The Passing of Grandison

Grandison is the titular character of the story and the main protagonist. He is not given a physical description, other than that he is a man who is enslaved by Colonel Owens on his plantation in Kentucky. The colonel suggests that Grandison accompany Dick on his sojourn north, declaring that he is “too fond of good eating” and too “sweet on your mother’s maid, Betty” to consider fleeing (62). Grandison consistently plays into the white, slave-owning characters’ misconceptions about Black people to lull them into a sense of security regarding his loyalty. When the colonel quizzes Grandison about his loyalty and whether he is “a great deal better off” (63) than freemen, Grandison replies in the affirmative, saying, “Ef anybody ax ’em who dey b’long ter, dey has ter say nobody […] Anybody ax me who I b’longs ter, I ain’ got no ‘casion ter be shame ’ter tell ’em” (63). Grandison is aware of the colonel’s prejudices and preconceived notions regarding his race; he knows what words and actions will lure the colonel into trusting him. Grandison consistently performs the character of a happy and content slave to this end.

Grandison keeps up this performance after he goes north with Dick.