Summary and Analysis of The Underground Railroad

So much to read, so little time? This brief overview of The Underground Railroad tells you what you need to know—before or after you read Colson Whitehead’s book.

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This short summary and analysis of The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead includes:

Historical contextChapter-by-chapter summariesAnalysis of the main charactersThemes and symbolsImportant quotesFascinating triviaGlossary of termsSupporting material to enhance your understanding of the original work
About The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead:

Colson Whitehead’s National Book Award–winning The Underground Railroad is a bold, original, and unflinchingly brutal portrait of slavery during the darkest period in American history.

On the cusp of womanhood, Cora is a runaway slave, pursued by her memories of abuse and abandonment, and by the implacable and notoriously cruel slave hunter known as Ridgeway. Her journey on the Underground Railroad—in Whitehead’s conceit, a literal, subterranean railway—propels her journey across a dangerous landscape in search of freedom.

The summary and analysis in this book are intended to complement your reading experience and bring you closer to a great work of fiction.