Laurie Halse Anderson's Chains Analysis

The book Chains By Laurie Halse Anderson, is about a slave, Isabel. Throughout the whole story she was “...chained between two nations,” as she often said. ‘Chains’ describes her circumstances best because she was always stuck between the Loyalist and the Patriots. Isabel was often told pros and cons about the Loyalist and the Patriots so she was always weavering sides. But finally, at the end of the story she chose her side, the patriots. Isabel used the word ‘chains’ to describe her situation(s) frequently throughout the book. It is always used as a metaphor because she isn’t actually chained up. When ‘chains’ is used in the book it means that something/ someone is holding her back from what she wants to do, but they are not physically …show more content…
Isabel always felt trapped or stuck because of something or some one. She wanted to be free but she wasn’t. People were often forcing Isabel to be on a side. Becky once told Isabel, “They are all saying that the Lord is on the side of the rebellion… that will surely displease the Lord,” (Becky 170-171). Isabel believed deeply in the Lord and was very shock and confused when Becky told her this. Isabel was a slave to a Loyalist couple. So she had to be on the side of the Loyalist, “Them that feed us- they’re Loyalist, Tories. That means we’re Tories too,” (Becky 46). Becky was telling Isabel that she should have no other opinion about this because she is a Loyalist because of the people they work for. If Isabel were to side with the Patriots, the would end up going to jail or Madam Lockton would beat her so she had fear driving her to go to the Loyalist. Isabel was being forced to be a Loyalist because people round were telling her the ‘benefits’ to being a Loyalist. But she also had Patriot influencers, like Curzon. Curzon once told Isabel, “You don’t count to them,” (Curzon 83). He was telling Isabel that she was not a human/ a person to the Loyalist. He was convincing her to side