Nightjohn

When Waller brings Nightjohn to the slave quarters for the first time, he is in poor physical condition. He tied Nightjohn by the neck to a horse saddle and made him walk in front of the horse. When Nightjohn arrives at the quarters, he is naked, and his back is covered with scars from past whippings. His skin is a deep, beautiful black, darker than Sarny’s brown skin. Waller forces Nightjohn into the field after the long journey and makes him work for the remainder of the day. Each day, the workers receive two meals: one in the morning, and one in the evening. Field workers also get a piece of cornbread to eat at midday, but they must eat standing in the field. They are not allowed to take breaks; even when they have to go to the bathroom, they must do so standing, and then return to work. The morning and evening meals are served in a trough, and everyone takes turns dipping a gourd into it. At night, no light is allowed in the slave quarters. Most of the field workers fall asleep right away, but Sarny sometimes lies awake for a while in the dark.

On Nightjohn’s first night in the slave quarters, he asks if anyone has tobacco. Sarny has some with her but keeps quiet. When Nightjohn offers to make a trade for the tobacco, Sarny wonders what he could possibly have to trade with. He anticipates the question without Sarny needing to speak, and explains that he can trade letters—A, B, and C—for tobacco. Sarny asks what a letter is. Nightjohn tells her that letters can be connected to make words—which can then be read. Sarny has heard of reading. She has seen her masters read, but slaves are not allowed to do so themselves. Once, Sarny saw the marking “100 lbs” on a feed sack and traced the letters in the dirt (36). When Mammy saw, she told Sarny to refrain from reading and writing, as she would either be whipped or have a thumb cut off. Sarny decides to test Nightjohn to see if he can truly read. She scratches “100 lbs” into the dirt, and he explains it’s a number rather than letters. Satisfied, Sarny produces tobacco for Nightjohn, and he draws an “A” in the dirt. He tells her its pronunciation, and Sarny asks where “the bottom to it” is (38). After learning the letter, Sarny asks why slave owners punish slaves for reading. Nightjohn explains that when slaves know and understand things, it’s bad for the masters. He introduces himself as “John,” then settles down to sleep in the corner (41). Sarny snuggles next to Mammy and thinks of the letter A.