Trouble Don't Last

How does the author leverage Harrison’s past as an illustration of The Hardships of Enslavement, and how does the stylistic decision to leave much of his story untold intensify this effect?

How does Harrison and Samuel’s journey illustrate The Challenges of Seeking Freedom? Use examples from the text to support your answer.

Choose two characters who help (and/or hinder) Harrison and Samuel on their journey and contrast the ways in which these characters illustrate different aspects of The Role of the Underground Railroad in American History.

While birds often symbolize freedom throughout the text, what other abstract concepts do birds represent in certain moments? How do these shifting associations reflect Samuel’s changing attitudes about freedom?

Explain the dual role of bodies of water as both a hindrance and a help to Harrison and Samuel during their journey north. How do bodies of water represent liminal spaces, and how do they become destinations in and of themselves?

What is the significance of comparing Canada to the biblical “promised land”? Use details from the novel to support your argument.

How do Samuel and Harrison demonstrate the importance of resilience in the face of adversity? Use details from the novel to support your answer.

How does the novel illustrate the importance of family? Use details from the text to support your argument.