The Underground Railroad (novel) facts for kids
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| Author | Colson Whitehead |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Slavery |
| Publisher | Doubleday |
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Publication date
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August 2, 2016 |
| Pages | 320 |
| ISBN | 978-0-385-54236-4 |
The Underground Railroad is a historical fiction novel written by American author Colson Whitehead. It was published in 2016. The book tells an alternate history story. It follows a young enslaved girl named Cora. She lives in the Antebellum South (the time before the American Civil War) during the 1800s.
Cora tries to escape from her plantation in Georgia. She uses the Underground Railroad. In this novel, the Underground Railroad is shown as a real train system. It has secret routes and safe houses. The book became very popular and won many awards. These include the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction. A TV show based on the book was released in May 2021.
Contents
The Story of Cora's Journey
The book's story often switches between different characters. We mainly follow Cora, the main character. But we also hear from others. These include Ajarry, Cora's grandmother. We also meet Ridgeway, who hunts down enslaved people. Other characters are Stevens, a doctor, and Ethel, a station agent's wife. Caesar is another enslaved person who escapes with Cora. Finally, there is Mabel, Cora's mother.
The story takes place in several states. These are Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Indiana. It also ends in an unknown "North" location.
Life on the Plantation
Cora is an enslaved person on a Georgia plantation. She feels like an outsider. This is because her mother, Mabel, ran away without her. Cora is angry at Mabel for leaving. Later, we learn that Mabel tried to return to Cora. But she died from a snake bite before she could reach her.
Caesar, another enslaved person, asks Cora to escape with him. At first, Cora is not sure. But her life on the plantation gets worse. So, she finally agrees to go.
The Escape Begins
During their escape, Cora and Caesar meet people who hunt enslaved people. They capture Lovey, Cora's young friend. Cora has to protect herself and Caesar. This means she cannot expect mercy if she is caught again.
An abolitionist (someone who wants to end slavery) helps them. Cora and Caesar find the Underground Railroad. The book shows it as a real underground train. This train system runs through the South. It carries people seeking freedom to the North. They take a train to South Carolina.
South Carolina and Danger
Ridgeway, the slave catcher, starts looking for Cora and Caesar. He wants revenge. Mabel, Cora's mother, was the only person he failed to catch.
Cora and Caesar live comfortably in South Carolina. They use new names. South Carolina has a program where the government owns formerly enslaved people. But it also employs them. They get medical care and shared housing. Cora and Caesar enjoy their time there. They put off leaving.
Ridgeway arrives before they can leave. Cora has to return to the Railroad alone. She later learns that Caesar was caught by Ridgeway. He was then killed by an angry crowd.
Hiding in North Carolina
Cora eventually arrives at a closed station in North Carolina. Martin, whose father ran the station, finds her. North Carolina has recently ended slavery. They now use indentured servants instead. The state also has harsh laws. Any runaway enslaved people found there are punished. This includes some freedmen (formerly enslaved people).
Martin is scared of what people might do to an abolitionist. He hides Cora in his attic for several months. Cora gets sick. Martin's wife, Ethel, treats her even though she doesn't want to. One day, while Cora is out of the attic, their house is raided. Ridgeway recaptures Cora. Martin and Ethel are killed by the mob.
Freedom in Indiana
Ridgeway takes Cora back toward Georgia. They stop in Tennessee to return another enslaved person. While there, Ridgeway's group is attacked. Royal, a free-born man, and two escaped enslaved people free Cora.
Cora travels to a farm in Indiana with Royal. The farm belongs to Valentine, a free Black man. Many freedmen and escaped enslaved people live and work there peacefully. Royal works for the Railroad. He and Cora start a romantic relationship. But Cora is still careful.
Some freedmen on the farm worry. They fear that having escaped enslaved people will ruin their peaceful life. Eventually, the farm is attacked. Many people, including Royal, are killed. The attackers are white people from Indiana. No one is sure who started the attack.
Ridgeway recaptures Cora again. He forces her to take him to a closed Railroad station. When they arrive, she pushes him down some stairs. He is badly hurt. The last we see of him, he is talking to Homer, who writes down his thoughts. Cora then runs away down the tracks. She comes out from underground and finds a group traveling West. A Black driver gives her a ride in one of the wagons.
TV Show Adaptation
In March 2017, it was announced that Amazon was making a TV show. It is a limited drama series based on The Underground Railroad. Barry Jenkins wrote and directed the series. The show was released on Amazon Prime Video on May 14, 2021.
