Tamblyn Green

I almost stopped watching after the second episode. I was thankful I pushed through. The musical scores and videography was well done. The inaccuracies in scenery and props was distracting at time. Overall, the metaphors, hyperbole and symbolism is what kept me engaged. i thought it poignant the Declaration of Independence was shown as a metaphor, causing continued pain for blacks instead of the promise inscribed. The brutality of escaping was also symbolic of the continued struggle for those enslaved. From the horrors of further torture through scientific and religious experimentation. The complexity and chaos of being indoctrinated into a society of master and slave, is artfully handled. We see the various religious sects and their roles in co-signing chattel slavery as well as those who assisted the escape and education. There are also tendrils of socioeconomic strife putting fortunate against those less fortunate. It is an ageless tale. Women offered the luxury of slaves were afforded a life of leisure, decreased burden, and status which was envied. Young Homer, gleefully assists in the capture of those who look like him and in return enjoys a life of relative luxury because it offers him a better life. It was the symbolism of the sterilization that captured my interest mostly. As the sterilized woman became hysterical over her trauma, she was sold back into slavery. She had escaped the horror one slavery for experimentation. Overall, this was a vivid tale of slavery and the obtuse logic of slavery. The series further lays out the history of the negro as property and the reorganization of states. It touches upon the church being used as political tool. The parallel can be made to with the Christian ideology which condone the murder and mistreatment of humans to those invoking God’s name at the United States Capital insurrection on January 6, 2020. The hypocrisy of clergy taking “no offense” at the slaughtering and enslavement of humans while using God for justification. Arnold Ridgeway is a wonderful depiction of how the mind can become depraved given the influence of society regardless of his upbringing. *Note: I’d only completed 5 episodes at the time of writing this review.