James Characters

Sadie is Jim’s wife and Lizzie’s mother. Miss Watson is her enslaver. It is Sadie who hears Miss Watson’s plan to sell Jim, prompting his escape. Reuniting with her and Lizzie is Jim’s primary motivation.

Josiah is an enslaved Black man whom Jim meets on his journey. He works alongside Old George, Young George, and Pierre. Josiah has escaped from his enslaver many times but has always been caught and beaten.

Pap Finn is Huck’s alleged father, who was married to Huck’s mother before she died. He is an alcoholic whose abuse drives Huck to fake his own death. Pap has a particular hatred for Jim, perhaps because he knows Jim is Huck’s biological father.

Miss Watson is the enslaver of Jim, Sadie, Lizzie, and many others. She looks after Huck while Pap is absent. Her plan to sell Jim pushes him to run away.

Tom Sawyer is a young white boy who is friends with Huck. He likes to play pranks, particularly on Jim. His wild tales and bossy attitude sometimes get on Huck’s nerves.

Huck’s mom is Huckleberry Finn’s mother. Though she was married to Pap, she was close friends with Jim, who is Huck’s biological father.

Luke is an enslaved Black man who works at Henderson’s mill. When Jim meets him, he is struck by Luke’s submissive demeanor. Convinced that Luke enjoys his own enslavement, Jim does not trust him.

Henderson is a white millowner and enslaver who purchases Jim from Norman. He has enslaved many others, including Luke and Sammy. Henderson is a violent man who likes to beat his slave for no reason at all, and he sexually abuses Sammy.

Brock is an enslaved Black man who works in a riverboat’s boiler room and never leaves. Jim finds Brock’s enthusiastic submission to his enslavement unsettling.

Cunégonde is a character in Voltaire’s 1759 novel Candide. Jim dreams of her as he ponders how to reunite his family, and she tells him that hope is a ruse. Cunégonde claims that, while Jim may escape slavery, he will never be free.

Old George is an enslaved Black man who works alongside Josiah, Young George, and Pierre. Jim meets him after he is separated from Huck.

Pierre is an enslaved Black man who works alongside Old George, Young George, and Josiah. He is initially suspicious of Jim, worried he will bring trouble into their midst.

Katie is an enslaved Black woman who is married to Cotton. She lives on Miss Watson’s property in the house Jim’s family vacated. Hopkins, the overseer, routinely sexually assaults her.

Hopkins is an overseer employed by Miss Watson. He sexually assaults Katie while Jim is hidden in her cabin. After murdering Hopkins, Jim wonders what else his anger is capable of.

Cotton is an enslaved Black man who is married to Katie. He lives on Miss Watson’s property in the house Jim’s family vacated.

Old Luke is an enslaved Black man who works for Miss Watson alongside Jim.

Doris is an enslaved Black man who works for Miss Watson alongside Jim.

Albert is an enslaved Black man who works for Miss Watson alongside Jim.

Norman’s wife is an enslaved Black woman who is married to Norman. Norman works in the hopes of purchasing his wife’s freedom.

Polly is a white woman who speaks to Jim after his first performance with Daniel Decatur Emmett’s Virginia Minstrels. Polly’s father finds the authenticity of Jim’s makeup suspicious.

Polly’s father is a white man who accompanies his daughter to the Virginia Minstrels’ performance. He suspects that Jim is actually Black underneath his makeup, driving Emmett and the rest of the troupe out of town.

Cassidy is a white man who plays trombone in Emmett’s troupe.

Big Mike is a white man who performs with Emmett’s troupe.

Mr. Wiley is Easter's enslaver. When the King and the Duke injure Easter, Mr. Wiley furiously says Jim must work for him until Easter recovers. The King and the Duke acquiesce and leave with Huck, thus separating him from Jim.