Slavery In Nightjohn

NightJohn Essay

Frederick Douglass once said “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free” (Douglass). Slavery first started in the United States of America at around 1776 and ended at around 1865. During this time people, typically dark skinned, would be bought and owned by men (mostly white). These so called slaves were set to do back breaking task in all kinds of conditions. The historical fiction novel NightJohn by Gary Paulsen is about Sarney, a slave determined to learn, who shares many connection with real life slaves from that time. Although Gary Paulsen’s novel, NightJohn, is considered historical

Slaves in NightJohn were determined to learn how to read and write just like they were in real life. Slaves such as Sarney learned from the white kids that went to school.

In the Gary Paulsen’s novel, NightJohn, all the slaves looked out for each other in many ways. Solomon Northup, a free man kidnapped into slavery, wrote in his autobiography “...slaves shouted and mad signs for me to run” (Northup). His fellow slaves warned him of the incoming dogs even when they know their may be consequences for their acts. In the novel, NightJohn supported his fellow slaves supported one another by standing up for Mammy when she was being punished for teaching sarny how to read even though she wasn’t the one who taught her. Night john new he would be punished for teaching Sarney how to read. McDougal Littell’s Creating America it states “Some brave people helped slave escape to freedom along the underground Railroad” The “Underground Railroad” was not underground or a railroad it was just escape routes discovered by slaves. Some slaves supported one another by helping each other gain their freedom via the escape routes. In NightJohn sarny helped NightJohn escape by rubbing pepper on him so the dogs cant chase his scent. Slaves in in real life acted just like they did in Night