Marcel Ste. Marie

Marcel St. Marie is the child of Cecile Ste. Marie and Philippe Ferronaire. He is of mixed blood and considered a free gentleman of color. He has inherited lighter skin, blue eyes, and blonde hair from his father, but he has not been given his father's name. However, he is given the finest of clothes and education that a man could have, including a promise that he is to travel at the age of eighteen to visit Paris where the color of his skin will not prevent him from anything.

Marcel is often considered a daydreamer and he is interested in the thoughts and creations of others. It is not until a young writer, Christophe Mercier, returns home to start a school for the gens de couleur that Marcel takes any real interest in learning. Once he begins to attend class at Christophe's school, as well...