Tuesday, June 21, 2016

My Name is Resolute by Nancy E. Turner

This was a long read, but so interesting to hear Resolute's story. A privileged daughter of a Jamaican plantation owner who was kidnapped and enslaved in the early 1700's when women were treated as chattel. Because of her age, Resolute seemed to slip out of the grip of the abusers around her--but her older sister was not so fortunate. Resolute goes from the bowels of a dirty ship to a convent in Canada, sold from the pirating slave-owners to the hateful colonist slaveowners, to the Church slaveowners. When she finally escapes, it is to Lexington, MA where she finds a "local lunatic" who believes in her and assists in establishing her in the community. This story opened my eyes to all that women could not do in that culture -- and all the reasons why those early colonists rebelled against the British. So many injustices, and liberties that were taken away--it made me wonder what it would take for me to stand against our government, or would I be so filled with fear and confusion about what to do--that I would do nothing??