Twelve Years a Slave · Character
Elisha Berry
A slaveholder who hires Solomon.
minor
Also known as Berry, old Elisha Berry
First appearance: xi
Elisha Berry's tie to Elizabeth is one of the pressures that moves Twelve Years a Slave—worth meeting in the text, not only on a cast list.
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With Elizabeth (professional): Elisha Berry is a slave trader who buys and sells Elizabeth, treating her as…
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The fuller portrait of Elisha Berry sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.
See Elisha Berry in xiCharacter Web
7 connectionsA slice of how Elisha Berry sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Professional
- Other
Character groups
- Solomon's captors and betrayers
- Plantation slaves and overseers
- Extended family and peripheral figures
+2 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 chapter marks the dramatic climax because it presents the first real hope of deliverance after years of d…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingRelationships
- Elizabeth
professional · negative
Elisha Berry is a slave trader who buys and sells Elizabeth, treating her as chattel. How this plays out →
Relationship notes
How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.
See Elisha Berry in xi