Harriet Tubman: Conductor of the Underground Railroad
1. Discuss features of Tubman’s character that enable her to carry out her mission so effectively.
2. Tubman never learns to read and write. What special abilities does she use to compensate for this handicap? There are many…
3. What character traits exhibited by Tubman show the influence of her father? Her mother? Which parent seems to contribute more to Tubman’s value system?
4. The Underground Railroad is naturally filled with risks and uncertainties. Which incident, in your opinion, is the most dangerous? The most suspenseful? Discuss the incident(s) and what makes it such.
5. Why does John Tubman threaten to inform the master if Tubman attempts to escape? Was he wrong to do this? Explain the difference between John’s status and Tubman’s on the plantation. Why can’t he understand her desperation for freedom?
6. Although Tubman continues her work after the disappointment she suffers when her husband marries another woman during her absence, what evidence in the book suggests the permanent hurt she feels… Discuss the effects of her failed relationship with John.
