The Fire of Jubilee Nat Turner’s Fierce Rebellion by Stephen B. Oates (Essay Sample)

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The Fire of Jubilee Nat Turner’s Fierce Rebellion by Stephen B. Oates
Stephen B. Oates book entitled The Fire of Jubilee Nat Turner’s Fierce Rebellion documented a bloody slave rebellion that took place in 1831 in Virginia. The savage revolt, which was led by Nat Turner, eliminated that myth of the benign master and contented slave. The insurgency played a crucial role in intensifying the drive for change that developed and plunged the nation into a bloodbath of civil war.
Stephen B. Oates, a renowned biographer of Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham Lincoln, used his book to present an insightful and gripping account of the rebellion. He accurately documented the tough, gifted, self-driven man who led it, the circumstances that caused it, and the legacy left after the incident.
Stephen’s book contained a story of a slave that had been raised by good white masters who gave him a chance to access education. Nat was a complex man because the white community never expected that he could rebel against them. He was a religious man that believed that God had chosen him to lead a fight for freedom. Ironically, the Hebrew meaning of his name Nat (Nathaniel) means “the gift of God.” His self-drive and strength to fight emanated from the fact that he felt important and special. It was reported that when he was a child, he was a spectacle. His parents could boast to the other slaves because their son had congenital scars and bumps on his chest and head. In African tradition, the signs were interpreted to mean that the young Nat was destined to become a leader. The feeling of importance was also associated with his astonishingly high natural intelligence. When he was a child, he possessed a natural ability to learn how to read and write on his own. The special ability baffled other slaves, including their master, Ben Turner. At one time, he surprised his mother by telling of an event that happened before his birth. When asked how he learned about it, he stated that somehow he just knew. Nat Turner never drunk, although it was considered dishonorable for slaves not to drink on holidays. He also had a unique ability to see visions, which made him believe that God had chosen him.
Because of his uniqueness, Nat enjoyed special treatment attached to an opportunity to learn and read The Bible. His masters noted that his intelligence and capabilities exceeded that of an average slave. Therefore, they encouraged him to entertain their friends using his wit and literacy. The family of Benjamin Turner, the slave masters unknowingly set for themselves a great track by allowing the young Nat to enjoy freedom at his tender age. The tables turned when Nat became old enough to operate in the fields. It was then that he understood the meaning of being a slave. He experienced a painful time because he was subjected to hard labor just like any other slave.
Having understood the value of freedom, Nat became sorely displeased with the manner in which slaves were treated. Nat Turner utilized his religious influence over his fellow slaves and the spotless standing among the whites to plan a rebellion in 1831. His action resulted in both ignorance and fear of the Virginia white community regarding the institution of slavery. Before the start of the rebellion, Nat had taken time to position himself as a leader among the slaves. He posited that he received messages from God and vision of angels. He gained respect because of his aptitude, subservient behavior, and politeness. As he grew older, he became a slave preacher and eventually created his own following. Because of his unquestionable character, Nat was allowed to conduct unsupervised church meetings. It was through the meetings that Turner communicated his intentions and beliefs. He also recruited slaves willing to participate in the revolt.
In one August night, Nat led a group of slaves in a house-to-house attack using axes, knives, and hatchets. The rampage, which continued for two days, left a trail of mutilated bodies. When the insurgency began, the Southampton citizens thought it was another conflict with the British. They never imagined that the highly reputable Nat Turner could lead a revolt against them.
The book greatly affected me because it contained numerous lessons on religious teachings, history of racism, trust, governance, and the struggle for freedom. The book presented a paradoxical situation where the whites and the black communities used the scriptures to justify or reject slavery. The white community used instances from the Bible to support their claim that slavery was justifiable. On the contrary, the black community, including Nat Turner as their preacher, indicated that people were created equal in the sight of God. The author invoked a feeling of sympathy when description was made concerning the difficult situations that the slaves were forced to encounter. The problems faced by the slaves was accurately brought out through Nat Turner, the main character, because he started by enjoying a free life before tasting the bitter end of the institution of slavery. The book affects the reader through numerous instances where the author presented the plight of slaves. Throughout the book, Turner’s life took an unlucky twist in various situations.
I liked Stephen’s book because it was clear and simple, which makes it easy to understand for any reader. The historical account presented by the author served as an educative masterpiece with a great potential for altering people’s perception concerning the American slave era. Many historical books that documented events during that period assumed the viewpoints of the white community. However, the book was unique because almost every aspect was presented from a slave’s viewpoint. The resource is lovable because it presented credible, detailed version of the events that took place in Southampton County during the days of Nathaniel Turner. The accounts were given a scholarly analysis of historical details, meaning that it suits those people interested in delving deeper into the study of the slave era. The resource accurately captured the slaves’ emotions, denied opportunities, daily challenges, and reaction towards their masters.
Although the author enjoyed high rating because of accuracy and credibility of his account, it is possible that many vital elements were left out of the book. The entire narrative account was given from the perspective of a slave’s life. In that respect, it is imaginable that slight bias was integrated into the book. Oates did not give a suggestion or verdict concerning whether the action of the slaves against their masters was justified or nor. However, from a critical point of view, his stand was made clear from the treatment of the thralls. Oates disliked slavery because he indicated that the servitude acted as a means of “racial control.”
To enhance credibility of his book, the author should have taken a neutral position and leave the audie...