Father

A black father who is outraged and overcome with memories of his dead sister, after discovering his daughter's affair with a married white man. The father was in love with his sister and his love becomes a source of agony when she runs away with his white master and becomes that man's lover. This event poisons him the rest of his life toward all women. He is hateful, scornful, and distrustful of women. He treats the worst the women who love him the most. Due to his unfounded jealousy, he beat his wife until she was crippled. His wife ends up killing herself to escape him. His daughter reminds him of his sister in looks and personality; although his sister is dead, he gets the two confused. Her father kills her in the end, his jealousy too much for him to handle.

"Daughter" (the father's sister)

"Daughter" is the nickname of the father's sister. She was pretty, giving, and loving. She gave her love freely to all who wanted it except her brother. She falls in love and runs off with a married white man. Her lover is the master whom her brother works for, and he is treated worse than a dog. "Daughter" returns months later physically and mentally broken. Her hair has fallen out, her teeth are loose. She has screaming and singing fits. She is cunning and exploits her brother's love for her. When she first came back her family tied her to a bed, where they beat and ostracized her. She ends up escaping and kills herself by impaling herself on a fence post.

Daughter

A school-age black girl whose lover is a white man who already has a wife. She has written a letter to her lover telling him that she loves him. She is a lovely girl who strongly resembles "Daughter," her father's sister. She is often silent and takes pleasure in simple things like flowers. Although she is terrified of her father, she is unrepentant and will not deny her love for the white married man. She refuses to face the possibility that her lover may have betrayed her by providing her father with her letter.