Elijah of Buxton

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. How can freedom be defined? What opportunities does freedom afford a person when compared to someone who is not free?

Teaching Suggestion: This question might be used to broach the topic of enslavement if students are new to it. Discussion on this topic can be a gateway to introducing the theme of Connections Between Opportunity, Equality, and Freedom.

• The Smithsonian’s “Defining Freedom” resource site from the National Museum of African American History & Culture discusses the concept of freedom with regard to the lasting legacy and impacts of slavery.
• A resource site such as History’s “Slavery in America” may serve as a starting point for those students who would benefit from the context of a variety of topics related to enslavement.

2. What is empathy? What literary or historical figures display empathy, and in what ways?

Teaching Suggestion: Students might use a dictionary to answer this question if they do not have prior knowledge of the word. Students with familiarity might make a connection to the idea of “being an empath,” but it may be beneficial to focus the conversation on traditional definitions of empathy. The purpose of this activity is to offer another trait to describe protagonist Elijah Freeman: He is empathetic as much as he is kind, loving, and gullible. Considering other literary and historical figures who display empathy provides a chance for readers to think critically about the term and to make connections with this novel’s characters, especially Elijah.

• “Empathy for Students” provides a brief description of empathy for students and additional topics and language teachers might find useful in discussion.
• “A Short History of Empathy” from The Atlantic may offer discussion ideas and greater context on the topic. (Teacher-appropriate; not student facing due to complexity. Registration may be needed to view.)

Short Activity

Canada has a history of slavery and abolition somewhat similar to the US. After it outlawed enslavement, however, the country of Canada became a safe haven for many African people seeking freedom. This novel takes place in Canada, but the impact of slavery, which is legal in the US at the time of the novel, still haunts the characters. Before you read, research Canada’s history with enslavement. Then, as you read, consider how this history is woven into the events of the novel.

Teaching Suggestion: The purpose of this activity is to provide historical factual context for the novel’s setting and its relationship to the system of slavery at the time. Students might complete this research by answering the 5Ws+H.

• Christoper Paul Curtis provides an extensive author’s note on the inspiration for Buxton and the facts about the novel’s setting. (This author’s note appears at the end of the novel but can be read during this pre-reading activity to provide context.)
• “The Story of Black Slavery in Canadian History” from the Canadian Museum for Human Rights gives a detailed, chronological overview of Canada’s history with enslavement.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

In Chapter 6, Elijah observes, “But classroom learning just don’t work the same as when something happens to you personal.”

Think about a lesson that someone tried to teach you in school or at home that you found difficult to learn until you had a personal experience with it. Perhaps there is a lesson that you’ve recently learned outside the classroom that you believe will stay with you for life. Write 1-3 paragraph(s) about what you learned, how you learned it, and why you will never forget it.

Teaching Suggestion: This exercise will support students’ understanding of the novel’s themes. For example, Elijah learns about Connections Between Opportunity, Equality, and Freedom outside of the classroom in his own experiences throughout the novel. This reflection and writing exercise will help students recognize the significance of Elijah’s newfound understanding as they read and make text-to-self connections. This exercise also provides students with an opportunity to practice descriptive writing.

Differentiation Suggestion: For students who benefit from strategies that support writing practice, it might be helpful to provide the following sentence frames:

• An important lesson I’ve learned outside of school involved/was about/was the time...
• Let me tell you how I learned it. One day...
• I will never forget this lesson because...