Question

Read the excerpt from The Land.

"Mitchell?" questioned Miz Thomas. "Well, suh, he's out in them woods yonder choppin' wood for the fire."

Hammond nodded. "Whereabout?"

"North yonder . . . by the creek."

"All right," said Hammond. "We'll find him."

We turned to go, but then Miz Thomas said, "That Mitchell, he done somethin'? He in trouble?"

"We just want to talk to him, Edna," Hammond assured her. Still, though, as we rode away, I saw Miz Thomas frown, and young as I was, I knew she was worried. She was worried because my brothers had come. My brothers had come asking about Mitchell, and my brothers were white.

Which character’s reactions best reflect the post–Civil War historical context of this excerpt?

Edna’s
Hammond’s
Mitchell’s
Paul’s

Answer 1

In the excerpt, Edna's reactions best reflect the post-Civil War historical context. Her immediate worry when she learns that Hammond and Paul are looking for Mitchell indicates an understanding of the potential danger that a Black man like Mitchell could face from white individuals in that era. Edna's concern highlights the lingering racial tensions and the social hierarchies that were still very much in place following the Civil War. Hammond's reaction is more composed and assured, focusing on the task at hand rather than the implications of race. Thus, Edna's apprehension underscores the historical reality of fear and mistrust that existed in post-Civil War America.