The Underground Railroad

by Colson Whitehead
Q4-2018
Questions for Answer:
  1. Did you like or dislike the book?
  2. How do you think this book might change your thinking or opinions?
  3. Did you find a character (or action of a character) you related to? And if so why?
  1. I liked the book, although not as much as the others. I found the book difficult to read at first. It kept introducing new characters which you didn’t find out how they related to the story until at least a chapter or more later. For me, this style of writing was difficult to follow and didn’t help hold my attention. Some books you can’t wait to read the next chapter to see what happens … this book I had to force myself to read the next chapter, at least until I got over half-way through the book. Once I was about three-quarters through, then it got better for me … or I just got used to the author’s style. But at this point, I was finally hooked and wanted to finish the book to see how it ended.
  2. I really don’t think this book changed my thinking. Slavery, no matter what form, is just wrong!
    Cora never actually found out what happened to her mother. Had she learned that her mother never actually escaped the plantation or had her mother made it back to the plantation alive, Cora probably would not have had the “guts” to try to escape herself. I think there are many things and/or times in life whereby not knowing and/or understanding the exact situation is actually better.
  3. I can’t say I really felt like I related to any of the characters in the story. I really just feel so blessed that I have never known oppression or slavery!!! That said, I hope that no matter what befalls me in life, that I have the courage to try to make things better and always try to find some “positive”, no matter how small.