The Conjure Woman

After searching for various sources about Charles W. Chesnutt, I was better able to understand his entrance into the literary world, one that was filled with obstacles. As a Mulatto, which is the mixed race of black and white, Chesnutt faced challenges as his racial identity could have very likely hindered his ability to become a successful writer. In fact, one the primary reasons that Chesnutt wrote was to challenge the racial division. Knowing that even after the war there still remained prejudice against the blacks, Chesnutt sought to have the voices of African-American writers heard without hurting either the whites or the blacks.

In fact, his first published book, The Conjure Woman, seemed to represent the struggle that Chesnutt, himself faced in his short-lived career as a writer. In addition, other writers who focused on the plantation also faced similar obstacles, although Chesnutt was a bit less fortunate as most of the works did not sell well. Chesnutt’s unique style involves the multifaceted interpretations to his works. On one hand, the book could be considered as a form of entertainment, particularly for those who fail to see beyond the surface of the folktales. On the other hand, those who are more perceptive and flexible, can see beyond the exaggerations and realize that each story contains a moral. The public attitude then could be easily compared to John’s and Annie’s reactions, since they too represent the extremes. An adamant attitude like John's leads to the inability to accept the tales, whereas a more understanding perception like Annie's leads to knowledge of not only the morals but also the history of slavery.