chains by laurie halse anderson characters

When Isabel wakes up to find the sheets frozen on the wash line in the snow, her first thoughts are about her sister: This is probably because once she's gone, Isabel replays memories of her, struggling to hold onto whatever little she has left of her sister. What's really weird about Ruth is that she almost seems more present in the story after Madam sends her to the Lockton estate in Charleston. Now we, as astute, modern-day readers know that a little girl who likes pretty horses and cornhusks dolls probably isn't the devil, but Ruth's differences serve as an illustration of how impairments of any kind could make slaves' already difficult lives even worse. Want proof? Check out Madam Lockton's reaction the first time she sees Ruth have a seizure-she calls Ruth 'the devil' (15.1).

So what's the problem? Mental and physical handicaps didn't go over too well in the world of slavery. She's often given to seizures as a result of heightened emotion, stress, or loud noises, and becomes emotionally upset very easily. In Isabel's words, Ruth is 'simple-minded and prone to fits' (3.9), which is an 18th-century way of saying that she's developmentally delayed and epileptic. Ruth's sensitivity is one of the most striking aspects of her character. Having lost both of their parents, Ruth is all Isabel has left, and she feels a responsibility to Momma to care for her at all costs. Isabel's little sister doesn't say much, but Ruth's vulnerability and innocence are the driving force behind Isabel's desire to seek freedom.

Chains by laurie halse anderson characters