Interview With Laurie Halse Anderson (continued)

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Laurie II I love the research and find the blending of fiction and nonfiction to be a complete delight. Placing fictional characters in accurate historical settings and circumstances allows me more insight into our history.

Since no one thinks she is intelligent, and no one believes she pays any attention to what is going on in the house beyond her own duties, Isabel becomes a fly on the wall, gathering information about plans to recruit more Loyalists with monetary bribes as well as plots to assassinate George Washington, without anyone suspecting her. Sneaking out in the middle of the night, Isabel risks her life to deliver these messages to the rebels, all with the hope of having them return the favor Cartier Replica Watches by someday soon giving her and Ruth their independence. But Isabel soon learns that her brave actions mean little to a society still deeply rooted in prejudice. It is a cruel discovery for such a young girl, yet it also empowers Isabel to trust in herself, for it is up to her alone to secure her and Ruth's freedom.

Ruth ...
... is the most important person in Isabel's life. At five years of age she represents a simplicity and innocence that Isabel no longer has but still struggles to hold onto for Ruth's sake. Ruth does not fully comprehend what is happening, and it is Isabel's desire to keep it this way. She only wants her to know that she is safe and loved, but this proves difficult due in part to an ailment that causes Ruth to have seizures. Madam Lockton believes the young girl is possessed by demons and threatens to have her removed from the house. Isabel does her best to keep Ruth out of Madam's way, but soon after Ruth has an episode at church, she is sent away in the middle of the night, unbeknownst to Isabel. Believing Ruth sold to a physician in the West Indies, Isabel loses herself in anger and confronts Madam, who quickly has Isabel jailed and branded with an / on her cheek for "Insolence." With numerous promises and her spirit broken, Isabel seems resigned to life as a slave, but she soon discovers that hope can never be fully extinguished as long as goodness still exists.

What is amazing about this novel is that while history plays an integral role in the story's development, it is the journey of the individual that really shines through. Despite seemingly insurmountable odds, Isabel refuses to accept how others view her and resists becoming hardened and bitter as a result of her suffering. Instead, she continues to find joy and satisfaction in helping others, like Curzon, who ends up jailed along with other rebel soldiers and left to die, or her Master's aunt, whom she saves from a terrible fire, even though she could have simply saved herself. In doing so, Isabel finds that there is true power in kindness, and its strength cannot be determined by the color of one's skin, nor can it be taken away by even the greatest of evils. In this knowledge, Isabel stands firm, and in a moment when all seems lost, she finally gets her reward: Ruth has not been sold; she is in Charleston. With little time to act, Isabel gathers all that is left of her inner strength to finally make her escape.

The metaphor of chains, as suggested in the title, is primary in the novel. Chains are heavy; they are used to bind, constrict, and control, and Isabel is covered in them. She is bound by her race, her status, and her sex. Yet even when she cannot physically remove these chains, she can mentally break free Tag Heuer Replica from them. Isabel reads, learns, and expands her mind. She keeps her ears and her heart open to possibilities; even her liabilities become her strengths. From this, young readers will find themselves easily connecting to Isabel and her plight, delighting in the idea that one person, much like themselves, can make a difference, can be brave enough to risk it all in hopes of a better life. The only difficulty comes in waiting for the arrival of Anderson's next novel to find out if Isabel's struggles procure her the freedom she so desires and deserves.