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Barbara asked this question about The Underground Railroad:
Does anyone like that the author wrote the railroad as a physical, operating one? I felt it unnecessary and beyond the scope of possibility.
Kevin Rees At first I wasn't sure about the physical railroad, but after reading through each 'stop' (state), I found myself loving the book more and more as an …moreAt first I wasn't sure about the physical railroad, but after reading through each 'stop' (state), I found myself loving the book more and more as an allegorical journey - or better yet, a Homerian journey - where each state/stop on the railroad takes Cora to a place where racism and treatment of slaves/African-Americans is different. It isn't hard to see that the South Carolina stop is based on events from the late 19th and 20th century (medical experiments on African-Americans with syphilis, and forced sterilization). I don't think it takes away from the brutality of how slaves were treated, and it links to other historical ways that African-Americans have faced 'perils' (Jennifer's word) in post-Civil War America. It actually felt to me that Whitehead did a lot of research into other events to craft each of his states.(less)
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The Underground Railroad
by Colson Whitehead (Goodreads Author)
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