The Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner's Fierce Rebellion is a non-fiction historical novel written by Stephen B. Oates. Oates chronicles the life of Nat Turner, a boy growing up in Southampton County, Virginia. The book is set in the early 1800s, a time when slavery was on the rise. Slavery in this period was a very common practice. African Americans in the New World would die for the sole reason of their skin color. Oates vividly describes the social and economic events that led to the courageous rebellion of Nat Turner and his fellow slaves, which would inevitably have one of the greatest impacts on America in 1831. Oates captures the reasoning behind the revolt by telling through the eyes of Turner and recounting the hardships of his life as a slave, which effectively conveys how Nat's actions and decision to rebel were completely justifiable. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Through Stephen B. Oates, Nat is presented as a gifted child with God-given powers. Having qualities different from other peers such as being intellectual and learning quickly, Nat knew the events before he was even born. While these are apparently the traits Nat was born with, he also encouraged himself to study the Bible and gain more knowledge as he grew up. He was determined to have a purpose in life, and ultimately, his goal was to change the lives of others with his gift. Nat should be seen as someone who had a gift and an opportunity. It would be very different from society. Well informed and close to faith, he will shape his path with God at his side. Determined to make things change, Nat Turner would become known for leading a very bloody and gruesome outbreak in his own rebellion. During the 17th century, slaves were mistreated and classified as inferior to human beings. The treatment of slaves during this time period would be a major factor in the revolt. Stephen B. Oates would explain the harsh treatments and hard work a slave would have to endure. Slaves were constantly whipped, fed meager amounts of food, and given little time alone. Nat and his other slave peers faced very difficult conditions and suffered from poor health as the slave masters neglected all these problems. Nat also shared his own experiences of how it worked. In The Fires of Jubilee, Oates provides detailed descriptions of Nat's daily life, which consisted of picking cotton "til my shoulders hurt and my fingers hurt to the bone," planting and harvesting crops in the field, moving plows, mending fences, pulling and stacking hay and other various tasks on his seemingly endless list of chores. Religion would be important and play an important role in Nat Turner's ideas and thoughts. Religion is highlighted as a key point in Nat's realization of his well-earned freedom. His faith would be one of the many factors that would encourage him to start the rebellion. Being well informed, Nat's thoughts would make him realize that this rebellion is necessary. Rumors and whispers would lead him to believe that slaves like him deserved as much freedom as any white man had ever had. Nat showed his strong feeling to liberate his fellow men. Turner let God and his religious beliefs guide his actions and would not allow emotions to take control of him. As mentioned above, religion also played an important role in lifestyle.