Who Eliza Harris is
Eliza Harris lives on Mr. Shelby's Kentucky farm, where his debts threaten to separate her from her child. When she overhears that the trader Haley wants to buy Harry, she decides to leave that night. Her flight north forms one of the novel's two central journeys, alongside Tom's passage south.
What Eliza Harris wants
Eliza wants to keep Harry with her rather than let him be sold away. She carries him toward the Ohio River while Haley pursues her with dogs and hired men. At the river, floating ice makes her search for safety a test of physical courage.
Eliza Harris and the others in the story
Her husband, George Harris, is a skilled man enslaved on a neighboring farm and badly treated by his owner. He also seeks freedom, and his anger gives another voice to the family's struggle against slavery.
Eliza's journey brings her to Senator Bird and his wife Mary, whose response tests the distance between law and conscience. Rachel Halliday and her Quaker family later welcome her as a guest, offering practical help and shelter.
Questions
Who is Eliza Harris?
Eliza Harris is an enslaved mother whose effort to protect her son drives the novel's northward journey.
Why does Eliza Harris run away?
She runs away because she learns that Harry is to be sold and refuses to leave him behind.
Who is Eliza Harris's husband?
Her husband is George Harris, a clever, proud man who seeks freedom for his family.