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The Underground Railroad By Ann Petry Essay

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Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad was written by Ann Petry. It was published by Thomas Y. Crowell in 1955. The book has 242 pages. This book tells about Harriet 's life as a young slave and how she escaped slavery. She led many other slaves to freedom in the North throughout her life. The book starts by focusing on Harriet 's parents, Old Rit and Ben Ross. It discusses their life on the Brodas plantation in Maryland. In 1820, Old Rit had a baby, and she named this baby Araminta Ross. However, she planned to call the baby Minta or Minty until she got older. Then, she would be called Harriet. Minta grew up on the Brodas plantation. When she was six years old, she was hired out to Mr. And Mrs. James Cook. Her job there was to watch Mr. Cook 's trap lines, which meant she was always out in the cold. Minty got the measles, and was sent back home to the Brodas plantation. After Old Rit helped to get her better, Minta was sent back to the Cooks. This time, though, she was to stay inside and learn to weave. However, Mrs. Cook decided that she was unteachable, and Minta was sent back home. Soon after Minty had returned home, she was hired out again. This time to a woman named Miss Susan. Minta was to be a child 's nurse. Here, Miss Susan was very harsh on seven-year-old Minta. Miss Susan beat her whenever she didn 't do something exactly right, or when Miss Susan 's baby cried during the night. One time, Minty ran away from Miss Susan. However, after a few

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