Analysis of Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turners Fierce Rebellion by Stephen B. Oates - Book Report/Review Example

Book Review “Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner’s Fierce Rebellion” by Stephen B. Oates Introduction History cannot be treated just as a cluster of specific events that took place in the yesteryears that are to be forgotten as lost events in the dark abbeys of the by-gone days. All the historical events have specific reason and they always helps to understand our present better and assist to construct our future. The gruesome rebellion of 1831 in Virginia headed by Nat Turner and the savage aftermath that consequently followed the upsurge is indefinitely one of the very important events in the slave history of the world in general and United States in particular. The rebellion shook the pillars of the myth pertaining to the contentment of the slaves and undoubtedly is one of the most important turning points in the history of America. John B. Oates, the renowned author of history and writer of sixteen books and consultant at the “talking head”, a series hosted by Ken Burn related with Civil War and recipient of the Nevins Freeman award for the civil war studies, takes the pain and the plunge to seek and search the reason that culminated into one of the most horrifying civil wars of America in his epoch making book, “Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner’s Rebellion”. This book explores the background of an upsurge which culminated into such a horrifying event along with the explanation and reconstruction of the facts properly that drive not only the scholars and students but ordinary readers as well from the complacency of America’s slave history. Overview The book, “The Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner’s Fierce Rebellion” within its limited and terse documentation captivated within 208 pages, bears the testimony of a very interesting and episodic event in the history of America. It consists of a ‘Prologue’ bearing the title, ‘Southampton County, 1831’ and four parts. The first part bears the title, ‘This Infernal Spirit of Slavery’, the second part is known by the name, ‘Go Sound the Jubilee’, the third part bears the title, ‘Judgement Day’ and the final and the fourth part is known by the name, ‘Legacy’. Nat Turner is one of the most famous slaves responsible for the manifestation of one of the most violent upsurges in the history of America resulting from the years of oppression and depravity. The book, “Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner’s Fierce Rebellion” tries to record the accurate events and life of the Old South with empathy. The exact meaning of being slave in the South during 1800s is explicitly described and envisioned through the eyes of Stephen B. Oates. The literary representation of the chronicle makes the book more interesting and the novel is framed into two basic paradigms. At the fist plane, the book discusses the biography of the protagonist, Nat and the events which lead him to turn into a rebel is described through the historical events depicting the exact socio-economic backdrop from which it has evolved. Right from the outset of the book, Stephen B. Oates strikes the note and prepares the platform on which he can continue exploring the upcoming events that resulted into the violent up rise and was about to shake the entire nation along with the southern state of Virginia in 22nd August, 1831. The economic background which is the most dominant factor in this upsurge is properly treated and explained. Stephen Oates goes on to explain and present the vivid panorama of poverty of the slaves and the ruthless treatment of their masters. Oates takes the pain of explaining the minute details of the life style of the slaves starting from their pungent living conditions in the outhouses to the ramshackle houses exclusively used for their dwelling. Very deliberately and subtly, he prepares the background and makes the mind-set of the readers ready to accept and introduces the protagonist of the entire event, Nat Turner. Then, he goes on to explain the reason for Nat Turner becoming the father of the slave rebellion and the kind of “justice” that was delegated to the person after he was caught. The first two portions of the book lay the foundation for the understanding of the causes of the rebellion systematically explaining the oppression, tyranny and a long era of deprivation, the slaves needed to encounter before they refused to go with their dilapidated conditions any more thereby finding no other option but to take law in their hands. In this section of the book, author Stephen. B. Oates was successful in making understand his readers the circumstances under which the slaves had no other option but to call for the desperate measure. The second half of the book, precisely the last two chapters, focuses on the emergence of Nat Turner as a hero and throws light on the events which made him a rebel to the exploration of reasons and aftermath. In the second half of the book, Stephen B. Oates presents a picturesque detail of the events that took place during the upsurge with a complete empathy in favour of the slaves. The engaging biography of Turner exposes many facts that are extra-ordinary and was never dealt or explored before. He explains the facets of Turner’s character as a boy, a man and the influence of his death which was perceived by the society around. The events that culminated into a rebel actually set a moral defence for the rebel. The way Turner also became a part of the vicious cycle after the death of his first old master and was made slave by Samuel Turner, the son of his old master neglecting the commitment of his father for sparing Nat for his tremendous intelligence, justifies his grievance. To sum up it can be easily said that the book, “Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner’s Fierce Rebellion” is divided into four distinct parts. However, the parts are not divided at equal length. The first chapter builds a platform for Turner’s introduction and deals with the slavery and the environment in which it had throbbed during 1820s and 1830s. The second chapter or part of the book deals with the call of Turner for the revolt and his religious ideals that provoked him to take such steps. The longest section of the book is its third section bearing title, “Judgement Day” and provides an explicit account of Turner’s bloody rebel which found its reciprocation through the equal violent movement of the owners. The description of Turner’s violent upsurge mentioned in this section of the book builds up an aura of attraction and disgust together. And the last section of the book deals with the continuity or the legacy of Turner and his predecessors which are followed by a beautiful epilogue from Oates which describes his travel and relation of his visit with the Southampton County in Virginia during 1970s. Review The book, “Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner’s Fierce Rebellion” by Stephen B. Oates provides an engaging study for a period which is not much accessible. The book is very lucid and informative. Everybody had heard about Nat Turner but the kind of information that the book by Stephen B. Oates provides, seems actually that those facts have evolved from the keen perception and gaze of a professional historian. At the first reading of the book, it would seem that the book is only targeted to a popular audience but introspection through the pages would launch into a different perception where the readers would get convinced that the book is very much well-researched and thought provoking. The most fascinating part of the book is that it provides a detailed information and perception of the background against which the revolt of 1831 in America was constructed. This information also helps the readers to understand the socio-economic backdrop of the particular period in America which is presented in a very contextual way relating it to the life of the slaves in general and Turner in particular. No documentation is complete and the book, “Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner’s Fierce Rebellion” by Stephen. B. Oates is not an exception in this regard. This book also misses out certain points; addition of those would have made the book more coherent. Like the detailing of the extreme horrifying and blood washed story of the rebellion could have been replaced with more information on Turner’s early life. But these facts does not diminish the importance of the book in the study of American history since 1800s as it almost gives a picturesque detail of the socio-economic condition of America and throws an insightful detailing on the living conditions of the slaves. After giving a thorough introspection of the book, it is quite evident that the book is very helpful in understanding and appreciating the slave history of America and it establishes the missing link between the slave history of 19th and 20th century in America. The book with all its attributes is highly recommended and appreciated. The book is written for all and is helpful for the academicians and the learners of the history and civil war studies as it is beneficial to understand the reasons for myriad civil-wars taking place across America in 19th and 20th century. Conclusion The book, “Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner’s Fierce Rebellion” by Stephen B. Oates is a perfect blend of history, adventure, romance and sociology. The book intends to ignite the inquisitiveness of every common reader to indulge into a journey of a period that is mostly forgotten amid the highly attentive facets of history. The fact that Nat Turner is a rebel is widely acceptable but the reasons for his rebellion find proper judgement in the epoch making book, “Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner’s Fierce Rebellion”. Bibliography Briley, Ron. “A Study Guide for Stephen B. Oates’ The Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner's Fierce Rebellion”. Sandia Preparatory School. May 2006. History Cooperative. July 02, 2011. Oates, Stephen B. The Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner's Fierce Rebellion. Harper Perennial, 1990. Read More