A fresh view underground

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, published in 2017, tells the story of Cora, who starts her life as a slave working in the fields of the Randall cotton plantation, and her escape and journey through the perilous South. The author takes on the Underground Railroad, a system once used to help slaves escape to freedom, describing rickety rail carts, train conductors and an intricate system of secret tunnels stretching underneath the brutality of the South.

Cora, the main character, is raped as a young girl and treated with cruelty and disrespect by male slaves and white plantation owners alike. Through her story, and the stories of her mother and grandmother — who both willingly and unwillingly gave birth to many children (most of whom succumbed to the tragedies of plantation life) — we as readers can deeply understand the struggle and suffering of women during the times of slavery and Jim Crow.

As Cora continues her journey, attempting to get an education and find a better life while being hunted by slave catchers — and experiencing exploitation and racism even after making her way to the free states — she realizes that she will never escape discrimination and white supremacy as long as she is in America. But she also realizes she must try to live her life regardless. These are truthful sentiments that any African-American can relate to, and the book communicates that even today’s America is not yet past the horrors of slavery.

The book has a science fiction aspect that takes a fresh perspective on a story that Americans already are familiar with, and illuminates it in a new way that is essential for people to read. Ultimately, the book invites readers to rethink their view of struggle and suffering in America today — something everyone should have the opportunity to do.

Natalia Payne is a sophomore at Santa Fe High School. Contact her at nataliapayne@icloud.com.