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thebookgirl 's review for:
Sapphira and the Slave Girl
by Willa Cather, Hermione Lee
Review Previously Posted On: The Young Girl Who Loved Books
This book was written in 1940, and things have changed quite a bit since then. This is a tough read given the current events unfolding in 2017. I don't agree with how the author uses racism in this book. I winced at the racist protagonist and somehow hoped there would be a change or moral to the story which seemed to never come to fruition. While I enjoyed the story, there were stereotypes that were hard to ignore. This is not one of her best works in my opinion, but in the context of when it was written, this is not too bad of a read.
This is a book which takes place in the pre-Civil War South. The main character is a woman named Sapphira, she is the wife of a small town miller. She is a troubled but well-rounded character. She is disabled and suffers from dropsy, which is an older term for edema, which is when fluid builds up in your legs and feet. She is cared for by a slave girl. Sapphira brought about twenty slaves with her to the marriage. Which I found to be an interesting fact. She is jealous of her maid named Till, the daughter is an attractive, mixed young woman. This daughter is named Nancy, her job is to care for the millers, bedroom and occasional office. Due to Sapphira's life confined to a wheelchair, she has every opportunity for easy dropping and casual gossiping. When she overhears a conversation linking her husband's name with Nancy, Her world begins to spin out of control at her own doing. More trouble happens when the nephew of Sapphira decides to pursue a relationship with sweet Nancy.
It is important to remember this was one of Willa Cather's last novels. This story is a fictionalized version of a story Willa Cather was told as a young girl. Because she uses such dated and derogatory language, I think modern readers are turned off. I believe Cather had a purpose in exploring the book's theme of racism, she was trying to create an outline as to who the southern slave owner thought. How did their beliefs shape who their slaves were treated? How did the way treated affect their self-esteem? How did people think in such ways? I honestly believe Willa Cather was trying to create a dialog pertaining to racism.
A sweet story, filled with real deep issues. A good read for anyone.
This book was written in 1940, and things have changed quite a bit since then. This is a tough read given the current events unfolding in 2017. I don't agree with how the author uses racism in this book. I winced at the racist protagonist and somehow hoped there would be a change or moral to the story which seemed to never come to fruition. While I enjoyed the story, there were stereotypes that were hard to ignore. This is not one of her best works in my opinion, but in the context of when it was written, this is not too bad of a read.
This is a book which takes place in the pre-Civil War South. The main character is a woman named Sapphira, she is the wife of a small town miller. She is a troubled but well-rounded character. She is disabled and suffers from dropsy, which is an older term for edema, which is when fluid builds up in your legs and feet. She is cared for by a slave girl. Sapphira brought about twenty slaves with her to the marriage. Which I found to be an interesting fact. She is jealous of her maid named Till, the daughter is an attractive, mixed young woman. This daughter is named Nancy, her job is to care for the millers, bedroom and occasional office. Due to Sapphira's life confined to a wheelchair, she has every opportunity for easy dropping and casual gossiping. When she overhears a conversation linking her husband's name with Nancy, Her world begins to spin out of control at her own doing. More trouble happens when the nephew of Sapphira decides to pursue a relationship with sweet Nancy.
It is important to remember this was one of Willa Cather's last novels. This story is a fictionalized version of a story Willa Cather was told as a young girl. Because she uses such dated and derogatory language, I think modern readers are turned off. I believe Cather had a purpose in exploring the book's theme of racism, she was trying to create an outline as to who the southern slave owner thought. How did their beliefs shape who their slaves were treated? How did the way treated affect their self-esteem? How did people think in such ways? I honestly believe Willa Cather was trying to create a dialog pertaining to racism.
A sweet story, filled with real deep issues. A good read for anyone.