Analysis Of Stephen Oates s The Fires Of Jubilee

Stephen Oates, in a riveting storytelling fashion, captures the desires and anxieties of the early to mid-19th century, with The Fires of Jubilee. Oates has performed rigorous study to present an accurate portrayal of a fascinating and mysterious man, who lived during an extraordinary period in American history. Oates begins the book with a thorough biography of Turner. He makes a real effort to show what could lead a man to commit the actions he did. Nat was born on October 17, 1800 in Southampton County, Virginia. His mother, Nancy, was brought to America in 1795. The man who purchased her was Benjamin Turner, a wealthy tidewater planter. Nancy married a slave whose name is not known, and gave birth to Nat. Interestingly, she tried to kill Nat rather than see him grow up to be a slave. I find this to be an incredible and very powerful piece of information. If that doesn’t illustrate how emotionally and physically devastating it was to be enslaved, then I don’t know what could. By the time he was four or five years old, people started to realize that there was something very special about Nat. He could recall things that had happened before he was born. Nat s parents were very proud of him and discovered strange marking on his head and back. African legend held that a male wit h such markings would grow up to be a leader. His intelligence earned him the respect and admiration of other slaves as well. One time he was given a book by another slave, and was able to decipherShow MoreRelatedThe Fires of Jubilee: How Reliable is It? Essay1462 Words   |  6 PagesThe Fires of Jubilee, by Stephen B. Oates, tells an account of Nat Turner’s rebellion. Beginning with Nat’s early life and finally ending with the legacy his execution left the world, Oates paints a historical rending of those fateful days. The Confessions of Nat Turner by Thomas R. Gray and approved by Nat himself is among Oates’ chief sources. Oates is known as a reputable historian through his other works, and has strong credentials however, in the case of The Fires of Jubilee there are some