Nat Turner Revisited, by William Styron

This collection is the perfect opportunity to have a cross-curricular discussion, namely between history and English language arts. William Styron’s novel The Confessions of Nat Turner was initially greeted with popular and critical success, only to see the tide of popular opinion change. Students can compare andcontrast the impact a string of historical events—Nat Turner’s rebellion in the context of the elimination of slavery and the acceptance of Styron’s novel through the years—and determine what, if any, relationship exists among them.

Literature Connection: The Confessions of Nat Turner by William Styron. Other connections include Beloved and Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison, Middle Passage by Charles Johnson, The Known World by Edward P. Jones