Summary Of Chains By Laurie Halse Anderson

Albert Camus once said, “The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion" (Murphy 1). In the novel Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson, Isabel is denied of the first, sixth, and eighth amendments.Isabel is not given the freedom of speech and freedom of religion. She is also banned from trial by jury and a right to a council.Lastly Isabel is not given the right that protects her from cruel and unusual punishment. As a slave, Isabel is stripped of her rights to certain freedoms.

Isabel is not granted the right to speak in her defence nor practice her own freedom. After Isabel ran away from her master and was then branded she was not able to speak in her defence in the courtroom. This is shown when Isabel was thinking “I wanted to ask about Ruth, and were the blood on my shift came from, and who broke my teeth, but I was the only person in the room whose hands were tied, so I kept silent” (Anderson 144). Isabel had no choice in which church she wanted to attend and was was forced to go to the Locktons church. For example, “ Trinity was an Anglican Church filled with prayers of England, burning incense and ministers in fancy dress. It discommodated me to attend but madam gave me no choice” (Andersom 117). Isabel had no chance to speak

Instead of a jury deciding her punishment for insolence Mrs. Lockton is given the task to assign her penalty. This punishment is decided when the judge asks Mrs. Lockton “‘Do you have any wishes as to the punishment that I shall consider Missus Lockton.?’” (Anderson 145). Isabel didn't have a lawyer to defend the lies that were given about her incident with Mrs. Lockton. For instance, Isabel stands alone and thinks “Questions were asked of the incident. Lies were given as answers” (Anderson 144). Isabel stands alone and has noone to protect her from these