Chains Book Theme

Isabel was thrown into jail after they caught her when she tried to escape after Madam yelled at her. She ran away to the rebels believing that they will help her, but instead, they returned Isabel to Madam Lockton. “They took me to a dungeon under City Hall to await my trial.” (142). She was imprisoned because of false accusation and suffered during the time. She tried to run away because her masters mistreats her and imprisoned her in their land. Additionally, Curzon was in the war and was defeated. He was thrown into prison even with his leg shot. They both went through harsh suffering before, during, and after prison, even as they had different

     When her father passed away she had nobody to tell her what to do and how to act. This was very devastating and she had a hard time dealing with change. So much so that she wouldn't let the police take the body of her father out of the house for three days after his death. The only thing that was constant in her house was the slave

In a time period when women were considered inferior, as were blacks, it was unimaginable the horrors a black woman in the south had to endure during this period. African women were slaves and subject to the many horrors that come along with being in bondage, but because they were also women, they were subject to the cruelties of men who look down on women as inferior simply because of their sex. The sexual exploitation of these females often lead to the women fathering children of their white masters. Black women were also prohibited from defending themselves against any type of abuse, including sexual, at the hands of white men. If a slave attempted to defend herself she was often subjected to further beatings from the master. The black female was forced into sexual relationships for the slave master’s pleasure and profit. By doing this it was the slave owner ways of helping his slave population grow.

Isabels short story, “An Act of Vengeance” is an example of the power she depicts towards women along with her foundation, “The Isabel Allende Foundation” which she states, “Empowers women and girls worldwide”. In her text, in which a young teen’s father is killed by the same man who raped her and took away dignity and reason for living building up hate towards him. The irony is as Allende states, “She searched her heart for the hatred she had cultivated throughout those thirty years, but she was incapable of finding...Then she understood with horror that by thinking about him every moment, and savoring his punishment in advance, her feelings had become reversed and she had fallen in love with him”(Allende#1). The hatred and punishment she wanted to give him for what he did turned into an unstoppable love. Isabel Allende is a strong feminist and it can be seen throughout her writing, reason for this is her personal experiences, causing it to change the way she refers when writing about the opposite sex.

In the book Chains there is a girl named Isabel who is a slave fighting for her freedom. Isabel’s story of fighting for freedom is parallel with the nation's story because they both are running away from something, they both have many obstacles to overcome, and they both are on the losing side of the battle.

Araminta was born into slavery in 1820 in Dorchester Maryland. She was one of nine children born to her mother Harriet Rit Green, and her father Ben Ross. Mrs. Green was owned by Mary Brodess, and Mr. Ross was owned by Anthony Thompson, were the two owners soon married (“Harriet Tubman Biography”). At the age of only six Araminta was deemed old enough to be able to work. She was not yet old enough to work in the fields, so her owners would send her to other plantations to do housework. While at work she was beaten frequently (“Harriet Ross Tubman”). Because she was a slave Araminta did not receive the education she needed which gave her limited opportunities (“Zenitha”). Many things were different if you were a slave. Violence was also part of a daily routine. When Araminta was only a teenager around thirteen, she was sent to a goods store to get some things needed by her master. While at the store she was met by a runaway slave. The overseer ordered Araminta to help stop the young man, but

Nobody should say that it is mercy to be sold into slavery. That is clearly untrue. No matter how hard their life was like before, most slaves had it worse. Although Isabel was born into slavery and never experienced being free, she still got the extreme short end of the stick. Her father was beaten to death in front of her at a slave auction,

as shown on pg 246, “In this quote she clearly states that she dislikes her lifestyle but finds no other way to escape this punishment then to run away. but she doesn’t only suffer from physical chains. Her mental chains affect her even deeper than her physical chains. She is bounded by her hope to find her sister Ruth who was sold away, evident on pg 132.” “She’s(Ruth) gone,’ Becky said ...’Where’...Sold ”. She also has a specific sense of freedom her from others. So even when she gets hurt over and over again Isabel takes initiative for her freedom. She spies for the rebel group, only to be betrayed by one of the higher-ups. Which later causes her to join the British cause who assured her freedom but is revealed to only take rebel slaves. She was betrayed twice and hurt more times then to be counted but yet she doesn’t give up that sense of freedom. She tries her

Harriet Jacob was the first African American women to have authored a slave narrative in the United States and was instinctive into slavery in Edenton, North Carolina. Living a good life with her skilled carpentered father and her mother, Jacob didn’t much of being a slave. However, when her mother had passed away, Jacob and her father were reassigned to a different slave owner were her life as a women slave began. Because of this change, she fled to New York where she started working in the Anti-Slavery movement. During this period, she focused more on her family then she did the issue of slavery. Family is an emotional anchor in the Incident in the Life of a Slave Girl because Linda was devoted to her children. She uses symbolism, imagery, and allegory because she wants to demonstrate what families should be like.

After reading, Black Purgatory: Enslaved Women’s Resistance in Nineteenth-Century Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, I realized I never knew that women slaves were abused and tortured by their mistresses. All I could think about was the horrible abuse not only Maria had to endure from her master and mistress while being enslaved but Maria having to watch her children be abused as well probably aided to push her over the edge. Maria slashed both her children’s throats and said the Devil made her do it and Maria tried to use the catholic religion to justify her actions. Most women can only suffer so much abuse before they become violent themselves. However, women are natural nurturers and I believe Maria killed her children because she did not want them

Slavery was a horrible institution that dehumanized a race of people. Female slave bondage was different from that of men. It wasn't less severe, but it was different. The sexual abuse, child bearing, and child care responsibilities affected the females's pattern of resistance and how they conducted their lives. Harriet Jacobs' Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, demonstrates the different role that women slaves had and the struggles that were caused from having to cope with sexual abuse.

In a surprise ending, the female slave lightly debates everyone’s morals coherently: “(Stand off!) we help not in our loss! / We are too heavy for our cross, / And fall and crush you and your seed” (243-245). Notably, this is the one time in the narrative that we find the female slave easy to understand and sensible.

because they were her natural enemies and her prey, and as such had no right to

Should she aid the rebels or play it safe and attempt to please the Lockton’s? Prior to her arrest, Isabel thought that being a spy for the rebels would be beneficial and lead her to freedom. After her arrest, Isabel hears that the British promised to free all slaves that assist them. This conflict of interest was memorable, because it showed me that decisions and mistakes I make, although menial compared to Isabel’s, will not ruin my entire life. I think it is also memorable because it shows that Isabel’s adolescence is authentic. Most teeenagers today are indecisive, just like teenagers in the 1770s.

It was then that she was subjected to treatment as a slave. As a slave, she endured cold treatment, words or looks. She was made to feel useless, inferior and inhuman.