Elijah of Buxton

In the novel, Elijah observes:

When Mr. Frederick Douglass is speechifying, he says that the second hardest step in making yourself free is the first one that you take. He says after you make up your mind and take the first step, most of the rest of ‘em come pretty easy. But he says that the most hardest step to take is the very last one. He says that finally crossing over from slavery to freedom is the most horrifyingest, most bravest thing a slave will ever have to do (Chapter 11).

Take some time to reflect on these words and what they mean. Discuss these questions, using text details to support your answers.

• Which situations in the novel reflect the truth of Douglass’s statement?
• How do the characters make sense of the difficult choices they have to make in order to gain and maintain their freedom in Canada?
• How do these moments in the novel connect to the novel’s themes about freedom, family, and community?

Teaching Suggestion: Students can use this discussion to engage with two of the novel’s central themes: The Strength of Community and Family and Connections Between Opportunity, Equality, and Freedom. This discussion may prompt students to go beyond the world of the novel and place its messages into historical context.