Sarny has tobacco leaves in her pocket but is skeptical of his offer, as she saw him arrive completely empty-handed. On Nightjohn’s first night at the plantation, he asks if anyone has tobacco, saying he’s willing to make a trade. She also notices his beautiful black skin, which is darker than her own brown skin. When Sarny first sees Nightjohn, she is struck by the layers of scars crossing his back from past whippings and wonders why Waller would buy a slave who clearly caused trouble in the past. Waller forces him to walk several miles, naked, tied to a horse’s saddle by a rope around his neck. The day Nightjohn arrives, he is in poor physical condition. The new hand’s name is John, but Sarny also calls him by the nickname Nightjohn. One day, Sarny overhears the master’s wife and her sister talking about a new field hand whom Waller bought for $1,000. Mammy herself is careful about hiding her prayers from Waller, as praying is also forbidden for slaves. Mammy counsels Sarny to avoid trouble with Waller by telling her to hide a penny she finds, as slaves are not allowed to have money. Clel Waller is the plantation owner, and he is cruel and hated by the slaves. At the end of the day, she reviews the information she collected and mentally adds it to knowledge she accumulated on previous days. Sarny helps Mammy with the day’s chores, and as she goes about her work, she listens and observes. Sarny’s situation is not unique none of the children have close relationships with their mothers, as the women are used as “breeders” and then sent to work in the fields. Sarny’s biological mother was sold when Sarny was young, so she does not remember much about her. She was raised by Mammy, the woman who takes care of all the slave children. Sarny, a 12-year-old slave living on the Waller plantation, describes her life before Nightjohn arrived. This guide is based on the 1995 edition of the novel.Ĭontent Warning: Nightjohn includes sensitive material, such as mentions of sexual assault and violence.
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