An Embarrassment of Riches

Property - by Felicia If you’re looking for a compelling short novel, Property by Valerie Martin won’t disappoint. Written from the view of a white female slave owner, Manon Gaudet, the book introduces us to a familiar scenario — a woman in an unhappy marriage. The difference is that few novels give us such an honest portrayal of white women who owned slaves and how they felt about their property.
At first, Manon seems to be no different than other women of this time period. But slowly we realize that this woman can only see beyond her own circumstances. Her husband, who according to Manon is dull as can be, does seem to try to win her affections. But he commits a common betrayal of slave owners and gets one of his slaves, Sarah, pregnant. Although Manon certainly doesn’t want him in her bed, she is disgusted that he would humiliate her and have a bastard with one of their slaves. Throughout the novel, she wishes him dead so that she can pursue a happier life. But Manon’s bitterness and loneliness will never allow her true happiness.
The author teases us with glimpses of Manon’s humanity but quickly extinguishes these by giving us insights into Manon’s lack of compassion for Sarah (or any other slave), who in no way wanted Manon’s husband’s attention. Manon is blithely unaware of the harsh, miserable life that Sarah must endure and sees her simply as a manipulative, conniving woman who doesn’t know her place. When Sarah runs away after a violent encounter with a group of runaway slaves who come to the house, Manon is determined to get her back. Sarah won’t be allowed any good fortune in her life if Manon can help it. And she does.
Compelling to read, this book reminds us of slavery’s long-reaching effect on everyone it touches. The author gives us a raw, brutal portrayal of these characters and draws us into a story that forces us to think about our own ideas of race and class.

Truth Through Fiction and The Known World - by Felicia I could never understand how free blacks could own other blacks. How could they justify this? The Known World, by Edward P. Jones, sheds some light on the topic, while making the devastation and tragedy of slavery in our country all too real. The main characters in this novel, both black and white, help us to understand the impact of this institution and how it affects us to this day.

Henry is a slave until the age of 14. Although he witnesses the atrocities of slavery, he is never a recipient of his master's abuses. A few years after his parents purchase his freedom, Henry purchases his own slave, and is reluctant to tell his parents he has done so. The scene that ensues is heartbreaking. His parents' question is a simple one: How could he become a slave owner when he himself has witnessed its evilness? His decision creates a schism between him and his parents that is never repaired.

Both black and white slave owners believe that they are doing the slaves a favor. Of course, the slaves are better off than they would be in Africa, where they were just savages. The way that the black slave owners view the slaves is particularly disturbing. They seem to feel no kinship with any of them, even those who were former slaves themselves. And if they must beat or maim their slaves, it's because they deserve it. How else to keep them from doing wrong?

One of the least surprising parts of the novel occurs when some free blacks are sold back into slavery. While a common practice, the affects of this practice are hard to read. In this one instant, the story changes from tragedy to horror.

Jones' story, though fiction, is all too real in its portrayal of the relationships among whites, free blacks and slaves and really helps us understand how the history of slavery still affects our morals and beliefs.