Freedom's Price

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"Eliza Hates Lanndry With a long stick, Eliza traced each letter carefully into the muddy bank of the mighty Mississippi River... Eliza wants more." What was she thinking? Being educated was not allowed. Staying free wasn't an option, even if you had papers. Anyone, anywhere, could turn you over to a slaver. For Eliza "freedom" meant being protected by her parents, a sponsor, a lawyer, and living at a jail while her family waited for their day in court. She had to stay close to her family and not draw attention to herself. Yet, being eleven meant that she had dreams "of boarding a steamboat and traveling far away." She longed for the day that she could "...make a life for herself that didn't involve laundry." Sent to locate some fat drippings for soap, Eliza meets Wilson. Wilson has been free since the day he was born. He was raised on the river and he joined up on a boat because the cook promised that he could learn everything he needed to know, including how to be a pastry chef. Wilson believed that "dirty work" was a "fair trade for a dream." Together they will discover each other's strengths as their journey towards their "dreams" leads them beyond the safety of being born free. Miss Charlotte is a sponsor who can provide the courts with proof that Eliza's family are not slaves, she hires out work for them and will do what she can as they wait for the courts decision. When she offers Eliza a job looking after Miss Sofia, Eliza believes she can look after herself. She would be away from her ma's protection. She would be free from doing laundry. She would be staying in Miss Charlotte's big house and not the jail. Of course Miss Charlotte's son would have already gone to California, so she didn't need to worry about his threats. On the day that the crowd gathered at the jail, Eliza is faced with the reality of what can happen to any one's freedom. As her friend is put in the jail, Eliza discovers that Lucy is now a fugitive who ran from the slave block. She witnesses the fear of the Cholera sickness. And she faces the torment of the courts shutting down until the sickness is gone. For Eliza freedom is "snatched" away. "Ma might hate her for it, but Eliza wasn't going to make the same choice as Ma and Pa. She wouldn't just sit and wait for the courts." Eliza is determined to make her own choices. What she isn't prepared for is a town filled with death. Desperate actions of those wanting money. Decisions that will lead her beyond safety and onto a ship destined for a slave auction far from home. Eliza will need to face her inner self, her inner strength. What can't Eliza do? "We can't go ashore. We can't cross. We can't stay... Eliza spotted a familiar ship... It was like a prayer... ...the Freedom School!" Eliza is a character that is full of freedom. Her dreams for a better life is her driving force. She is bright, quick thinking, and gifted with a talent overflowing with compassion. Her story is a beautiful introduction into the history of slavery. Her voice resonates the truth about freedom. Her choices provides the pacing for the story line and the reality of facing evil intentions head on with prayer. The friendship with Wilson provides the hope along the path that Eliza chose. And the quietly stated "promise" is the thread that is seamlessly woven throughout Eliza's story as it is woven throughout our nation's history and the "price" of freedom. A beautiful story of promise for independent readers, MrsK