Character Guide: The Sweet Home Men

The Sweet Home Men

Paul A, Paul F, and Sixo - Paul A and Paul F are the brothers of Paul D. They were slaves at Sweet Home with him, Halle, Sethe, and, earlier, Baby Suggs. Sixo is another fellow slave. Sixo and Paul A die during the escape from the plantation.

“It had been hard, hard, hard sitting there erect as dogs.” P27

Sixo: One of the slaves at Sweet Home, Sixo was one of the planners behind their flight to the North. He regularly visited a woman who lived thirty miles away, dubbed the Thirty-Mile woman. He was close to Paul D during the time of Sweet Home, but was killed during their escape attempt.

“ Sixo plant rye to give the high piece a better chance. Sixo take and feed the soil, give you more crop. Sixo take and feed sixo give you more work.” Pg.190


The constant torture the slaves went through was due to the physical attributes of Sweet Home. The closely packed shacks they slept in barely allowed for them to rest and freely think. It is possible that they would take on similar doings because of the suppressing of the slaves' individualities. "One step off that ground and they were trespassers among the human race." (131) There was a lack of privacy and the people could not express themselves freely even if the Garner's allowed them much more than other slave owners. Sweet Home consisted of a field, the shacks and the home, and the lines that they could not cross.

“Sixo said freedom is that way” pg 197

“one crazy, one sold, one missing, one burnt, and one licking iron with my hands crossed behind me. The last of the sweet home men.” Pg 72

JIMENA MENDEZ & MONICA MELTIS