I loved this
book and it was my favorite one that I read throughout our Young Adult Literature course. It is a true story about the biggest slave auction in history. The
largest slave auction was in 1859, where 429 slaves were sold. This was known
as the “weeping time. It’s told from
many of the character’s perspectives which makes this book even better. The
book is written in dialogue. It’s mainly about Emma a slave girl belonging to
Pierce Butler. His wife Fannie treated the slaves well, but divorced him
because he didn’t tell her that he was a slave owner. Emma is their nanny for their two children
Sarah and Frances. The story starts out where Emma is told that half of the
slaves are going to be sold due to a gambling debt owed by Pierce Butler. The
slaves like being with Mr. Butler because he treats them fairly good, and they have
worked for him for many years. They are devastated that he is selling them. The
slaves are taken to an auction and put into horse stalls to be auctioned off.
Pierce Butler is selling men, women, and families. Some of the families end up
being torn apart and sold to different people. Emma has been told by her owner
that she will not be sold, but he lies to her. Emma is told to come to the
auction to watch the children. Emma is sold unexpectedly to Mrs. Penfield from
Kentucky who wants her to be a nanny to her daughter. Emma is like Sarah’s Mom
and so Sarah is heartbroken and angry at her father for selling her. Frances is
quite the opposite of Sarah and is more like her Dad about her beliefs of the
slaves. Luckily Joe is sold into the same family as Emma and gets to go with
her. Emma and Joe find love and venture to freedom. The Day of Tears is such a
good book and I couldn’t put it down once I started reading it. I would
recommend it highly.
Discussion
Questions
1. What is the author referring to as
The Day of Tears?
2.
Why does Pierce Butler have to sell his slaves?
3.
What role does Emma play in the story?
4. Is this a
true story?
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