Morality

The novel’s examination of slavery demonstrates the inherent immorality of systems of oppression, and this exploration begins with the illustration of the fundamental immorality of captivity. The novel begins developing these concepts by highlighting the deleterious nature of loss of agency. The novel recognizes that slavery is founded on the dynamic of one person or group stripping personal agency from another person or group. For example, early in the first chapter, Sapphira declares, “I ought to be allowed to arrange Nancy’s future” (8). This statement highlights its own malevolence, as the novel’s conception of morality operates on the precept that each individual should be responsible for their own lives and future. Although these ideas are obvious and accepted in a post-slavery world, they may be extrapolated to apply to other moral precepts, such as highlighting how other forms of violence and oppression serve to...