Despite more than 10 million Africans being enslaved, the story of one plantation can accurately depict what life was like for most of those 10 million (“How Many People”). Copper Sun tells the story of Amari, a native African who is brought on a ship across the Atlantic Ocean to America. When she arrives, she is sold at a slave auction to Mr. Derby. Amari is to be trained in by Polly, an indentured servant who was also bought by Mr. Derby. Amari and Polly become good friends with Teenie, the head of the kitchen, and Tidbit, her son. Mr. Derby’s wife, Isabelle Derby, is pregnant and, to everyone’s surprise, gives birth to a black child. Each of these characters have some type of conflict in their life. Throughout this book, there are three
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One character Clay Derby is in conflict with is his stepmother, Isabelle Derby. He is very angry that his father replaced his biological mother with a young woman, closer to the age of Clay that Mr. Derby. Clay is angry because Isabelle is taking up all of his father’s attention. Clay also does not approve of the kind ways in which Mrs. Derby treats the slaves. He believes that they should be treated like property, not like real people. Additionally, Clay is not pleased with Mrs. Derby’s child and does all he can to exploit the affair. He finds the newborn baby and brings her to his father, proving that Mrs. Derby is disobeying the family. Another character Clay is in conflict with is Amari. Despite Clay’s growing affection for Amari, he still demands that she treat like a master. He grew quite angry when Amari spoke up against his wishes, which shows the conflict between the two characters. Amari is conflicted with Clay because she does not like that he uses her for pleasure at night, but it is evident that she does not know how to physically avoid it: “Each time she forced her mind to go back to the dust of her childhood, to soft rain showers, to warm sunshine over her village—anything to help her endure, to help her forget his smell, his greasy hair, his damp hands” (Draper 110). NEED CONCLUDING
One character Clay Derby is in conflict with is his stepmother, Isabelle Derby. He is very angry that his father replaced his biological mother with a young woman, closer to the age of Clay that Mr. Derby. Clay is angry because Isabelle is taking up all of his father’s attention. Clay also does not approve of the kind ways in which Mrs. Derby treats the slaves. He believes that they should be treated like property, not like real people. Additionally, Clay is not pleased with Mrs. Derby’s child and does all he can to exploit the affair. He finds the newborn baby and brings her to his father, proving that Mrs. Derby is disobeying the family. Another character Clay is in conflict with is Amari. Despite Clay’s growing affection for Amari, he still demands that she treat like a master. He grew quite angry when Amari spoke up against his wishes, which shows the conflict between the two characters. Amari is conflicted with Clay because she does not like that he uses her for pleasure at night, but it is evident that she does not know how to physically avoid it: “Each time she forced her mind to go back to the dust of her childhood, to soft rain showers, to warm sunshine over her village—anything to help her endure, to help her forget his smell, his greasy hair, his damp hands” (Draper 110). NEED CONCLUDING