Frank Freeman's Barber Shop facts for kids
| Author | Baynard Rush Hall |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Plantation literature |
| Publisher | Charles Scribner Publishers |
|
Publication date
|
1852 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover & Paperback) & E-book |
| Pages | c. 300 pp (May change depending on the publisher and the size of the text) |
Frank Freeman's Barber Shop is a novel published in 1852. It was written by Baynard Rush Hall. This book is known as "plantation fiction." It was created as a response to another very famous book called Uncle Tom's Cabin.
What is Frank Freeman's Barber Shop About?
Frank Freeman's Barber Shop is one of many "anti-Tom" novels. These books were written in the southern United States. They came out after Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe. Many people in the South felt Uncle Tom's Cabin did not show plantation life correctly. They also thought it didn't show the true relationship between slaveholders and enslaved people.
Hall's novel was one of the first of its kind. It talks about abolitionism. Abolitionism was a movement to end slavery. The book suggests that this movement could be used unfairly. Another book, The Planter's Northern Bride by Caroline Lee Hentz (from 1854), explored similar ideas.
The Story of Frank
The main character in the book is a man named Frank. He later becomes known as Frank Freeman. Frank lives a peaceful life on a Southern plantation. However, some people Hall calls "philanthropists" convince Frank to run away. These "philanthropists" were actually abolitionists. They promised Frank that if he gained freedom, he would also get an important job.
But when Frank reaches his new life, he finds out he was tricked. His promised important job is just running a small, not-so-nice barber shop. This shop is often visited by the same abolitionists who helped him. He also gets paid very little for his work.
Luckily, members of the American Colonization Society soon find Frank. This group helped formerly enslaved people move to Liberia. They rescue Frank from his difficult situation. They pay for his trip back to Liberia, which was his homeland. There, Frank can finally live in peace.
Connections to Other Books
- The 1853 novel Liberia; or, Mr. Peyton's Experiments has some things in common with Frank Freeman's Barber Shop. Both books feature characters who were formerly enslaved. These characters have hard lives in the North. Then, they are sent to Liberia to find peace.
