The Characters
Susannah Allen
A lively twelve-year-old who enjoys working on her family farm as well as time with her school friends. As an energetic girl, Susannah helps her mother and great-aunt indoors with cooking, spinning, sewing, and caring for the younger children, and her father and older brother with barn chores, planting, and haying. She is very curious, and sometimes makes impetuous decisions (such as listening to private conversations or reading letters she should not), but she has a big heart and likes to help other people. Mr. and Mrs. Allen Susannah's parents, who run a largely self-sufficient merino sheep farm. They believe in the value of education and in helping their children to make good moral choices. Mr. Allen despises slavery and welcomes an escaped slave as hired help; Mrs. Allen is a bit worried about the social effect of this decision on her family. Mrs. Allen is expecting a new baby. Aunt Patience Susannah's great-aunt, who lives with the family. She is dour and a bit of a nag. Sam Allen Susannah's older brother, whom Susannah looks up to most of the time. Susannah gets annoyed with him whenever he leaves her out of his plans. Janie Allen Susannah's younger sister, who doesn't speak out loud except on rare occasion to her mother. Susannah sleeps in the same room with Janie and is responsible for a lot of her care. MacLeish family A Scottish family and the Allens' nearest neighbors. Kate and Rory are Susannah's and Sam's ages, respectively, and their closest friends. Their younger sister, Margaret, is the same age as Janie. Mr. MacLeod severely injures his shoulder at the outset of the novel, which prevents him from sharing large-scale farm tasks with Susannah's farm and which necessitates Mr. Allen's decision to hire extra help. Mr. MacLeish questions Mr. Allen’s decision to hire Jacob to work on his farm. Jacob An escaped slave from North Carolina who has been working in Boston; a friend of the family helps lead him to the Allens' farm in search of long-term work. He is given the spare room of the house to stay in. Jacob can write, and Susannah often finds him writing mysterious letters. Susannah quickly comes to see Jacob as a part of her household, and enjoys working with him. She often asks him for advice. Eleanor Worth Susannah's closest school chum, along with Kate MacLeish. Her father owns a store in town. Callie Worth Eleanor's cousin from Boston, whose father runs an abolitionist press, The North Star. She comes to live with her Vermont cousins after her mother is killed in a carriage accident. Mr. Parsons Susannah's school teacher, who comes from Virginia and who openly criticizes the Allen family for bringing a Negro man into their home and to town functions, such as church. Mr. Sloan Another storekeeper in town, who is racially prejudiced and speaks openly against the Allens for hiring Jacob to work on their farm. Miranda Neary An older schoolmate of Susannah’s who is extremely smart and studying to become a teacher; Sam is very interested in trying to gain her affection. Rev. Talcott The Congregational Church minister, who preaches against slavery and is largely sympathetic to the decision of the Allen family to take in Jacob. Frederick Douglass An actual African-American former slave who became one of the most important national figures in the Abolitionist movement. He actually did visit Vermont in 1843 to give a speech similar to the one that Susannah attends in the book. |
The Spare Room By Jenny Land Published by Voyage 
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P. 802-751-8802 | F 802-751-8804 | www.brigantinemedia.com | neil@brigantinemedia.com