Emma is the only child of Will and Mattie, who are both slaves on the Butler plantation. Emma, also a slave, is responsible for taking care of Pierce’s two daughters, Sarah and Frances, although Emma herself is only 12 years old at the time of the slave auction. As a result, Emma must mature before her time, demonstrating how the nature of slavery dissolves any concept of a childhood. By nature, Emma is a very empathetic person, which makes her an excellent caretaker and later a mother. When Emma thinks of her cousin, separated from her aunt and uncle, Emma does not worry about herself but instead puts herself in the position of her cousin: “Charlotte must be so scared. I know I would be” (11). Although Emma possesses a level of emotional maturity far beyond her years, she is also slightly naïve at the outset of the novel. Because she is empathetic, she believes all people feel relationships as strongly as she does, so she cannot fathom Pierce selling her away from his daughters, especially Sarah, who thinks of Emma as a mother. At 12, Emma does not fully understand the vulnerability of her own body.

However, as the novel progresses, Emma begins to understand the true meaning of slavery: No Black body can ever be safe.