Review of DAY OF TEARS: A NOVEL IN DIALOGUE

Bibliography:

Lester, Julius. 2005. Day of tears: A novel in dialogue. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 0786804904

Review:

Based on an actual slave auction which took place in Savannah, Georgia in 1859, Days of Tears: A Novel in Dialogue takes readers in to the memories and hearts of the slaves and other individuals who were touched by this tragic event in which plantation owner Pierce Butler sold over 400 slaves in order to pay off a gambling debt. Julius Lester focuses on the story of twelve year old Emma, who has cared for Butler’s two daughters since his divorce, and Joe, the young man who was sold to the same owner. Despite Butler’s promise to Emma’s parents, he accepts a bid for the young girl, separating her from her parents forever. In a series of dialogues, various characters reveal what happened before and after the auction and how it affected their lives. Young readers may have difficulty following the shifting dialogue at first and have to rely on the list of “principal characters” to keep track of what is occurring. However, as the story progresses, readers will be so caught up in this moving novel that they will come to know the central characters intimately. The author does not spend much time describing the setting; instead, he focuses on the dialogue, interspersing scenes from the past with monologues given by the characters later in life – Emma as an old woman; the crippled auctioneer; a grown-up Frances Butler, who never forgave her father for selling Emma and the other slaves. These monologues help to fully develop the characters and reveal the anger and sadness that many of the slaves felt as they tried to survive in a world in which they didn’t even have control of their own lives. The fact that the story is told from varying points of view makes its impact even greater. Readers are hit hard by statements such as Emma’s revelation that Mistress Henfield “acts like I don’t have feelings, like it don’t hurt me in my heart to be sold to her like I was nothing more than a bag of walnuts or a sack of onions.” Although the storyline is sad, it offers readers an accurate portrayal of this horrific part of American history. Days of Tears’ arrangement is perfect for a Reader’s Theater for older students, and the book opens the door to lively discussion and debate about many issues surrounding slavery and prejudice.