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Harper is a young white staff member at the academy who leads the Community Service crew Turner and Elwood work on. Harper serves as a contrast to the other faculty in many ways. For one, Harper is only twenty years old. Harper grew up at the academy because his mother worked there. Harper is also much friendlier and acts less prejudiced toward the Black students, especially Turner and Elwood. As the boys’ direct supervisor, Harper seemingly treats them as equals, taking them off campus to run errands and do chores for the wealthier townspeople.
However, Harper’s true character provides an important moment of revelation in the novel’s climax. Although Turner and Elwood view Harper as a trustworthy superior, it is Harper who eventually shoots Elwood as the two boys try to escape. In the end, Harper prioritizes his duty over his compassion, unveiling his deep-seated prejudices, and he turns out to be just as capable of evil as the rest of the staff. Ultimately, his shooting reveals that he never viewed the boys as his equals.
