Beginning of Essay
"Are you seriously considering the possibility of a man's being turned into a tree," questions John of his wife in Charles Chesnutt's novel The Conjure Woman. His attention to the supernatural in the stories told by Uncle Julius lead him to miss the significance ....

Middle of Essay
.... stories, as told by Uncle Julius, relay several themes important in rebutting the sentimentality of slavery. One theme Uncle Julius's stories rebut is that of the relationship between families. One way in which the author addresses this issue is in "Sis' Becky's Pickaninny." Chesnutt condemns the treatment of slaves as capital, while confirming their need for family. To illustrate, when Becky is traded for a racehorse she is devastated by the loss of her son. In order to keep the family together the aunt resorts to hiring a local conjure woman to bring the family together again. Only after Becky and Mose are reunited, is she able to find some ....