Band Of Angels Essay, Research Paper

Band of Angels

As the title of this novel races through my mind I image a beautiful young girl living a peaceful life. As the story line unfolds the reader is trapped in a world of disbelief and anger. The main character, Amantha Starr, shows the reader that life is not always what it seems to be.

On a plantation near Danville, Kentucky, Amantha grew up knowing only the love of her father, Aaron Pendleton Starr. Growing up as a motherless child many would think that she was lost to the world, but her father and Aunt Sukie made sure that she always had whatever her heart desired.

Amantha, also called Manty, remembered a scene from her childhood where her father sold a slave. The slave was a dear friend to Manty, and it was hard for the girl to understand why the slave was sold. Her father doesn t like to talk about it and so the child grows up not knowing why.

In August of 1852 Amantha s father decides it was time for her to go to school. On the trip they stopped in Cincinnati where Manty meet Miss Idell, her father s fling at the time. Miss Idell took Manty shopping for new school clothes and such. Manty enjoyed every moment with the lovely woman. Later that week Manty is sent to Oberlin, Ohio where she is to attend school. She stayed with an n older lady called Mrs. Turpin. On the first day of classes Mrs. Turpin, being the godly woman that she was, cut the beautiful ruffles from Manty dress saying that to be beautiful was to be vain. Over the course of several years Manty too came to believe this. On a trip home Manty tried to convice her father to free the slave at Starrwood, the family plantation. He would not do so, saying that even if he did they would have no where to go and he would still have to feed them. Manty feeling hurt returned to school. Some weeks later a letter came saying that Amantha s father had died. She rushed to her father s graveside. At Amantha s weakest time her world falls to the ground.

A man comes to her father s graveside asking many questions about her and her family. Knowing nothing of her mother the Manty turns to a family friend to help her. The man told her that her mother had been a slave to Aaron Starr. During childbirth the woman died leaving the baby behind. Aaron took the child and raised it knowing that the child was of his blood. Never thinking of the girl as a slave Aaron raise her in his home. The man stopped talking as the stranger asked for Amantha s papers. Not knowing what to do she ask Aunt Sukie if there were any papers. At the time of his death Amantha s father had never given her the proper papers of freedom. At Amantha s time of pain for her father s death she was taken unknowly into the cruel world of slavery.

The stranger took Amantha to a man that was going to ship her to New Orleans to be sold. Manty was sold to a man named Hamish Bond, a wealthy landowner. Knowing nothing of her past the man took her to his home where she lived many years. Amantha was never forced into working the grounds because she was far too pretty. Instead Amantha lived a peaceful life inside the house where nothing was asked of her. She became good friends with many of the other slaves and soon became a friend to Hamish Bond himself. Over the course of many years they became lovers of a sort. Manty never quiet understood this man. Did he love her or was he just using her? That question was answered when Manty throws a fit about him selling her because she could not stand his kindness anymore. Hamish tries to send her away but in the end he moves her to another plantation of his. Amantha and Hamish live there for several years. During that time the war breaks out. As the soldiers draw closer to them Hamish sets Amantha free.

With her new found freedom Manty lives in a small apartment type home in town. There she meets Seth, an old friend from school, who has joined the army. She also meets Captain Tobias Sears who is also a friend of Seth s. After many long months of courting Amantha and Tobias get married. They live a happy and peaceful life together for many years. Tobias was still in the army and still had to leave her quiet often for business trips. Over the years Manty and Tobias fell apart from each other. Not knowing what had gone wrong.

Amantha being who she was join the black side of the war. Not liking what she saw she soon returned home. I guess she just wanted to know what it felt like to be in that kind of situation. Upon her return she learned that Tobias was ill and rushed to be by his side. For many years to come Amantha and Tobias fight to keep their lives together, but in the end they find each other and move on with their lives.

Amantha had a big change in her life. She did not let her hard times cover the good times that she remembered. Having finally found herself though the help of her one true love, Tobias, Amantha lived out the rest of her life knowing that even though one might have hard times come their way; the goods times will always show through.