Copper Sun

Following the horrific killing of Noah and the baby, Mrs. Derby throws herself on the child and faints. Derby asks the doctor to look after her, because “she had to witness the disciplining of some unruly slaves, and it proved a bit much for her” (184). Mr. Derby orders Teenie, Polly, and Amari to follow him. He also tells Teenie to call for Tidbit, who comes out of hiding. He tells them that “when Dr. Hoskins leaves in the morning, he will have three passengers”; he plans on selling them (186). He locks the four of them in the smokehouse and tells Teenie that he will be selling Tidbit along with Amari and Polly, because he’d never sell her, she’s “much too valuable” (187).

While locked together, faced with Teenie’s uncontrollable sobbing, Amari brings up the possibility of them running away. It has been attempted in the past, but most runaway slaves are captured and brought back. There are some that have made it to the North, however, and have jobs and own their own property.

Cato arrives in the dark and talks with them through the wall of the smokehouse. He urges Teenie to let Tidbit go with the girls the next morning for he has a chance be free. He assures them that Dr. Hoskins doesn’t believe in slavery, however, Clay is going along with them. Teenie tells Cato to go to her house and get some seeds to “put in…Clay’s midnight wine” (190). When asked advice about how to go North, Cato tells them not to go North because “That’s where they be lookin’ for you” (191). He tells them to head south and find a place called Fort Mose. They’ll need to follow the river south but to stay inland. When Cato leaves, Polly hears Teenie whispering to Tidbit, over and over, “Long as you remember, chile, nothin’ ain’t really ever gone” (193).

As they hear Mr. Derby coming towards the smokehouse, Teenie instructs Tidbit to remember the stories she has told him about her own mother and gives him the piece of fabric that her mother gave to her to remember her by. Teenie lies to Tidbit and tells him “[she’ll] be along directly” (195). Clay is ill, and so the three will travel with Dr. Hoskins alone. As Tidbit is thrown into the wagon, Teenie screams in grief, and Mr. Derby whips Hushpuppy and then Teenie.