Nat claims to have had a vision or guidance by the Lord to commit his horrible deeds. I think he was just another killer given a motive and opportunity. If Marse Samuel had punished Nat for stealing the book, the rebellion might never have taken place.
In this review, I will cover the following points:.
*Styron's following of the historical timeline.
*The major role Christianity played in shaping Nat Turner's motive for murder.
*The functional purpose free blacks served in South Hampton.
*An explanation for the failure of Nat Turner's rebellion.
Styron's adaptation of Nat Turner's rebellion flows evenly in sequence with historical timelines. When we first meet Nat, Styron lets us know how cold it is. He explains the weather in great detail so that the reader can get an accurate view of that particular November day in 1831. In one of the first scenes in the book, he describes what appears to be the beginning of a season change, which would historically match that period of time. You can feel the season drift away through Nat's transition from childhood to adulthood. Again, Styron goes into great detail to describe the changing of the soil which in turn, effects the tone of the novel. It is only after Marse Samuel begins to sell his slaves that you can see the urgency of the deterioration of the.
weather/crops/soil. Many farmers moved south during the same period as Styron had Marse Samuel pack up and relocate. Nat's first night alone in the "big house" and his description of the experience match the season well. Styron melts the years away effectively with his accurate portrayal of the timeline leading up to the rebellion. When Marse Samuel and the slave trader meet up, he explains that he has been going from Virginia down to Georgia. Styron is using foreshadowing, yet follows the migration perfectly.
In my opinion, William Styron did a great job in keeping his story line parallel to history.