Answer:
Madame Sofronie owns the hair shop to which Della sells her hair. She’s described as “large, too white, chilly,” and her manner with Della is brusque and to the point. She wastes no time evaluating Della’s hair and setting a price—twenty dollars. Her manner directly contrasts that of Della and Jim, who value their love and sentiment over material value. For Della, her hair is something special and prized. For Madame Sofronie, her hair is worth the dollar value she can get out of it.
