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Weekly Reader: In Freedom's Light by Sharon Gloger Friedman; Moving Historical Fiction About Prejudice and Freedom
By Julie Sara Porter
Bookworm Reviews
Spoilers: Sharon Gloger Friedman’s Ashes has long been a favorite book of mine since I began this blog. In 2019, it came in second in the inaugural “New Book Alert” countdown and has led to an ongoing interest in reading detailed historical fiction novels about strong independent women fighting to make their voices heard during difficult circumstances and time periods that did not always welcome a woman’s voice or perspective. In Ashes, Miriam, a Jewish immigrant flees with her family from a Russian pogrom, to New York City. She finds work and gets involved in labor unionization during the time of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. Miriam’s journey from dutiful daughter to labor activist is compelling as is the terrifying imagery of the fire and the lives lost because of management indifference and negligence.
Friedman set such a high standard for herself that her next book would have to be something else to match Ashes. Luckily, her follow up, In Freedom’s Light, is that something else. While it also tells the story of a fictional Jewish woman emigrating to America and captures a distant time period with great description and detail, it differs in terms of storytelling and characterization. Ashes tells of a tragic event in American history from the point of view of an individual who is greatly affected by the great sweeping changes around her. In Freedom’s Light tells of various events that capture the minutiae and reality of everyday life through several decades and how the characters struggle with conforming or challenging those circumstances.
In 1785 Valencia, Spain, Anica Amelsem put herself, her husband, Efren and her daughter, Isabel in big trouble for refusing a cut of pork in the marketplace. She is a converso, part of a Jewish family that was forced to convert to Christianity. This practice began during the Inquisition under the reign of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella and even in the 18th century, suspected Jews can get arrested or even executed. (Friedman’s notes state that this was retained into the 19th century). Efren’s family had long ago converted with no ties to Judaism, but Anica’s family continued their rituals and beliefs in private, so private that Anica never even shared them with her husband until now. The gossip and rumors are enough to worry the Amelsems and they decide to flee for America, with Isabel and a loyal servant, Mariana in tow, to find work and live with Efren’s uncle Philip in Charleston, South Carolina. They are nervous but excited. After all, America just won a war declaring independence from Britain and it is a country of liberty and equality where everyone can worship at any altar they choose and is free to live how they want. Right? Right?
Well wrong. Upon arriving in South Carolina, Anica and Efren discover the less rosy side of the United States when they see Philip’s plantation of slaves. The couple befriend the slaves and speak out against the cruel institution and the abuse inflicted by Philip, his family, and overseer. Anica and Efren discover that the promise of freedom and equality aren’t evenly handed out to everyone so they intend to use their status to help others receive the benefits of that promise as well.
It is important that Anica and Efren would understand the slave's plight. Having been marginalized and treated as second class citizens in their country and forced to hide parts of who they are because of prejudice and Anti Semitism, they recognize the racism, hatred, malice, and hypocrisy in a country that does not permit equality to many of the people living there. Sometimes it takes a fellow outsider to understand the problems of the people around them and shine new light when locals are desensitized, apathetic, or actively participating in such problems.
Anica and Efren immediately show kindness and treat the African-Americans humanely, something that angers Philip and his overseer, Jesse. They only see workers that they bought and now work for them while Anica and Efren see fellow human beings. They take the time to learn their names and relationships and bond with them as friends. For example, when a young boy, Daniel, is beaten by Jesse, Efren physically defends him and makes sure that Jesse will never hurt him again. Efren becomes a father figure to Daniel and he begins to understand his purpose living in his uncle's plantation.
Anica and Efren are in a difficult situation. Since they don’t own the plantation, they can’t free the slaves. They can defend the slaves from abuse, but Philip doesn’t care. He mostly gets drunk and goes to the city to hang out with prostitutes. They could leave, but who would protect the slaves then? Things would be just as bad if not worse than before, because there would always be the fear that they would run to the Amelsems for safety. The only thing that the couple can do is remain for now, befriend the African-Americans at the plantation, defend as many as they can from physical and sexual abuse, agree to turn a blind eye if they escape, and let them know that there are at least two white people that care about them. Efren makes plans for him, his family, and as many new friends as they can, to leave by creating a shipping business independent of Philip’s interests.
One of the most touching relationships in the book is that of Anica and Ruth, one of the housemaids.
Anica befriends Ruth and their bond is so intimate that she shares her Sabbath rituals of lighting candles with her. This bond continues to the point where the two women end up becoming best friends and their young children, Hannah and Benjamin become close friends as well. Even after the Amselems finally leave the plantation, Ruth comes with, not as a slave, servant, or a maid. Instead, she is a free woman,family friend, and honorary sister to Anica.
It is telling that the book takes place between 1785-1845, between the Revolutionary and Civil War. Through the experiences of Anica, Efren, Ruth, and others we see that transition between
the United States winning its independence and being torn apart. We see the daily lives of the people and how things like the Fugitive Slave Act, the eventual publication of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and various other things would eventually lead to the Civil War. None of these things have happened yet, but Friedman’s book provides the fertile ground and environment in which such events could occur. The fertile ground that Isabel, Hannah, and Benjamin's generation will have to struggle with.
Through the characters of In Freedom’s Light, we see a world that is on the brink of having such terms as “freedom,” “liberty,” and “equality” questioned and how within a few decades of the book’s end, there will be explosive results between people who are unwilling to recognize freedom in others and those who will defend them. The actions of Anica, Efren, and others show that freedom can be more than words on on an old document. They can be felt, meant, and understood by everyone.
