Summary
Colson Whitehead’s ‘The Underground Railroad’ is the emotional tale of Cora, a woman on the run from a slave catcher after fleeing her captivity from a plantation in Georgia. Cora has spent her entire life on the plantation. However, the arrival of Caesar, a slave from another plantation in Virginia, sparks her desire to flee. Hoping to escape their bondage, Cora and Caesar set out on a journey to find the underground railroad that would help them escape the horrors of slavery. Novels like this are seldom smooth sailing. Cora and Caesar’s escape does not go unnoticed and soon the pair realize that the notorious slave catcher, Ridgeway, has been enlisted to search for them.
Historical Context
‘The Underground Railroad’ is a mix of historical fiction and fantasy. Whitehead re-imagines 19th-century America by blurring the lines between the past and the present. At first, ‘The Underground Railroad’ appears to be a standard novel about the life of a slave in the 1800’s. However, as the novel progresses, you’ll notice small inaccuracies regarding the treatment of slaves during the period. For example, Cora’s time in South Carolina confronts the reader with the reality that many slave women experienced. During the medical examination, Cora’s doctor attempts to pressure her into giving consent for a sterilization program. This instance and the references to the experiments that were run on the other patients were based on real events. Horrifyingly, these atrocities were carried out well into the 20th century. Whitehead incorporates details regarding the mass sterilization of black women and the Tuskegee syphilis experiment to show that history is not as clearly defined as we want it to be. Furthermore, he integrates more futuristic elements in the architecture and technology. Whitehead turns the underground railroad system into a real network of tunnels and train tracks as part of the Freedom Trail. This was an ingenious decision as it sets this novel apart from so many like it and shows that the aftermath of slavery continues to affect the present. While the events are in the past, the repercussions will live on.
My Thoughts
It is really difficult to write an appropriate review for this novel. I want to say that I enjoyed it, but not in the sense that it was a pleasure to read. This is by no means the case. ‘The Underground Railroad’ repeatedly kicks you in the gut. You’ll experience grief, anger, and hatred. You’ll find yourself reading with tears in your eyes. This is a novel that sets out to make you feel something, and it does this successfully. So, if you are looking for a book that will take you on an emotional journey, this is the one.
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