| "The Known World" is an account of the life of Henry Townsend, a black slave owner in Virginia. It begins with his death and tells his story through flashbacks. He is born into slavery, but his father, a master wood worker, manages to buy freedom for himself and eventually the rest of his family. While still enslaved, Henry becomes a favorite of his white master. After he is freed and gets some land, he is persuaded to get some slaves of his own. He builds a house and marries, and his lands prosper, but when he dies at a young age his estate begins to fall apart. His wife cannot handle the slaves, and some run off before she can manage to regain control.
The novel focuses on the relationships between free blacks, slaves and the white community. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of book? - thoughtful Time/era of story - 1600-1899 Political/social activism Yes Plotlet: Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Main Character Gender - Male Profession/status: Age: - 20's-30's Ethnicity/Nationality Main Adversary Identity: - society Setting How much descriptions of surroundings? - 5 () United States Yes The US: - Southeast Writing Style Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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