Topic #1 - In addition to its literary significance, the short fictional

Topic #1: (Relating to “The Quadroons”). In addition to its literary significance, the short fictional story “The Quadroons” is important because of its historically persuasive message/theme. Lydia Maria Child wrote this story to be included in an anti-slavery publication called The Liberty Bell, first published in 1842. This was nineteen years before the Civil War began in 1861, but the Abolitionist Movement (to abolish slavery) was gaining strength and momentum. Child’s purpose was to show the emotional, spiritual, and physical devastation caused by slavery, particularly to readers in the Northern states. Many people in the North (where slavery had been abolished for the most part by 1800) knew of slavery only from a distance, literally and figuratively. Child provides a fictional but also realistic example of life in a state where slavery was legal, in this case, Georgia. By the end of this story, all of the key characters are dead, similar to what we would expect to see in a Shakespearean tragedy. In this case, the tragedy is slavery itself. How effective do you think “The Quadroons” is in illustrating the author’s and other Abolitionists’ ethical/moral/legal views about slavery? A common question at the time was “how could Xarifa become a slave when neither she nor her mother, Rosalie, had ever been slaves?” The story answers this question in a way that was surprising and appalling to readers who were unfamiliar with these circumstances of slavery. Discuss your thoughts on these issues and any others that are relevant to the story.

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Rating:
5/
Solution: Topic #1 - In addition to its literary significance, the short fictional