Reaction to Free At Last

The story is written; a third generation runaway slave who had fled bondage In the South for the freedom of the North, but still physically enslaved, in that she is the property of another. The work is surprisingly not an anti-slavery narrative, and the writer does not attempt to argue against the unfair institution of slavery. The writer is disturbed and repulsed by the idea that her freedom should be bought. The reason for this is that she is already unshackled mentally, her reasoning are sound. The forgiveness and strength of her grandmother that leads her wish well for her enslavers, is a character the writer willingly confess to not having and by such the narrative is not a romantic writing. Although her relationship with Mrs. Bruce shows genuine love, kindness and goodness, the writer has her own convictions which she only relents from not being forced but by sensibly reasoning the situation.

She is very independent thinker.

The writer offhandedly, but poignantly questions the institution of Christianity, that could sanction slavery as not only probable but acceptable. The freedom from captivity that the Bible espoused is not for her. She is threatened by a system that passed her down as inherited property. An interesting feature of the essay is that the writer’s education prevents her from freely accepting a purchase of her freedom. She refers to herself as an American a title that the law does not offer her.

But even so the writer is glad for the relief that the purchase of her freedom brings even though she hates the concept. The benefit her purchase brings is greater than the philosophical musing over the concept. She is free and she learns to accept that fact as important. She accepts the gratitude the past attempt that her father and grandmother made to purchase her freedom.

                                                                    

 Although three hundred dollars is a paltry sum for some one’s life it was what was required and paid. The story ends with her devotion to the kindness of a white woman Mrs. Bruce who pities and loves her people. The writer makes it clear that although her story does not characteristically ending in marriage as other stories; she is still free and even has ambitions of providing a house for her children and herself. She is indeed an example of a strong black woman; and she writes beautifully.

Mythical_Poet

2010