Dessa Rose (Masterplots II: African American Literature Series)
At a glance:
- Author: Sherley Anne Williams
- First Published: 1986
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Historical realism
- Time of Work: 1847–1848
- Setting: Northern Alabama
- Principal Characters: Dessa Rose, Ruth Elizabeth Sutton, Adam Nehemiah, Nathan, Harker, Cully
- Genres: Long fiction, Historical fiction
- Subjects: African Americans, History, Racism, Blacks, South or Southerners, Escapes, Nineteenth century, Slavery or slaves, Interracial relationships, Oppression
- Locales: Marengo County, AL
The Novel
Dessa Rose is a fictional slave narrative, the story of a strong black woman committed to fight until she and those she loves can “own ourselfs.” The novel begins with Dessa imprisoned in a sheriff’s cellar. She has been sentenced to death for participating in a revolt on a slave coffle that killed five white men and maimed the trader, Wilson, but her execution has been delayed pending the birth of her child. When Dessa is interviewed by Adam Nehemiah, her indirect answers thwart his efforts to uncover details of the revolt. A sketchy outline of her...
[The entire page is 3627 words long]
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