Chains

Part 1 ends with some of the novel’s most devastating experiences for Isabel, and many of these instances involve betrayal by adult figures. First, Madam Lockton offered gingerbread and milk, but she spiked the milk. Then, she does the unthinkable. In separating Ruth from her sister, Madam not only removes Ruth’s support system but makes her vulnerable to more exploitative abuse at the hands of new owners. Historically, many enslaved persons feared being sold more than death—especially being sold southward, as it was believed that the further south one went, the harsher the slave owners and conditions. Being sold to a sugar cane farm in the West Indies therefore seems a hellish fate for Ruth. People enslaved on these plantations were exposed to harsh climates, mosquito-borne illnesses, and maiming or death from the sugar production process. Isabel cannot comprehend Madam’s cruelty, and the anger that has been building inside her finally boils over into rage. Modern-day people often ask why enslaved persons did not rebel; these people certainly did sometimes rebel—however, without education, allies, or any means of survival, their rebellion would only lead to a harsh beating or worse. It often seemed better to submit and stay alive. Isabel’s rebellion is met with grave violence, but she is undeterred in seeking justice against Madam’s treachery.

The day darkens further as Isabel flees to the only helper she knows, Colonel Regan at the Battery. This is another instance of an adult figure betraying Isabel. Despite pledging to aid her, he submits to the law and releases her back to Madam. Nevertheless, Isabel’s travail has only begun. The practice of branding humans dates to the Roman empire when criminals were branded for their crimes. Within American chattel slavery, slave holders branded their slaves to prove ownership in the event their property fled. This practice was both intensely painful and publicly mortifying, and the fact that Isabel is a child further darkens the moment. Even in this moment of isolation, however, her family is with her as her parents’ ghosts appear and comfort her; this reflects the importance of family. Isabel’s connection to them is so deep that even in death, they are with her.

Lady Seymour is the third adult to betray Isabel in these chapters, but her betrayal is more covert. Her kindness is notable but certainly not heroic. Once more, an adult accedes to the law instead of standing up for what is right. In his “Civil Disobedience,” a piece later referenced by Martin Luther King Jr., Henry David Thoreau says, “Unjust laws exist; shall we be content to obey them [...] ?” In giving Isabel a place to convalesce, Lady Seymour is only extending basic human decency. Trafficked and abused, Isabel needs intervention to protect her from further harm. Lady Seymour states she abhors the practice of buying and selling children, yet she does not use her power or influence to change the laws, nor does she use her resources to circumvent the law. She participates in the very system she claims to oppose.