Introduction
In 1986, Sherley Anne Williams published Dessa Rose, a historical
novel about slavery. The novel is written in the style of a slave narrative and
incorporates elements consistent with narratives written in the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries such as Uncle Tom’s Cabin and Narrative of
the Life of Frederick Douglass.
The novel is divided into three sections (in addition to a Prologue) offering
different perspectives of Dessa Rose. In “Darky,” Dessa illustrates
the viewpoint of Adam Nehemiah, a reporter who is seeking information about her
and other slaves in the Wilson Rebellion, a slave uprising that resulted in the
deaths of white men. “The Wench” is about Dessa’s relationship with Miss Rufel,
a white mistress and unsuspecting abolitionist. In “The Negress,” Dessa
provides her view point about Rufel and their travels through the South.
Williams explains that the novel is based on two historical events that she has
blended together in the novel. In 1829 in Kentucky, a pregnant black woman
helped to lead an uprising in a coffle (a group of slaves chained together and
usually taken to market). She was caught, convicted, sentenced to death
and executed after the birth of her baby. In a separate event in North
Carolina in 1830, a white woman was reported to have provided a safe haven for
a group of runaway salves. Williams brings these two women together in
Dessa Rose.
This novel was written as a response to William Styron’s The Confessions of
Nat Turner (1967), which Williams considers flawed historical
fiction. Dessa Roseattempts to reclaim that history and give an
authentic voice to the experience of slave life. Williams's poetry and her
early essays such as Give Birth to Brightness: A Thematic Study in
Neo-Black Literature (1972) reflect her interest in preserving an
authentic black aesthetic—incorporating rhythm and blues, spirituals, and
poetry. Dessa Rose was produced as a musical in New York in 2005.
Extended Summary
Dessa Rose is historical fiction and begins with a Prologue, a
description of a moment between Dessa and Kaine. Dessa illustrates the
tenderness of their love through his song, his actions, and her responses and
delight in their union. This Prologue is in Dessa’s own words as she describes
a scene from a moment in the past.
The story has a third-person omniscient narrator, notes from a writer named
Adam Nehemiah, and first-person narration from Dessa. Nehemiah is gathering
information from Dessa and others about the Wilson Rebellion for his account
entitled “The Roots of Rebellion in the Slave Population & Some Means of
Eradicating Them.” Nehemiah is writing a book on slave uprisings.
In the story, the fictional Wilson Rebellion takes place on a trail near Linden
in Marengo County, Alabama. Five white men are killed and Master Wilson loses
his arm. Thirty-one slaves are killed and nineteen are branded or flogged.
About $38,000 worth of property is destroyed or damaged. Dessa attacks Master
Wilson and so begins this violent event. After spending a period in jail, she
is moved to Sheriff Hughes' farm to be near his cook who can also serve as a
midwife to the pregnant Dessa.
Nehemiah visits Dessa to ask her questions. His previous work allowed him to
interview subjects about slave uprisings in Tennessee and also in Louisiana.
James Carpenter is a major landowner in Louisiana and his information foiled
the insurrection. For this portion of his report, Nehemiah relies on
information from Sheriff Hughes who has had far greater contact with slaves (as
a slaveowner himself) than Nehemiah would ever wish for himself.
Dessa and a group of Wison’s slaves were on their way to...
(This entire section contains 1442 words.)
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the market to be sold. They had planned only of stunning the white men leading the group, taking their guns, tying them up and leaving; what actually happened that dark night went beyond anyone's expectations.
One of the white guards in the group was an alcoholic who was continuously
raping Linda, a slave, in the bushes. On his return from the bushes, he failed
to secure the chain after removing Linda from it. Someone in the chain moved
and all of the chains fell away. Linda appeared with a bloody rock in her hand
and the rebellion began.
Sheriff Hughes enters the cellar where Dessa is being held and Dessa moves
away. A look or flicker in her eyes sets off a violent response from Hughes; he
strikes her and bloodies her nose. He immediately regrets his outburst. He
gives her the “saltwater” treatment; no food and only heavily salted water to
drink.
Dessa demands a bath in a creek. She injures her foot and develops a limp. She
moves with chains around her ankles and she is very close to delivering her
baby.
At first when Nehemiah asks her questions, she does not answer. From either
exhaustion or pain, her eyes remain close and only occasionally flicker. At
some points during her captivity, she hums songs and begins describing
Kaine and his banjo. She also argues that slaves belong only to their masters
and not to their mothers, sisters, brothers, or family.
Dessa explains that the baby belongs to Kaine and that she had refused to abort
when given the opportunity. This upsets Nehemiah. Dessa also explains that
she had to persuade Kaine to let her keep the baby; he did not want to have a
child that would be born into slavery.
After her escape from Hughes farm, Dessa has taken to Sutton's plantation. As
they approach the house, Rufel Sutton is startled by Dessa’s
ashen appearance and then she hears the baby. Dessa passes out and wakes
up in a bed surrounded by a white woman, Rufel, the mistress of the
plantation. A slave named Ada helps her.
Rufel and Dessa have a difficult time with each other initially. They begin a
disagreement about Mammy, a slave that once lived at Sutton. Mammy nearly
raised Rufel and since her death Rufel has found no one to replace her. Dessa
knows Mammy. She knows where she is from and the names of her
children—information that upsets Rufel. How can this slave girl know Mammy?
After an argument, a frustrated Rufel leaves and has violent thoughts about
Dessa. Rufel believes that Dessa must have done something awful before she came
to Sutton.
Upon returning to Dessa, the two women attempt to speak to one another again on
more civil terms. Dessa explains that she away because she did not want her
baby to be a slave. Rufel asks questions about Dessa’s ordeal during and after
the Rebellion. Rufel moves forward to inspect Dessa’s body and later feels the
humiliation she has caused her.
Rufel is not convinced that she has the entire story about Dessa. She patiently
begins a friendship with another member of the Wilson Rebellion group who is
staying nearby and fishing regularly at the stream near the Sutton home. Nathan
develops a close relationship to Rufel that resembles the closeness she felt
for Mammy. Nathan teaches Rufel’s children how to make snares to trap small
game. He brings his fish catches to her table.
Nathan asks questions about the return of Master Bertie. He would like to know
if the Master will give them a share of the crop that they are producing or if
he will claim it all as his own. Rufel is unable to answer him
truthfully.
It has been understood that the Master is out trading. However, he
has been gambling. Rufel and Nathan’s relationship becomes intimate. Dessa is
upset when she finds them together. She leaves and takes a walk around the
land, comparing it to the Quarters, her previous home; she feels
displaced.
In the meantime, Harker and Nathan have developed a plan to raise money by
working with masters to repeatedly sell them at market. They have chosen Rufel
as part of their plan. Dessa continues to be upset about Nathan and Rufel. Then
Harker and Dessa start a relationship, although she still has feelings for
Nathan.
Rufel eventually agrees to the plan to falsely sell the slaves to earn money.
They travel and end up at Mr. Oscar’s place. Rufel charms Mr. Oscar and things
nearly get out of control until Dessa shows up and helps to get Mr. Oscar out
of Rufel’s bed. The group continues on to Lake Lewis Smith and sells Harker and
Ned at Wilkerson. From the proceeds, Dessa receives two new dresses from Rufel.
Their travels turn into a mock minstrel show at times.
Nathan stops a run-away horse and buggy near a small town and the owner
instantly offers money for Nathan. The price reaches eleven hundred dollars and
he is sold. Rufel announces that she would like to have the rest of the group
all come with her as she continues traveling and they wait for Nathan to
return. Dessa speaks foolishly and accuses Rufel of chasing after Nathan. Rufel
is hurt and upset because she thinks of Dessa and the others as her friends.
Understandably, Dessa does not know how to process this idea.
While Dessa is on her way to the bakeshop, she hears someone call her name but
does not recognize the voice. The voice calls for her again and then a white
man grabs her arm. It is the last man she saw when she was kept in the cellar
at Sheriff Hughes farm, Adam Nemi (Nehemiah). Dessa is frightened and struggles
to get away. Something knocks her off her feet and she is struck in the head.
There is a disagreement in the jail about to whom Dessa belongs; she
claims she belongs to the Suttons but Nemi disagrees.
Nemi, the white man who accuses her, wants her to show her hips and branding
marks, but the sheriff will not comply. He sends someone to find Rufel. Dessa
is put in a cell. Rufel arrives with Clara and expresses her outrage. Rufel
explains that they cannot have a man check underneath Dessa’s dress for her
scars because her slaves are carrying a great deal of money. Sheriff offers to
call in another “darky,” Aunt Chole, to check Dessa. Dessa gives Aunt Chole a
coin. Aunt Chole says that Dessa has no such marks or scars. Rufel insists that
Dessa now call her Ruth.
The group continue West with Rufel’s assistance. Dessa grows old with
grandchildren. Over time, she comes to know good white people in the West.
None, however, equal Ruth.