UNDERGROUND RAILROAD

Voyages of Discovery Series brings Whitehead to campus

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Colson Whitehead read from his acclaimed novel “The Underground Railroad” to a packed Wright Auditorium Wednesday evening, Oct. 4, the second guest in the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences’ Voyages of Discovery Series.

“The music stopped; the circle broke,” he began, riveting the audience of students, faculty and members of the community. Whitehead went on to describe life as a slave in the pre-Civil War South, introducing the main character Cora, who would embark on a journey toward freedom throughout the novel. “Sometimes a slave will be lost in a brief eddy of liberation. In the sway of a sudden reverie among the furrows or while untangling the mysteries of an early-morning dream.”

Those words, along with the rest of “The Underground Railroad,” lent themselves to teaching readers about plantation slave life, and have had a resounding impact on those who have read and studied the book.

“It is my personal favorite,” said Reginald Watson, associate professor of English and African American studies, as he introduced Whitehead, “because it touches on a part of this nation’s history that we should never forget.”

Whitehead peppered the crowd with one-liners and a quick autobiographical sketch before he began the reading. He shared stories about his admiration for Stephen King and a stint as a reporter at The Village Voice in New York early in his career, reviewing shows like “Who’s the Boss?” and “Growing Pains.” He even referenced his small, lithe hands and his slender wrists, and how he had wondered in his youth if those hands would lead him to become a hand model, a surgeon or a pianist. He noted that his hands were similar to those of a past U.S. president — alluding to Barack Obama — and drawing applause and laughter from the audience.

Undergraduate and graduate students met with author Colson Whitehead on Wednesday, Oct. 4, to discuss his novel “The Underground Railroad.”

Though brief, Whitehead’s conversational tone with the audience, funny asides and anecdotes helped break the tension from the seriousness of the reading to come. The audience had a grasp of his personality and background as he opened “The Underground Railroad” and uttered the first words, pausing to explain context and characters.

“Cora is 17 or 18,” he told the audience. The main character doesn’t know how old she is because slaves were considered objects, “the same way you might have a Dustbuster in the closet,” he said.

The haunting imagery in “The Underground Railroad” paints clear images of the hardships slaves faced throughout life. They had “feet cut off to prevent escape, hands cut off to prevent theft,” Whitehead said.

The plight of the slaves, both those who worked on plantations and those who fled for freedom, unified and bonded them for life, Whitehead said. “We may not know the way through the forest,” he said, “but we can pick each other up when we fall, and we will arrive together.”

Earlier in the day, Whitehead met with about 25 undergraduate and graduate students, along with Dr. Jeffrey Johnson, director of the Voyages of Discovery Series and Dr. William Downs, dean of the Harriot College of Arts and Sciences. The students had an opportunity during an informal discussion to ask Whitehead questions about “The Underground Railroad,” writing strategy and research, the publication process and drawing inspiration from real life.

“Your writing is brilliant,” said student Chris Russ, noting an excerpt from Whitehead’s memoiristic novel ‘Sag Harbor.’ “The Run-DMC reference had me weak.”

Whitehead said he used references in his work to the themes of the day as they inspired him. “Pop culture becomes a way to explore life,” he said. He added that approaching a topic like slavery in “The Underground Railroad” took him years because such a pivotal event in history had already had so many writers cover it. “Someone smarter and more talented has already gotten there,” he said. “All you can do is hope you have something to add.”

Freshman Toryrose Harris, an avid poet and writer majoring in theatre and political science, asked Whitehead about the publishing process and where to begin. After the discussion, Harris reflected on meeting the author.

“For me, it was simply breathtaking,” she said. “Being a writer is something I want to possibly do with my life; it’s an area I want to excel in. To talk with Colson Whitehead … I was starstruck.”

“The Underground Railroad” was an Oprah Book Club selection and winner of the National Book Award. Whitehead, who was raised and still lives in New York City, is the author of a variety of novels and essays; his work has appeared in The New Yorker and the New York Times, and he has taught at Columbia University and Princeton University, among others.

The Voyages of Discovery Series brings acclaimed experts and authors to campus in celebration of the spirit of exploration and discovery in the arts and sciences. To learn more, visit http://www.ecu.edu/cs-cas/voyages/.

Author Colson Whitehead discusses his novel “The Underground Railroad” with students.