The Underground Railroad

by

Colson Whitehead

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on The Underground Railroad makes teaching easy.

Boseman Character Analysis

Boseman is an accomplice of Ridgeway’s. He wears a necklace of shriveled ears, which he won from a Native American man in a wrestling contest. He is described as unintelligent and is more naïve and sentimental than Ridgway. Boseman is fatally shot by Royal after being caught attempting to rape Cora.
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Boseman Character Timeline in The Underground Railroad

The timeline below shows where the character Boseman appears in The Underground Railroad. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 8: Tennessee
Family, Heritage, and Home Theme Icon
Endurance vs. Rebellion Theme Icon
Death and Freedom Theme Icon
Value, Ownership, and Commodification Theme Icon
...is unlucky. People stare at the group of them: Cora and Jasper, Ridgeway, his accomplice Boseman (with the necklace of shriveled ears), and 10-year-old Homer. Although Homer is so young, he... (full context)
Endurance vs. Rebellion Theme Icon
Value, Ownership, and Commodification Theme Icon
Brutality and Violation Theme Icon
History, Myth, and Fantasy Theme Icon
Boseman has been riding with Ridgeway for three years; their crew used to be bigger, but... (full context)
Death and Freedom Theme Icon
Value, Ownership, and Commodification Theme Icon
Brutality and Violation Theme Icon
Jasper tells Boseman that God will see his sins and judge him accordingly. Without a word, Ridgeway shoots... (full context)
Family, Heritage, and Home Theme Icon
Endurance vs. Rebellion Theme Icon
Death and Freedom Theme Icon
Value, Ownership, and Commodification Theme Icon
History, Myth, and Fantasy Theme Icon
...that such dancing is “real conversation,” unlike Ridgeway’s spew of words. Back at the wagon, Boseman admits that he went to a brothel but was too paranoid by his suspicion that... (full context)
Family, Heritage, and Home Theme Icon
Endurance vs. Rebellion Theme Icon
Death and Freedom Theme Icon
Brutality and Violation Theme Icon
Later, Boseman sneaks over to Cora, putting a hand over her mouth. Cora has been preparing for... (full context)
Chapter 10: Indiana
Family, Heritage, and Home Theme Icon
Endurance vs. Rebellion Theme Icon
Death and Freedom Theme Icon
Value, Ownership, and Commodification Theme Icon
History, Myth, and Fantasy Theme Icon
...who is absent, likes to create a “mood.” Justin is shocked that Royal just killed Boseman, but Red suggests Boseman surely deserved it. Royal is the first freeborn black person Cora... (full context)