Act 1, Scene 1 Summary

The play begins on a fall afternoon in 1930s Georgia. The first two characters introduced are Colonel Thomas Norwood, a plantation owner who is about 60, and Cora Lewis, Norwood's housekeeper and mistress of thirty years; she is in her forties.

As the action opens, Norwood and Cora are discussing the imminent departure of Cora's (and Norwood's) daughter Sallie for school. Talk quickly turns to another child, their son Robert ("Bert"), and the fact that he has taken the car into town without permission. The Colonel makes it clear that he is angry at Bert's disobedience and will not tolerate such insolence from a "darkie" – especially his own child.

We are next introduced to Sam, an elderly black man who is a personal assistant to the Colonel. Sam asks if it would be acceptable to take Sallie's luggage out the front door...