suffers from dizziness and occasionally has to stop to catch her breath.... (full context)

A few hours later, Tidbit runs off to vomit. Both Amari and Polly vomit as well, and Polly angrily says... (full context)

Amari isn’t able to catch any more fish. Polly and Tidbit seem to have recovered from the mayapples, but Amari still feels nauseous and dizzy often.... (full context)

One morning, Tidbit cries out that Hushpuppy is gone. Amari and Polly assure him that Hushpuppy is just... (full context)

...for food, but Polly reminds her that they might miss and someone could hear them. Tidbit falls asleep in Amari’s arms and Amari sits close to Polly. She remembers the cooking... (full context)

The rabbit boosts Amari, Polly, and Tidbit’s spirits. For four days, they keep walking and discover crayfish in the rivers they cross.... (full context)

...to when Clay slaps her again. She can hear Hushpuppy growl and tells Clay that Tidbit died and Polly went north. Clay calmly reminds Amari that he followed footprints and knows... (full context)

...but Amari looks at him with pity. Clay notices the snake, and Polly, Amari, and Tidbit hurry into the woods. (full context)

Amari, Polly, and Tidbit race through the woods. After miles, they stop to rest. Amari vomits from the exertion.... (full context)

They walk for two days straight; the girls have to carry and cajole Tidbit into moving. One evening, when they stop to look for crayfish in a river, Polly... (full context)

...He calls her Polly-girl, but this time, Polly finds that she likes it. Amari and Tidbit step out and Nathan asks if they’re hungry. Nathan warns them that his father would... (full context)

...to fetch food. Amari teases Polly about liking Nathan, and Nathan soon returns with food. Tidbit even eats apple cores and then falls asleep. The girls tell Nathan they’re headed south... (full context)

...to remember him. Amari hits him, and then they race for the swamp. Polly and Tidbit are afraid of snakes and alligators, but Amari leads them into the deep mud. They... (full context)

Well after dark, Amari leads Polly and Tidbit out of the swamp. They’re covered in thick black mud. It begins to rain not... (full context)

Amari snaps awake when she hears a woman bellowing for someone named Patrick. Tidbit shrieks as the door flies open. A woman dressed in buckskin stares them down and... (full context)

Fiona says that the girls and Tidbit can’t stay in the shelter; Patrick is good but hard—though he’s lazy and prefers hunting... (full context)

After Tidbit changes, Amari shares with Fiona that they’re headed south. She explains that everything they know... (full context)

The wagon allows Amari, Polly, and Tidbit to make great time. Polly laughs to herself as she remembers her father and misses... (full context)

...is right and they’ll be caught. Polly insists they’ll make it and reminds Amari that Tidbit is hers now, and he needs a strong mother. Amari points out that in her... (full context)

...the girls are ghosts, they should go away. Amari whispers that they should run, but Tidbit won’t cooperate. The man roars and snatches Tidbit. Tidbit bites the man, and he drops... (full context)

Polly doesn’t understand Domingo Salvador’s Spanish, and she’s suspicious. The soldier admits he grabbed Tidbit because he was afraid, and Polly asks why he’s out alone in the middle of... (full context)

...walk a few steps but stumbles. Polly helps her into the wagon and Amari offers Tidbit a pouch of berries. Later, they come across an apple grove and gorge themselves. They... (full context)

When the horse reaches the shore, Tidbit leaps off first and the girls follow. Hushpuppy begins to whimper and growl and Amari... (full context)

Amari, Polly, and Tidbit wake in the morning to birds singing. Amari isn’t sure if Fort Mose is days... (full context)

Amari assures Tidbit that Teenie is smiling at him from every cloud and flower. Very seriously, Tidbit asks... (full context)

Tidbit asks what they do now, and Amari says they head down. They all hold hands... (full context)

...case, she’s free. She asks the girls for their story. Amari introduces herself and introduces Tidbit as her son. Tidbit says quietly that his name is Timothy—Teenie named him Timothy and... (full context)

...The soldier nods at Inez, introduces himself as Francisco Menendez, and welcomes the girls and Tidbit to the fort. Amari, Polly, and Tidbit bow, but Captain Menendez laughs and tells them... (full context)

...open a school. Freedom, he says, means little if no one is educated. He tells Tidbit that when he’s not in school, he’ll learn to be a carpenter. (full context)

...leaving home, but Inez assures her that there are Black men in charge around here. Tidbit asks if he can be a soldier and fight for his freedom. Polly says she’s... (full context)

...a window, two doors, and a hearth. There’s plenty of room for her, Polly, and Tidbit. Amari asks if there’s fighting here, and Inez says that there isn’t any yet, but... (full context)

...child, but her master’s wife forced him to sell the girl when she was about Tidbit’s age. Amari offers her condolences and says she feels stupid for not figuring it out... (full context)

Tidbit Character Analysis

Tidbit Quotes in Copper Sun

Chapter 21 Quotes

Chapter 31 Quotes

Chapter 32 Quotes

Chapter 34 Quotes

Chapter 37 Quotes

Chapter 38 Quotes

Chapter 40 Quotes

Tidbit Character Timeline in Copper Sun