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Character Analysis Of Isabel In Thomas Paine's Chains

541 Words3 Pages

Isabel is a thirteen-year-old African-American slave working under Madam Lockton, a dirty loyalist, in the novel Chains. Throughout Chains, Isabel changes from an intimated and gloomy young girl to a confident and proud young woman. Many events all through the book help shape Isabel’s character, but a few things were very important to Isabel’s development. Those things are reading Common Sense, realizing that Madam cannot chain her soul, and discovering that Ruth had been “sold”.

Before reading the pamphlet Common Sense by Thomas Paine, Isabel kept thinking that she would never have a shot at gaining her freedom. After reading, Isabel discovered that there was hope and that if she put her mind to it she would eventually gain freedom. On page 233, Laurie Halse Anderson writes, “I laid down one long road of a sentence in my remembery: ‘For all men being originally equals, no one by birth could have a right to set up his own family in perpetual preference to all others forever.’ Way I saw it, Mr. Paine was saying that all people were the same, that no one deserved a crown or was born to be higher than another. That’s why America could make its own freedom.” Isabel then realizes that she does have a shot at freedom and it isn’t impossible to find her river of Jordan. She feels empowered to go out and get her freedom which was …show more content…

This event took place on Christmas Day, Wednesday December 25th, 1776. When she is thinking this, she is referring to Madam Lockton. This quote shows a completely different side of Isabel that the readers didn’t know about at the beginning of the story. Isabel starts off intimated by Mr. Finch and Madam Lockton, then gradually grows to become a confident girl and starts to stand up for the sake of protecting Ruth and herself. This quote helped me realize the intense aspiration and desire Isabel had for wanting her

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Throughout the book, Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson, it discusses the adventures and mishaps of a young girl named Isabel, struggling to gain her freedom with her sister, Ruth. In the beginning of the story, Isabel and her sister are forced to leave to New York after their old owner died to live with their new, selfish owners, Mr. and Mrs. Lockton. When Isabel hears the news about the start of a riot from the British colonies trying to attain their freedom from her new friend, Curzon, she begins to spy and give details about Mr. Lockton's plans and schemes. Eventually, Ruth gets taken away from their home after a series of on and off ilnesses, and Mrs. Lockton realizes that Isabel has been giving information to the Patriots, their enemy,

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She could not leave and go shopping whenever she wanted. However, when she did get out, she had much joy. She went out for her belongings when she was moving and a police guard was with her. She had to pay for his lunch and was ecstatic to get out. "That one day of liberty was wonderful.

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In the historical fiction novel, chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson showed me that people who were slaves in the past were treated cruelly and inhumanly. To start off, Isabel and Ruth’s owners (Madam Lockton and Mr. Lockton) don’t ever think of the girls as people but just as slaves that do their work for them. For example, in the book when Madam Lockton or Mr. Lockton needed to get their attention or call them over, they didn’t address them by their real names but as “girl” or “Sal”. This shows how careless Madam Lockton and Mr. Lockton are about Ruth and Isabel and they can’t even call them by their real names, which is very frustrating for me when I was reading this part in the book.

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Title: Chains Historical Time Period: American Revolutionary War Genre: Historical Fiction Standard: Key ideas and details Summary: As the Revolutionary War begins, Isabel, a young slave, wants freedom. She and her sister (Ruth) are promised freedom when her owner dies,but they become the property of a mean couple, the Locktons, who have no compassion for the American Revolution and none for the girls. When Isabel meets Curzon, a boy who is also a slave that has links to the Patriots, he encourages Isabel to spy on her owners, who know things about British plans for invasion. She is hesitant but when Ruth is sold and sent away, Isabel's devotion is to whoever that can provide her with freedom. Quotes about the time period (2) Details: How does this quote

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Former slave, Isabel Gardner sets herself free. Thirteen year old Isabel and her little sister, Ruth, were sold to the Locktons, a malicious New York City couple. Soon after Isabel meets Curzon, a slave with connections to the Patriots, he encourages her to spy on her owners . Isabel is reluctant at first, but when Curzon tells her that it his owner might be able to sort out the situation with her and Ruth, Isabel begins spying for the rebels. Isabel 's story reaches the point of maximum intensity when Madam Lockton discovers that she 's been taking food to American prisoners of war.

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Thomas Paine, a local pamphleteer in the pre-Revolutionary War era, wrote a convincing pamphlet to any colonists who were not already supporting the war for independence from Great Britain. In his argument, Paine uses rhetorical strategy, an emotional aspect, and divine revelation towards the citizens to create a very moving, passionate, and convincing call to arms. The first line, “These are the times that tried men 's souls,” is one of relatability and preparedness for the oncoming difficult times. Paine starts his essay off with a refutation of his argument, stating that although he wants this fight, he knows it will be tough. Paine then challenges the men’s bravery and patriotism to their country by stating the line “The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country.”

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Thomas Paine was an English-born theorist and writer. He withheld an important voice in the revolution, using his common sense and beliefs to help build America's roots as he fought for independence against Britain, Paine has been known as the ‘voice of the revolution’ for this. He voiced is thoughts and beliefs in writings, specifically his piece called Common Sense. Common Sense was an opinionated piece that informed people of their freedom they are being deprived of, and to push for this freedom; their natural rights. He wanted separation between the colonists and Britain.

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hains opens with a funeral, which pretty much tells us up front that it 's going to be a pretty bleak story. Isabel, our heroine, and her younger sister, Ruth, are attending the burial of their owner, Miss Mary Finch. The occasion presents a great deal of hope for Isabel and Ruth, as Miss Finch planned to free the girls in her will. When Isabel confronts Miss Finch 's brother about this, though, he basically thinks she 's making it up. To make matters worse, her lawyer is stuck in Boston, where a major uprising has just taken place over the British colonies ' desire for independence.

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They dragged me from one place to a second place.” (pg141). In this depiction you see that Isabel is vulnerable and she cannot do anything to stop the punishment. Further the punishment does not stop there and it continues for about 2 days because she was left there. Although this could have occurred more than once during slavery, I do not think that students in fifth grade should be exposed

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