How do Sally and Joseph endure the traumas of their past, and the constant threats they face throughout the novel? What do you think sustains their devotion to each other?
Honestly I felt that Sally and Joseph were not complete characters for a purpose. They kept a low profile because their lives as freed black people were somewhat in danger.
Joseph and Sally were happy to be free, but their freedom wasn’t complete. Certainly, their circumstances with Libby were far better than they had been with Peter’s father. But they carried the memories of having been enslaved and were determined never to be enslaved again. They lived in constant danger because they were in the South, although conditions in the North weren’t a lot better, as revealed through Jubilee’s observations and questions. And there were slave catchers roaming throughout the country, looking to capture and turn in runaways for financial rewards. Their freedom was precarious, their lives ever in danger. But they had been married for many years, raised children, and were devoted to each other. I’m sure that they lifted each other up and depended on each other – there are glimpses of their loving relationship – and so long as they had each other, they remained strong and determined. Which is why Bohjalian’s choice re: Sally was so utterly heartbreaking and I may never forgive him. I feared he would take that route, but when he did . . . I was devastated. 