Narrative of Sojourner Truth (Dover Thrift Editions)
by Sojourner Truth
List Price:
Our Price: $0.01
You Save: $2.49 (100%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Sojourner TruthEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1997-07-07
ISBN: 048629899X
Number of pages: 80
Publisher: Dover Publications
Book Reviews of Narrative of Sojourner Truth (Dover Thrift Editions)
Book Review: Religion is Power
Summary: 3 Stars
Sojourner Truth is well known for the journey she made across the country speaking to people about God. This narrative, Narrative of Sojourner Truth, traces the steps of this admirable woman`s "sojourn". Truth was born Isabella Baumfree some time between the year 1797 and 1800. She was born into a family with a deep spiritual background. This narrative does a good job of showing how slaves used religion as a form of healing. Through everything that these individuals went through, they still believed in God and that He had a plan for them. "...There is a God, who hears and sees you...He lives in the sky and when you are beaten, or cruelly treated, or fall into any trouble, you must ask help of him, and he will always hear and help you" (Truth 4).
At an early age, Truth was taught to pray without knowing exactly to whom she was praying to. This is common for most children. If your family practices a certain religion, chances are you will too. The background of the narrative really sets up the main point. Her past religious experiences give a deeper meaning to her journey. Truth used spirituality to overcome, not only her circumstances, but also to inspire others as seen through her praying, spiritual awakening and teaching.
Truth was born into slavery an experienced how it ripped families apart. At a young age she was sold and separated from her family. The new family that purchased her happened to speak only English. This was a problem because Truth was only fluent in Dutch. Her spirituality is put to test in this section. Truth was beaten constantly because she could not follow the orders of her master. The language barrier made this experience hell. "If they sent me for a frying-pan, not knowing what they meant, perhaps I carried them pot-hooks and trammels. Then, oh! how angry mistress would be with me" (Truth 10). Even through experiences such as this, Truth still had faith in God and this goes back to her childhood. "...She did not forget the instructions of her mother, to go to God in all her trials, and every affliction; and she obeyed...begging him to protect and shield her from her persecutors" (Truth 10). Truth continued to pray to God and eventually her prayers were answered when she was sold.
Emancipation was decreed by the States in 1928. Truth's new master, John J. Dumont, had promised her that she would be freed a year before the anticipated date. Ultimately he lied and she continued to work for him. Slaves were taught to be honest and truthful with their masters; this was apart of their contract. "The slaveholders are terrible for promising to give you this or that, or such a privilege...when the time of fulfillment comes, they, forsooth, recollect nothing of the kind and you are taunted with being a liar or the slave is accused of not having performed his part or condition of the contract" (Truth 18). After this point, the narrative takes and interesting turn; one that I was not expecting. Since Dumont reneged on the promise, Truth ran away. At this point, I think Truth does a good job of breaking away from what the reader is used to. She was an obedient slave for so long, accepting everything that was thrown at her and handling it well. This proves to be a breaking point for her. Truth's honesty and hard work was being taken for granted, so she took matters into her own hands.
The narrative reaches a pivotal point once Truth's escapes. I believe that her religious epiphany is a major moment. This moment is what brings the memoir together. Truth's relationship with God was strengthened through Jesus Christ and she finally had her own religious identity. "Jesus...appeared to her delighted mental vision...he loved her so much...he had always loved her, and she had never known it...he should stand between her and God! And God was no longer a terror and a dread to her" (Truth 37). The narrative become interesting to me at this point. I wanted to know what Truth was going to do with this vision. How it was going to guide her.
Truth's religious epiphany sets the narrative up for the next important section. She decides to travel around the country, lecturing "...testifying of the hope that was in her'-exhorting the people to embrace Jesus, and refrain from sin, the nature and origin of which she explained to them in accordance with her own most curious and original views" (Truth 57). This is my favorite part of the narrative. Truth shows how one can overcome any circumstance; and that can be practiced today.
Sojourner Truth grew up speaking Dutch, so I found the fact that she was able to reach/touch so many people with her words interesting. Even though she eventually learned English, she was still an illiterate, ex-slave and this is why I liked this narrative. It shows a transformation from a slave to a freewoman of knowledge. I would recommend Narrative of Sojourner Truth to anyone who wanted to learn more about slaves after emancipation. This narrative also offers an understanding of how the power of religion can get people through almost anything. The target audience of this narrative is definitely high school students and older. It teachers the reader a lot about Sojourner Truth while keeping them involved in the narrative by asking questions at the end of many of the chapters.
Summary of Narrative of Sojourner Truth (Dover Thrift Editions)
This inspiring memoir, first published in 1850, recounts the struggles of a distinguished African-American abolitionist and champion of women's rights. Sojourner Truth tells of her life in slavery, her self-liberation, and her travels across America in pursuit of racial and sexual equality. Essential reading for students of American history.
Ethnic & National Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Ethnic & National Books
Oprah: A Biographyby Kitty Kelley
Random House Audio; Published: 2010-04-13; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $15.00
Price in other shops:
The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dreamby Barack Obama
Three Rivers Press; Published: 2007-11-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.14
Price in other shops:
Henry IV, Part I (Oxford School Shakespeare Series) (Pt. 1)by William Shakespeare
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 1995-10-20; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.99
Falling Leavesby Adeline Yen Mah
Penguin Audio; Published: 1999-04-01; Audio Cassette; Book
Best price: $50.00
The Pact: Three Young Men Make a Promise and Fulfill a Dreamby Sampson Davis
Prentice Hall; Published: 2006-08-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.65
Brutal: The Untold Story of My Life Inside Whitey Bulger's Irish Mobby Kevin Weeks, Phyllis Karas
William Morrow Paperbacks; Published: 2007-03-13; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.92
Price in other shops:
Black Boy: A Record of Childhood and Youthby Richard Wright
Harper Perennial Modern Classics; Published: 2007-03-27; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.30
Price in other shops:
Thirteen Senses: A Memoirby Victor Villasenor
Harper Perennial; Published: 2002-09-03; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.95
Price in other shops:
Obama: From Promise to Powerby David Mendell
Amistad; Published: 2007-08-14; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $0.01
Price in other shops:
Jubana!: The Awkwardly True and Dazzling Adventures of a Jewish Cubana Goddess (Spanish Edition)by Gigi Anders
Rayo; Published: 2005-05-31; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $1.95
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
Great Speeches by American Women (Dover Thrift Editions)by James Daley
Dover Publications; Published: 2007-12-26; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.50
Price in other shops:
The Mis-Education of the Negroby Carter Godwin Woodson
CreateSpace; Published: 2010-07-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.44
Price in other shops:
Uncle Tom's Cabin (Dover Thrift Editions)by Harriet Beecher Stowe
Dover Publications; Dover Publications; Published: 2005-08-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.89
Price in other shops:
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (Dover Thrift Editions)by Frederick Douglass
Dover Publications; Dover Publications; Published: 1995-04-13; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.01
Price in other shops:
Selected Writings and Speeches of Marcus Garvey (Dover Thrift Editions)by Marcus Garvey
Dover Publications; Published: 2005-01-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.15
Price in other shops:
Great Speeches by African Americans: Frederick DouglassDover Publications; Published: 2006-04-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.71
Price in other shops:
Up from Slavery (Dover Thrift Editions)by Booker T. Washington
Dover Publications; Dover Publications; Published: 1995-10-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.01
Price in other shops:
The Souls of Black Folk (Dover Thrift Editions)by W. E. B. Du Bois, William Edward Burghardt Du Bois
Dover Publications; Published: 1994-05-20; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.19
Price in other shops:
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (Dover Thrift Editions)by Harriet Jacobs
Dover Publications; Published: 2001-11-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.71
Price in other shops:
When I Was a Slave: Memoirs from the Slave Narrative Collection (Dover Thrift Editions)Dover Publications; Published: 2002-07-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.19
Price in other shops: