I think the most emotional passage we read is probably in the last sections of chapter 19. The entire story and information thus far has been about the injustice and sad perseverance of slaves trying to survive in a culture stacked up against them. By the end of tonight’s reading you have the first actual victory of a slave against the system in which they were never supposed to get ahead. Linda was able to out last Dr. Flint and get enough aid within the system to free her family and metaphorically slap the Flint’s in the face. Although Linda is still locked up in a friend’s house in order to hide, the pride and joy she experiences upon finding out they’ve been freed is almost as intense as if she’d finally reached freedom herself. At first she’s extremely nervous and scared to believe that they made it and bites her own lip to the point of bleeding, but the way it builds up to finally outfox Flint ends on a note that is subtly different than the rest of the book. 19 finishes with insults and threats, but they seem more pathetic and empty without the same menace now that some hope of a future has been achieved.
2 comments:
I agree with you that we saw the first victory for Linda. I didn't actually think that Dr. Flint would spend so much time looking for her or free her children. I guess it goes to show how insecure he was because he only knew how to "live normally" when he was hurting someone.
I'm surprised to see this moment as the one you found most emotional, not in a bad way at all though. A lot of people have examples of the crushing despair felt by slaves, or examples of physical or mental devastation as the most emotional moment. However, I can't say I disagree with you that when she discovers this freedom that the emotion of a slave victory is incredibly intense.
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