Poetry · Character
Mistus
An aging plantation mistress whose doting love for her son Thomas collides with the enslaved people praying in her cabins for the very freedom she dreads.
supporting
Also known as old Mistus, Old Mistus
First appearance: the slave mother
As a supporting figure in Poetry, Mistus is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
The mistress of the house, also crying over the sale.
Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.
Old Mistus rules her household with affection for her bright boy Thomas and a blind loyalty to the Southern cause, praying in her parlor for Confederate victory while Chloe and Uncle Jacob pray in the cabins for…
Continue beside the text
The fuller portrait of Mistus sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.
See Mistus in the slave motherCharacter Web
10 connectionsA slice of how Mistus sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Social
- Family
- Other
Character groups
- Domestic and slave characters
- Protagonist
- Egyptian and patriarchal figures
- Exodus narrative figures
+5 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This is the story's dramatic climax because the young man, after years of struggle and self-control, emotional…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingRelationships
- Unknown Narrator
social · ambivalent
Mistus is a figure in the narrator's world, likely a mistress or authority figure in a… How this plays out →
- Mister Thomas
family · ambivalent
- Unknown Narrator
social · ambivalent
Mistus is a figure in the narrator's world, likely a mistress or authority figure in a… How this plays out →
- Mister Thomas
family · ambivalent
Relationship notes
How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.
See Mistus in the slave motherIn the story
Mistus appears across 3 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Mistus unlock in the free preview.
See Mistus in the slave mother