Black Thunder :: Black Thunder Essays

Black ThunderIn the year 1800 doubting Thomas Jefferson was campaigning very hard against John Adams for the presidency of the United States. crossways the Atlantic, in France, Napoleon Bonaparte had consolidated his leading of France. Meanwhile, in Santo Domingo (later Haiti), Toussaint LOuverture, with the uphold of his countrymen and tropical diseases, repelled 20,000 French troops and formed a new smutty republic.The exploits of Toussaint did not go unobserved by slaves in the United States, especially in Virginias Henrico County. In Black Thunder, Gabriels Revolt Virginia 1800, author Arna Bontemps tells us what bequest the age of revolution brought to the slaves of Richmond.The chief character and leader of the slaves is Gabriel, the youngest of three brothers. although he is the biggest and strongest of the three. Gabriel and his brothers, Martin and Soloman, be the property of plantation owner Thomas Prosser. Gabriels ascendancy to the leadership role of the slaves is s ecured when he bests Ditcher, a huge slave, who defeated Soloman and Martin in prior combats.Gabriels awakening and enlightenment to freedom starts and grows from his many trips into Richmond as Mr. Prossers shover driver. In Richmond, Gabriel makes it his duty to eavesdrop on the conversation of M. Cruezot and Alexander Biddenhurst, Frenchmen whose discourses are often laced with phrases of equality and liberty. These Frenchmen are referred to as Jacobins by the whites. Moreover, Gabriel and others are regularly listening to a freed slave, Mingos reading of the Bible they find passages around the Children of Israels deliverance from Egypt and Davids slaying of Goliath interesting. The slaves consider themselves other Children of Israel in another time.With a natural yearning to be free, and the enlightenment to reinforce and kindle his urge, Gabriel starts to lay a plan to smash the shackles that bind him. Every occasion is in place, the drive back is poised to be executed, b ut the unexpected and most unwelcome thing happens -- a thunderstorm. The streams become inundated, the roads turn into rivers of mud, and Gabriels legions are bogged down, unable to assignation with him. The torrential rain breeds superstition and it in turn breeds desertion. Some of the slaves verbalise the stars are against them, and others question the rightness of their mission. A dwindling force is not one that insures victory, so Gabriel postpones the revolt to await more favourable weather.During this time, Pharaoh and Ben, ii slaves who are assigned the task of rallying support from the slaves of Carolina County, are having minute of arc thoughts about going through with the plan.