History has a way of changing over time as our collective point-of-view shifts. I wondered if
Ta-Nehisi Coates novel would be a true accounting of the Underground Railroad, or would it be
a “fantasy blend” like Colson Whitehead’s novel? I was a little apprehensive. What I found was a
novel which dealt with history accurately, but at the same time added a supernatural element,
Conduction. I think what stood out the most was Hiram Walker’s perspective of his situation;
Taskers (slaves), Lows (low non-slave holding whites), and the Quality (slave owners) all
situated in the coffin (slavery).The novel shows that the Underground Railroad was more than
stations on a route. It was a much more clandestine operation than history had led me to believe
that included forging documents to move slaves out of the coffin. I learned that the facade of
civilization and culture were meticulously engineered by the Quality. Conduction, the
paranormal part of the novel, caught me off guard. The ending left me realizing that there is no
happy ever ending for anyone involved...Taskers, Low, or the Quality
No comments:
Post a Comment