What Are The Characters In Laurie Halse Anderson's Chains

589 Words2 Pages

Chains Have you ever loved someone so much that it was hard to let them go? Isabel is a kind slave girl who lost both of her parents. Ruth, her sister, is her life and soul. In the novel Chains, By Laurie Halse Anderson, the main character Isabel learns that even in rough times, something good will always come out of it. Isabel learns this when her master, Madam Lockton, hurts her and when her friend Curzon goes to jail and she visits him. Isabel also learns this when she loses people in the world who mean a lot to her. Many good and bad things happen to Isabel throughout the novel. First of all, Isabel learns she can always get through tough times in her life even when she loses the people she loves the most. Isabel's old owner, Ms. Mary Finch, was very kind to Isabel and her family. When she dies, her only living relative sells Isabel and her sister Ruth to terrible owners. Another loved one that Isabel had to say bye to was Ruth because she got sold away. When Ruth gets sold, Isabel yells to her master and says, “she is a baby, and you sold her away from me”. This shows that Isabel really loves her baby sister. If Ruth’s sister had not been sold, she would have never met lady Seymour, who made her life better. Isabel learns that a bad situation can become good when her best friend Curzon joins the army and …show more content…

She learns this when Madam Lockton hurts her. Madam Lockton threw a picture frame at Isabel, her head cracked open, and Isabel could not think straight any more. Isabel's master also gets her branded. When this happened, she described the process and how she felt. She said, “the glowing iron streaked in front of my face like a comet.” Because of this, Isabel meets Lady Seymour, who is very nice, heals Isabel back to health, and cares for her. This shows that Lady Seymour really loves

Show More
Related

  • Summary Of The Life Of Isabel In Chains

    1193 Words  | 3 Pages

    When Isabel and Ruth were being transported, she says, “I could not see where we came from or where we are going. Maybe the ship would blow off course and land in a country without New York or people who bought and sold children” (Anderson 23). Isabel is being taken away from her home when her owner dies, although her and her sister have been set free in the will that nobody is willing to find. Being transported across the country in less than 24 hours is so difficult for Isabel and Ruth, much like many other slaves that experienced the same thing. An online history website states, “A quarter of the slaves in South Carolina and Georgia escaped from bondage during the Revolution. The Northern states outlawed slavery or adopted gradual emancipation plans” (“Digital History”). Slaves were not happy during this time, or at all. Many tried to escape or revolt. Isabel is the same way in her time as a slave. She becomes a Rebel spy and tries to run away to join them. The mindset of becoming free was common among all

    Read More

  • Theme of Friendship in Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

    823 Words  | 2 Pages

    Lady Seymour and Isabel’s relationship is assembled on both of them being there for each other. An example of loyalty in their friendship is when Isabel saves Lady Seymour from dying when her house is on fire. She awakes realizing the mansion is up in flames. Isabel pulls Lady Seymour along with her, risking her own life, “I dropped the boxes and doll, draped her arm around me, and half fell down the rest of the stairs. Once on the ground floor, she tried to walk, but one of her legs was failing her. I opened the front door and dragged the two of us out to the street.” (193). Isabel takes two relics, that are important to Lady Seymour with her. She takes a painting of a yellow-haired man, Lady Seymour’s husband, and some coins. This is loyal because Isabel could have easily let Lady Seymour die while she decamped the fire. Instead, she drags weak Lady Seymour out of the fire. Isabel holds the valuables because she knows they are important to Lady Seymour and does not want to let her down. To compensate for what Isabel did for her, Lady Seymour gives Isabel money to escape with Curzon. “‘I’ll put the money back,’ I said. ‘Forgive me.’ She shook her head from side to side, her mouth movi...

    Read More

  • Symbolism In Chains

    713 Words  | 2 Pages

    During the small group discussions, we talked about a few major things such as; what Chains symbolized, the Frederick Douglas Memoir, and Dehumanization. Our group discussed that Chains symbolized, how Isabel is locked into slavery. Chains also represents how Madam Lockton is locked in to Master Lockton, and how she is treated terribly by Master Lockton. The Frederick Douglas Memoir was important, because they both taught themselves how to read, although reading did cause a lot of hardships for Frederick Douglas and Isabel. As stated in the memoir, “As I suffered, I at times felt

    Read More

  • Geek Love Character Analysis

    969 Words  | 2 Pages

    After her child is born, she cares for her baby so much and tries everything she can to feed the baby because the baby constantly needs foods. When her sister Elly kills her child, she has enough courage to kill her own twin sister; while knowing that she will too, die because they are conjoined twin.

    Read More

  • Character Analysis Of Mee Maw, By Ray And Lori Jean

    2033 Words  | 5 Pages

    She taught Lori-Jean respect, love, forgiveness, gentleness and compassion. Throughout the book Lori-Jean would often reflect back on something Mee-Maw had told her. Lori Jean would then use that recollection to make her choice. Lori Jean was raised by a multitude of adults. All of the adults were oppressed, underserved and lower class. Yet, some of them had a kind of pride that shined like a golden coin. It was a kind of pride that runs deeps. A pride that is not spoken of, but instead viewed on the outside. All of the adults who helped raise her dealt with a variety of social ghosts. The lower class folk were always treated like they were less than. No matter how hard they worked. Lori Jean’s family were close and helped one another as much as

    Read More

  • Chains Book Summary

    1382 Words  | 3 Pages

    For starters, the title of the book, Chains, fits well with the topic of slavery and being held captive for reasons that we see unjustly now. I say unjustly reasons now because during this time period slavery was a normal service that a majority of people participated in. I think that Anderson perfectly wrote the book about a girl seeking freedom during a time in history where America as a whole was also seeking freedom, which also helped her argument. They both shared the common idea of fighting for freedom and how it pertained to both of them just in different scales. Anderson incorporated descriptions of the Revolutionary War as well as both sides of the Patriots and Loyalist of this war. Many pieces of history were scattered throughout the book, like the Quartering Act when several loyalist soldiers took shelter in the Lockton’s house. Anderson also managed not to hold back towards the graphic descriptions of what Isabel saw being done to other slaves as well as the severity of the cruel and heartbreaking punishments Isabel suffered over the years. Chains was written in the first person point of view of Isabel, which really helped me get a better sense of the emotions and feelings she felt during her slave years. All which helped put me in her shoes and period of time. At the very end of the book, Anderson offers several discussion questions to further engage the reader over the subject and their thoughts over the material they just read. Anderson also offers a plentiful number of historical facts and dates which all relate back to the book. By adding these historical facts, the credentials of the book go up. This also helped, clear any complications I had while reading the book, the extras at the end book basically helped piece the book and time period more clearly by providing me with the missing pieces of information I needed. Overall, I think the book, Chains, was accurate

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Chains By Laurie Hale Anderson

    209 Words  | 1 Pages

    “Chains” by Laurie Hale Anderson is a riveting historical fiction novel that changes your perspective on slavery in colonial America. Isabel, a slave, and her younger sister Isabel have been sold to the Locktons, a Loyalist couple in New York City, despite being promised freedom upon the death of their former owner, Miss Mary Finch. Isabel’s only concerns are protecting her sister and herself, but when she is approached by a young Patriot, Curzon, who offers her a job spying on the Lockmans in exchange for a shot at freedom, Isabel accepts. This begins her harrowing journey of fear, heartbreak, and ultimately, whispers of hope. Hale establishes themes of courage and family by detailing Isabel’s love for Ruth and her willingness to risk her

    Read More

  • Alexandra Bergson's Characters: The Environmental Impact On People

    1198 Words  | 3 Pages

    She grew up feeling like an outsider because of her family, especially because of her mother’s suicide. Lucille and Ruthie most often felt “cruelly banished” (Robinson 81).As Lucille try to make friends with other students in school, Ruthie realizes how introverted she herself has become. Ruthie grows up feeling that she doesn’t belong and when this feeling is strengthened by the initial indifferent attitude of the townspeople, Ruthie makes the decision to follow Sylvie and become a transient. In Ruthie’s case, it was her age that affected her more than her gender. The neighbors were quick to come to make certain that Sylvie is stable enough to take care of Ruthie. Robinson writes that Lucille and Ruthie were scared when they first “heard of the interest of the state in the well-being of children”(68). The laws that were created to protect her, made her feel unsafe and that was what caused her to follow

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Isolation In Speak Of Laurie Halse Anderson

    414 Words  | 1 Pages

    Students seem to get in troubles mostly when they are in high school. If they don’t know how to solve their problems, their whole school lives, perhaps even their whole lives may be destroyed. The most common problem occurs in high school is isolation. It also can be called bullying even though victims are not hurt physically; they are hurt mentally very bad. Some students can’t get out of it because they lack of courage. They don’t dare to speak up for themselves and the problem become worse day by day. The same thing happens to Melinda in the novel Speak of Laurie Halse Anderson. She has a hard time to struggle with her problem. Melinda demonstrates one major theme in the book, speaking up versus keeping secret, through 3 states - keeping

    Read More

  • Theme Of Ignorance In Ellen Foster

    2006 Words  | 5 Pages

    Within the novel, Ellen Foster, the story of a young girl is told by none other than herself. The story tells of how young Ellen endures life with an ill mother who eventually passes away and a drunken father, whom she is left with and basically takes care of herself, amongst paying bills, cooking, cleaning, and everything else one would normally see a parent doing for a child. After Ellen’s teacher notices a bruise on her arm, Ellen is sent to live with the school’s art teacher, Julia, and her husband, Roy. Ellen enjoys life with these people seeing as to how it is much better than the life she once lived, but her grandmother whom she does not like who has never before shown interest in her or love, fights for her in court and wins. Ellen

    Read More

  • Lily Loneliness Quotes

    723 Words  | 2 Pages

    Lily has been raised motherless and alone, but through seeking out the Boatwright sisters, she has many female figures and a new found contentment of her mothers passing. Lily has been affected profoundly by her mothers passing. She constantly seeks to uncover the truth about her mother leaving her and her untimely death. “People who think dying is the worst thing don’t know a thing about life.” This quote shows just how much Lily is affected by not having Deborah in her life and the uncertainty is causing Lily great distress. At this point in the novel, Lily is vulnerable due to the overwhelming thoughts that plague her. From Lily’s journey to Tiburon, we see her break free from her time of loneliness and vulnerability, and instead, flourish

    Read More

  • The Magic Hour Summary

    1186 Words  | 3 Pages

    The father of the girl, now called Alice, came forward and proved that she was his. This was a problem, though, because Julia was already going through the adoption process and connecting even more with Alice. To make matters worse, Ellie got a lead on the investigation of Alice’s case and discovered the cabin where she was kept. The cabin was closed off in the woods, with two ropes on opposite sides where Alice and her mother spent years tied up. Alice’s mother died before Alice got away, and everyone was horrified with what they saw: “’Jesus’ He said, his face pale, his moth trembling. ‘Someone tied her up like a damned dog? How-‘ ‘Don’t-‘ Ellie could feel the tears streaking down her cheeks; it was unprofessional, but inevitable” (Hannah 354). When Alice’s father came to take her back with him, she started to retreat back to her old ways; hiding, not speaking, and making animal noises instead of using her words. It seemed that all progress that Julia made with the girl would be lost if the two were separated. Alice’s father took her and started driving back to his home when she started freaking out. No one could calm her down except Julia, so in the end her father gave up custody: “’She went… Crazy. Howling. Growling. She scratched her face…” (Hannah 385). She needed Julia and Julia needed her, and in the end things worked out perfectly. I really enjoyed how this book was fiction but seemed like a true story. Kristin

    Read More

  • Forge

    954 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the story Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson, the compelling sequence to Chains, the perspective shifts from Isabel to Curzon and we learn what it takes runaway slaves to discover the own paths during the American Revolution. In the desperate circumstance in Valley Forge Curzon meets his old master, Master Bellingham, who captures Isabel and makes her his slave. Curzon and Isabel sort out their tangled friendships and decide to escape together leaving Master Bellingham tangled up.

    Read More

  • Lady Seymour's Disappointed

    358 Words  | 1 Pages

    Imagine being bought and sold, treated like a worthless old thing, moving from owner to owner, and worst of all losing your sister to another owner. Think about how you would feel, what would go through your mind. Then a lady Isabelle has grown to know, Lady Seymour tells her she was going to buy her, but she didn’t fulfill that idea. Anger fills her mind. She could have had a better life, or at least a better period of time in your life. Disappointed is an understatement.

    Read More

  • Stepmom Movie Reflection

    1129 Words  | 3 Pages

    I was very defensive of the character of Isabel, becoming, at times irate with Jackie for insulting Isabel constantly. This was so commonplace that at one point her son, Ben (played by Liam Aiken), tells her that if she really wants him to hate Isabel, he will. At this point in the movie, I really expected the mother to realize the position she was putting her children in and try to mend her ways. But, alas, this does not happen and mom continues to insult poor Isabel to no avail, causing the daughter, Anne (played by Jena Malone)to begin to despise Isabel and is sure to make a point of making Isabel’s life miserable. This continues throughout the movie, even after Jackie is diagnosed with cancer, and realizes that Isabel some day will be the only mother figure her children will have. I remember loathing Jackie at the time, relating to my own rocky relationship with my stepchildren’s mother. She, too, would take digs at me on a regular basis and took all conversations with the kids as a chance to try and turn them against me. So, Jackie was the evil villain of the story in my 1998

    Read More

More about What Are The Characters In Laurie Halse Anderson's Chains

Open Document