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  • Essay / Summary and Analysis of The Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner's Fierce Rebellion

    The Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner's Fierce Rebellion is a non-fiction historical account written by Stephen B. Oates. Oates chronicles the life of Nat Turner, a boy who grew up in Southampton County, Virginia. The book is set in the early 1800s, a time when slavery was on the rise. Slavery at that time was a very common practice. African Americans in the New World would perish simply because of the color of their skin. Oates vividly describes the social and economic events that led to the courageous rebellion of Nat Turner and his fellow slaves, which would inevitably have one of the greatest impacts on America in 1831. Oates captures the reasoning behind the revolt by telling through Turner's eyes and recounting the hardships of his life as a slave, which effectively shows how Nat's actions and decision to rebel were completely justifiable. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Thanks to Stephen B. Oates, Nat is introduced as a gifted child with God-given powers. Having qualities different from other peers, such as being intellectual and learning quickly, Nat was aware of events even before he was born. Although these were apparently traits Nat was born with, he also encouraged himself to study the Bible and gain more knowledge as he grew older. He was determined to have a purpose in life, and ultimately his goal was to change the lives of others through his gift. Nat should be seen as someone who has a gift and an opportunity. He would be very different from society. Highly educated and close to the faith, he would trace his path with God at his side. Determined for things to change, Nat Turner would be known for leading a very bloody and horrific outburst in his own rebellion. In the 17th century, slaves were mistreated and ranked below humans. The treatment reserved for slaves at this time would be one of the main factors of the revolt. Stephen B. Oates explained the harsh treatment and intensive labor a slave had to endure. Slaves were constantly whipped, fed meager amounts of food, and given little time to themselves. Nat and his other slave peers faced very harsh conditions and suffered from poor health conditions because the slave masters neglected all of these problems. Nat would also share his own experiences on how it worked. In The Fires of Jubilee, Oates gives detailed descriptions of Nat's daily life, which included picking cotton "until their shoulders and fingers ached to the bone," planting and harvesting harvests in the field. field, moving plows, repairing fences, pulling and stacking hay, and other miscellaneous tasks from his seemingly endless to-do list. Religion is said to be important and plays a major role in Nat Turner's ideas and thoughts. Religion is emphasized as a key point in Nat's realization of his deserved freedom. His faith would be one of the many factors that would encourage him to start the rebellion. Being well informed, Nat's thoughts would make him understand that this rebellion is necessary. The voices and whispers would guide him to the thought that slaves like him deserved as much freedom as any white man had ever had. Nat showed his strong sense of liberation from his fellow human beings. Turner let God and his religious beliefs guide his actions and did not let emotions take control of him. As.