Summary Of Fires Of Jubilee

A Summary of Fires of Jubilee The Fires of Jubilee by Stephen B. Oats presents a riveting and harrowing tale of Nat Turner and his systematic and militaristic slave revolt against Virginia slave owners in the mid-1800s. The story is constructed in an incredibly accurate and historically chronological style. Oats begins with a vivid description of Southampton, Virginia. He continuously personalizes the reader with the setting by detailing the accounts of Southern living and daily life; a major part of this theme involves the constant descriptions of the environment surrounding the characters. In this he allows the reader to become immersed in the world of the old South. A great deal of the story is concentrated on the stipulations of wealth associated with the ownership of slaves, the number slaves and vastness of his plantation determined a man's social caste. This marks an important point of the story; a slave's only equivalent was of monetary identity.

Oats quickly exposes the reader to the core of aggression in the slaves toward their "owners"�. He makes important the inhumane treatment and crude conditions that a slave had to endure under their control. The roots of Nathaniel Turner's plight are found here. The introduction of Turner's character seems to lead the reader into a foreshadowing of his potential. Continuous references are made to his keen natural knowledge and sharp sense, even at a young age he was regarded as "an important fellow among his playmates"¦with a genius like Nat to lead them"¦"� (Oats 12). This longstanding respect of fellow slaves through his life established the backbone of his ability to organize a dedicated following in the slave community. This following was detrimental to the success of his cause. Turner