Nat Turner is the story of slavery and the horrors that led Turner to lead one of the bloodiest revolts of the time. It is told vividly through wordless images and occasional confession excerpts from Thomas R Gray’s book “Confessions of Nat Turner”.. We learn and experience slavery and Turner’s tumultuous life story as he retells it in his confession to Thomas R. Gray. We learn about how Africans were hunted, shackled, branded, and transported in rat-infested ships; how they were humiliated, inspected, and sold; how they lived or existed; and the hopelessness and cruelty they experienced. We also learn about Nat Turner: how he was told he was special, bright and inquisitive, and how he heard others saying he was destined for greatness. We learn
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At the time, slaves were not permitted to receive a formal education, and therefore were unable to read or write. The only way slaves knew how to communicate with each other was through the use of drums. As Baker tells us in his notes, “Many laws such as the Mississippi Black Codes outlawed drums, which Africans used for communication.” We see the outrageous consequences faced by those who broke the laws and learn that both communication between slaves and education of young slaves was forbidden. In the illustration we see the slave who was caught using a drum getting his hands literally chopped off for something one might consider to be a petty problem. I consider this particular image to be especially effective and captivating because we see how severe of a consequence there is for a slave who commits a merely minor offense. The slave is shown being held down forcibly against a tree stump with the use of chains as restraints. We also see the large man to the right who is literally seconds away from using an axe to remove the slave's hands. Most people who are familiar with American history are probably aware of how slaves would be punished for running away, but others may not have known that a slave could be punished so harshly for just about anything …show more content…
We see and read of the horrors and death inflicted upon Whites and Blacks. We learn that the rebellion was a bloodbath and slaughter as Turner led slaves through slave owners’ homes in Southampton County, Virginia, killing the owners and their families; murdering 55 people in total. The third section ends as we see that Nat Turner survived the rebellion and hid for six weeks until he was eventually found and taken into custody. The final chapter of Nat Turner contains excerpts from the record of Thomas. R Gray, who took Turner’s confession following his capture in his prison cell while he was awaiting his punishment. Baker also graphically shows the hanging of Turner as well as the reactions from the surrounding crowd of people who have come to watch. Many people considered Turner to be a monster due to his involvement in the slave revolt, and others argue that his actions were justifiable because of the way he and many other slaves were treated. Kyle Baker’s graphic images, and excerpts relate these horrible, volatile events as we intimately view their unfolding, along with selections of Nat Turner’s
At the time, slaves were not permitted to receive a formal education, and therefore were unable to read or write. The only way slaves knew how to communicate with each other was through the use of drums. As Baker tells us in his notes, “Many laws such as the Mississippi Black Codes outlawed drums, which Africans used for communication.” We see the outrageous consequences faced by those who broke the laws and learn that both communication between slaves and education of young slaves was forbidden. In the illustration we see the slave who was caught using a drum getting his hands literally chopped off for something one might consider to be a petty problem. I consider this particular image to be especially effective and captivating because we see how severe of a consequence there is for a slave who commits a merely minor offense. The slave is shown being held down forcibly against a tree stump with the use of chains as restraints. We also see the large man to the right who is literally seconds away from using an axe to remove the slave's hands. Most people who are familiar with American history are probably aware of how slaves would be punished for running away, but others may not have known that a slave could be punished so harshly for just about anything …show more content…
We see and read of the horrors and death inflicted upon Whites and Blacks. We learn that the rebellion was a bloodbath and slaughter as Turner led slaves through slave owners’ homes in Southampton County, Virginia, killing the owners and their families; murdering 55 people in total. The third section ends as we see that Nat Turner survived the rebellion and hid for six weeks until he was eventually found and taken into custody. The final chapter of Nat Turner contains excerpts from the record of Thomas. R Gray, who took Turner’s confession following his capture in his prison cell while he was awaiting his punishment. Baker also graphically shows the hanging of Turner as well as the reactions from the surrounding crowd of people who have come to watch. Many people considered Turner to be a monster due to his involvement in the slave revolt, and others argue that his actions were justifiable because of the way he and many other slaves were treated. Kyle Baker’s graphic images, and excerpts relate these horrible, volatile events as we intimately view their unfolding, along with selections of Nat Turner’s