4.1 Joel Chandler Harris

4.1                                             Joel Chandler Harris 

Joel Harris was an author that wrote stories that he had experienced or heard at a young age, from blacks while working on the plantation.  Harris made his stories memorable by presenting their humor and wisdom through his characters. These people he wrote of such as Uncle Remus was an uneducated former slave.  By Harris using people like Remus in his writing, it was more interesting and you couldn’t help but to have empathy for him.  Harris also has some wit about him that he uses in his characters. 

The Story “How Mr. Rabbit was Too Sharpe for Mr. Fox” is a classic.  I remember this story from school. I feel like lots of stories come from this one of trickery.  Just when Mr. Wolf thinks he has the rabbit, he uses what we all have done at one time in our life.  I do this with my grandson, “don’t eat this it’s mine”, when I turn my head it’s gone. That is the trick I use to get them to eat vegetables and food that is good for them.  I saw myself in this story; it was like looking in the mirror.

“Free Joe and the Rest of the World” was a great little story.  Joe is a free slave since his master lost him along with every thing else he owned due to gambling.  Joe seemed happier as a slave than he did being free.  Joe had a wife that he loved very much and every time he could see her you could tell his love was deep.     The only problem was that Joe's wife was lost in that gambling to the judge.  Everything seemed great and Joe could see his wife whenever he wanted, she was well taken care of, until the judge died.  His property including his slaves went to Calderwood.  A man who was mean and spiteful and he carried the name spite.  Joe continued to visit his wife until one day Calderwood said Joe wasn’t allowed there anymore.  Of course he was not going to just stop seeing his wife so they developed a way to see each other.  The old poplar tree Joe would sit and Lucinda would visit him.  I found it sad that people could not just be happy for them, and it came back to Mr. Calderwood.  He just snatched her up and took her six miles away.  Joe wanted to find a way to see Lucinda, but in the end never saw her again.  He waited and waited and was convinced his little dog Dan would bring Lucinda back to him.  He waited until he died under that popular tree, smiling waiting for Lucinda.  He was a man that was faithful and very loyal, no matter whom you were.  I feel like he was a great character he was the one everybody would want to help in anyway.