The Sartoris plantation, the main locale of The Unvanquished, is sort of a microcosm of the slaveholding south. There are the owners, John Sartoris; his mother-in-law, aka Granny; and his son Bayard. And then there are the slaves: Louvinia, the caring mother-figure; Loosh, the bitter one who can't wait for freedom to escape with his wife, Philadelphy; Joby, so old that it's hard to know much about him; and, of course, Ringo, a sort of version of Bayard who, if he had the chance, would probably run circles around his owner.
Questions About Slavery
- What are the basic differences between Ringo's and Bayard's lives, and how many of them are a result of slavery?
- How does Granny's attitude toward the boys and John differ from her attitude toward Loosh and Joby? How does that make you feel about her as a character?
- Do you think that Bayard, John, and Granny can be held responsible for their unfair privilege as white plantation-owners, or is it just a part of their time and culture that they can't help?
- Why do you think Loosh finds it so easy to leave the plantation, while Louvinia stays on? What motivates each character in their decisions?
Chew on This
Louvinia and Ringo are so used to being slaves that they cannot imagine life as free people; in fact, the prospect scares the daylights out of them.
Granny is cruel to many of the slaves, but seems to favor Ringo. That affection probably would have run out as soon as he got old enough to be called a man.