The Invention of Wings in Bookmarks Subscribers

Feb 29, 2016 Tiffani rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, read-in-2016, lit-explorer-2016, book-riot-2016, mgr-2016

On her eleventh birthday, Sarah Grimk茅, is given her own personal slave, Hetty "Handful" Grimk茅 . Already at the age of eleven Sarah sees slavery for the evil institution it is and refuses her gift, much to the dismay of her wealthy, aristocratic, South Carolina parents. They ignore Sarah's refusal and her later attempt to issue a writ freeing Handful. The Invention of Wings follows Handful's and Sarah's lives over the next few decades as both strive for some degree of freedom.

I was apprehensive On her eleventh birthday, Sarah Grimk茅, is given her own personal slave, Hetty "Handful" Grimk茅 . Already at the age of eleven Sarah sees slavery for the evil institution it is and refuses her gift, much to the dismay of her wealthy, aristocratic, South Carolina parents. They ignore Sarah's refusal and her later attempt to issue a writ freeing Handful. The Invention of Wings follows Handful's and Sarah's lives over the next few decades as both strive for some degree of freedom.

I was apprehensive about reading this book, but read it anyway because it is the February pick for my book club. There were several reasons for my apprehension. I don't particularly like reading or even thinking about the history of slavery in this country. It makes me angry and depressed and I really have to emotionally prepare myself when confronted with such a story. Also, at this point in my life I don't need to read another story (or watch another movie) about white people who suddenly come to the realization that black people are in fact people and that slavery, segregation, Jim Crow laws, etc are wrong. I get the reason for those stories; I just personally don't need anymore of that. (There's a line in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah that reads "Racism should never have happened and so you don't get a cookie for reducing it." That pretty much sums up how I feel about movies like The Help.) For all these reasons and more, I was not looking forward to this. Thankfully, The Invention of Wings defied by expectations completely.

The novel alternates between Handful's and Sarah's points of view. Both have their struggles. Handful obviously literally must fight for her freedom and her life. I loved her story as she grew up, witnessing the small ways in which her mother rebelled and realizing that although her body might be enslaved, her mind was not. I liked that as nice and well-intentioned as Sarah was, Handful did not idolize Sarah or anyone else. Handful was her own person, with her own story and her own dreams.

Sarah's struggles were with her family, the society she was born into, and finding her voice (literally and figuratively). She, and later her younger sister, favored racial equality while living in a society and a house that functions because of slavery. Even her father admits that he understands slavery is wrong but is unwilling to give up the lifestyle that slavery makes possible. One would think (or at least I thought) that Sarah's life would get easier when she found the Quakers. It didn't. Turns out not all Quakers were quite the fierce abolitionists as I had been taught in school. There is a line in the book when Angelina's friend says "Pray and wait," meaning pray that people will eventually come to see slavery as the evil institution it is. Angelina responds, "Pray and act... Pray and speak!" (page 294) I love that line.

One thing I learned from this book is that the character Sarah Grimk茅 and her sister Angelina are based on actual people. They were two sisters from Charleston, South Carolina who converted to the Quaker religion and became abolitionists. They did not only advocate for the abolition of slavery; they advocated for the equality of black people which is not something that even most abolitionists were in favor of at the time. They gave speeches and wrote pamphlets. They also became early exemplars of equality for women when they refused to be silent after being criticized for speaking to crowds that included both men and women. (Speaking to other women was one thing, but men attending a lecture given by woman was apparently considered quite unacceptable for polite society.)

I really enjoyed this. It managed to be illuminating and hopeful without glossing over the ugly reality of slavery. I learned a great deal. I'm really glad the story was told from both Handful's and Sarah's point of view. They could both speculate about what the other thinking but reading their own thoughts felt more authentic. I absolutely loved the ending. I won't say what it is, just that it was perfect. This is a book I would recommend to almost anyone. ...more

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Mar 15, 2014 Doreen rated it really liked it

Shelves: personal-library

Covering the 35 years from 1803 to 1838, Handful (a.k.a. Hetty), a house slave for a wealthy Charleston family, and Sarah Grimk茅, a daughter of that elite family, tell their stories in alternating first-person chapters. On her eleventh birthday, Sarah is given Hetty as a present as her own waiting maid; her immediate reaction is to reject the gift, but she is told that her 鈥溾€檊uardianship is legal and binding [and] there is nothing to be done about it鈥欌€� (16). Her attempt to set Handful free is th Covering the 35 years from 1803 to 1838, Handful (a.k.a. Hetty), a house slave for a wealthy Charleston family, and Sarah Grimk茅, a daughter of that elite family, tell their stories in alternating first-person chapters. On her eleventh birthday, Sarah is given Hetty as a present as her own waiting maid; her immediate reaction is to reject the gift, but she is told that her 鈥溾€檊uardianship is legal and binding [and] there is nothing to be done about it鈥欌€� (16). Her attempt to set Handful free is thwarted as well. Slowly a type of friendship develops between the girls, Sarah even breaking the law by teaching Handful how to read. As the years pass, Handful becomes an expert seamstress under the tutelage of her mother, and Sarah very slowly develops into a prominent abolitionist and women鈥檚 rights pioneer. (This novel is a fictional imagining of the early life of a historical figure; Sarah Grimk茅 was a pioneer in speaking not just for emancipation but for racial and gender equality. Her work inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe.)

The author must be applauded for not forcing a 鈥渂est friends forever鈥� relationship on the two girls. Considering their circumstances, that would have been unbelievable. Handful explains, 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know for sure whether Miss Sarah鈥檚 feelings came from love or guilt. I don鈥檛 know whether mine came from love or a need to be safe. She loved me and pitied me. And I loved her and used her. It was never a simple thing鈥� (54). As the novel鈥檚 title clearly suggests, what the two have in common is a desire for freedom. Obviously, Handful wants to be a free woman. Sarah, on the other hand, wants to be free of the constraints imposed on her by society; she wants to have a profession and to be able to speak her mind; Sarah describes herself as being 鈥渁fflicted with the worst female curse on earth, the need to mold myself to expectations鈥� (144). Over and over again, her aspirations are 鈥渓aid to rest in the Graveyard of Failed Hopes, an all-female establishment鈥� (88). Handful describes the role of a slave: 鈥淎 slave was supposed to be like the Holy Ghost 鈥� don鈥檛 see it, don鈥檛 hear it, but it鈥檚 always hovering round on ready鈥� (6). In many ways that is the way Sarah and all women of her class are expected to behave: to be quiet and subservient, hovering in the background until summoned by the men. Handful realizes that Sarah is as trapped as she is: 鈥淪he was trapped same as me, but she was trapped by her mind, by the minds of people around her, not by the law. . . . I tried to tell her that. I said, 鈥楳y body might be a slave, but not my mind. For you, it鈥檚 the other way round鈥欌€� (200 鈥� 201).

Handful and Sarah are also similar in their character traits. Sarah describes her sister as having 鈥渁 lively intellect and [showing] signs of being quite fearless鈥� (88), but the same description could be given to both her and Handful. Perhaps the trait that most stands out is their determination. Handful risks severe punishment by engaging in acts of rebellion. When faced with such punishment, she responds by telling her 鈥渂ackside to brace up鈥� (7). For Handful, blackbird wings, which she adopts from her mother鈥檚 stories and incorporates into her quilts, serve as a symbol for her desire for freedom. Her mantra becomes 鈥溾€橶e gonna leave here or die trying鈥欌€� (337). Sarah is equally defiant, rebelling against her parents and society even in the face of widespread approbation. Her speech impediment, a fitting symbol of her being silenced, does not stop her from expressing her beliefs: 鈥淚 told myself the affliction in my voice wouldn鈥檛 stop me, it would compel me. It would make me strong, for I would have to be strong鈥� (20). Sarah uses a sterling button, which she begins to wear prominently, to remind her of all her hopes and dreams. Her mantra is 鈥�If you must err, do so on the side of audacity鈥� (8).

Of the two stories, it is Handful鈥檚 that is stronger, and it is for perhaps this reason that she has the first and last chapters. Perhaps Sarah鈥檚 story is less compelling because she is not usually in physical danger whereas Handful鈥檚 life is in imminent danger several times. Sarah says that, 鈥淏eing an abolitionist could get you attacked right on the streets 鈥� heckled, flogged, stoned, killed鈥� (305 鈥� 306), but her safety doesn鈥檛 seem to be seriously threatened. She faces expulsion from a church and a city, and has a lot to lose in terms of social status, but she has money. At one point, Sarah realizes that her broken heart after a rejection is 鈥渕erely unfortunate鈥� when compared to a slave鈥檚 being apprehended by guards, a truly 鈥渢ragic鈥� event (141). That is perhaps the situation throughout; Sarah鈥檚 situation is much less dire than Handful鈥檚. Handful endures loss and sorrow on several levels whereas Sarah experiences, according to the flyleaf, 鈥渃rushed hopes, betrayal, unrequited love, and ostracism.鈥� Of course, I do not mean to dismiss emotional suffering or to diminish what Sarah Grimk茅 accomplished; I can only admire what she achieved and stand in awe of her courage in standing up to men: 鈥溾€橬ow, sirs, kindly take your feet off our necks鈥� (334).

Despite her stronger story, it is not Handful who is the most memorable character but Charlotte, Handful鈥檚 mother. Handful learns to be shrewd, tough, and defiant from her mother whose understanding of the world 鈥渃ame from living on the scarce side of mercy鈥� (3). It is Charlotte who instills the desire for freedom in her daughter by telling her that her shoulder blades are the remnants of wings which will one day grow back. Sarah recognizes Charlotte鈥檚 keen intellect: 鈥淥f all the slaves Father owned, she struck me as the most intelligent, and perhaps the most dangerous鈥� (30). She is dangerous because she instills a pride in her daughter, telling her, 鈥溾€橧 is a 鈥榤arkable woman, and you is a 鈥榤arkable girl, and we ain鈥檛 never gon bow and scrape鈥欌€� (76) and 鈥溾€橝in鈥檛 nobody can write down in a book what you worth鈥欌€� (112). Charlotte wants to be remembered not as a slave but as someone who belonged 鈥溾€檛o nobody but herself鈥欌€� (304).

The use of two women from totally different backgrounds emphasizes that the lives of both slaves and wealthy white women were affected by 鈥渢he peculiar institution鈥� (144). Both the story based on a real person and that based on a fictional character can remind us that we all need to take wing.

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