Slavery
This novel details with brutal imagery the experience of slavery in America. Celia’s experience of slavery is detailed, including the intense abuse at the hands of her master. The text is also concerned with the legality of slavery, and how supporters and opponents of slavery resisted each other.
The law
In this novel, the law is presented as being incredibly unjust and wrong. Celia kills her master in self-defense but is accused of his murder and is subsequently killed. The text details certain laws and agreements that were passed that hindered progression. For example, The Missouri Compromise is referred to in the text, an agreement that allowed residents of Missouri to own slaves.
Violence
This text is filled with violence, which is an accurate representation of the time in which it is set. The novel shows the violence and brutality of slavery, including the "ever-present threat and reality of rape" for female slaves. The text also details the violence that ensued between supporters and opponents of slavery on the streets.
