As an enslaved person, taken from his home in Africa to the North American colonies, Amos Fortune quickly learns that rewards like respect, freedom, and equality come from hard work. Applying himself to Celia Copeland’s lessons allows him to communicate and earn the regard and trust of the Copeland family, which in turn gives him the opportunity to roam Boston Harbor during his free time in search of his long-lost family. Amos’s second enslaver, Ichabod Richardson, promises to grant Amos’s freedom—but only after Amos has worked hard and long enough to repay the price Richardson paid to purchase Amos’s labor and to provide his food and shelter. The book directly claims that the respect and acceptance Amos earns from his white neighbors in Jaffrey, New Hampshire, where he spends most of his free life, arise directly from his good work ethic and good character, which he manifests through participation in community organizations like the church and library, and through acts of charity in the community. Likewise, the book portrays Amos’s enslavers favorably, as men and women who believe in God and human dignity, who work hard, and who practice honesty.
The book most clearly demonstrates the idea that hard work expresses good character in the difference between the Fortune and Burdoo families. Amos and his wife Violet work hard to establish their family businesses of tanning and weaving, while Violet’s daughter Celyndia applies herself dutifully to her studies. Accordingly, most everybody in Jaffrey respects the Fortunes. In contrast, Lois Burdoo and her family live off the charity of the community, too lazy or shiftless to try to improve their own lot. No matter how much help Lois receives from the community, she never establishes a livelihood for herself that would allow her to feed her children. Indeed, Violet suggests that ongoing charity discourages Lois from putting in the hard work of making a living. In celebrating Amos—and contrasting his experience with that of people less inclined to hard work—Amos Fortune, Free Man participates in the American celebration of hard work as the best path toward earthly reward.
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Hard Work and Good Character Quotes in Amos Fortune, Free Man
He took the candle from Mrs. Richardson’s outstretched hand and the plate of food she had ready for him, then he went across the grass to the hut that was Mr. Richardson’s workshop and would be Amos’ home all the years of his servitude. From the house, Ichabod Richardson and his wife heard the slave singing to himself long after he had blown out his candle to save the precious tallow.
Mrs. Richardson tilted her head to listen. “If you had a slave for no other reason than their singing, I often think it would be worth it,” she said. “And yet, so long as they’re not free their songs are like those of birds in a cage.”
“He’ll have his freedom in time, but not until he’s paid me well for the price I paid for him.”
However, by the second year when people came to their call for their leather and paid Amos Fortune in cash or kind, his stock of supplies increased and he added another room to the cabin and more comfort to their living. The iron kettle that stood half-hidden in the ashes of the hearth and held the Fortune savings began to be musical with the coins that were collecting in it. Amos did not know how long it would be before the contents of the kettle would be sufficient for him to buy his own piece of land. His soul might long for heaven but his heart longed for cleared fields and a wider brook […]. And a plot of earth near the house where Violet’s flowers might grow freely. He said little about his dream but he nourished it in his heart as the best place for a dream to grow.
“I’m not wanting Lois Burdoo to live in hardship but I’m thinking you’ve got a right to live in dignity.”
“But Violet—” he began.
While the words were strong within her she knew she must speak them. “With all the help the town gave her she never made herself any better,” Violet insisted. “The children are getting older. They’re the ones to help and help themselves too. You’ll do more for them all by giving work to the boys than by giving money to Lois.”
“But Violet—”
She would not listen to him until she had had her say. “There’s a fire that burns fast the more fuel goes on it and that’s shiftlessness,” Violet said stoutly. “Lois is a shiftless woman and money is just so much fuel to her fire.”
Jaffrey had a Social Library and Amos became a member of it. He read its books during the winter when tanning operations were somewhat in abeyance and discussed them with the citizens of the town. He was always well informed for he subscribed to a newspaper. His store of information, matched with his ready wit, gave him opinions that were often sought after. He was their fellow citizen, Amos Fortune, and more often than not the prefix “Mr.” dignified his name. He had won his way to equality by work well done and a life well lived. But his own life was no guarantee for the lives of those who were dear to him. Celyndia, now sixteen, had many friends among the white children. But there were times when she was made to feel uneasy at school because of her color and her different ways.
The town had again been helping Lois Burdoo with firewood and foodstuffs. But no matter what help she received she never seemed to be able to rise above her wretched lot. The children went to school in tatters, and even when given new clothes they would appear the next day with them dirty and torn. They could not seem to keep from falling down or tearing themselves on briar bushes.
After years of ineffective help, the town felt that it could not bolster Lois Burdoo any longer. She was given warning that the two oldest children would be put up to Public Vendue on the thirty first day of December. Vendues were auctions at which townspeople could bid for the privilege of affording care to the indigent.
Amos unwrapped a handkerchief in which he had put the rest of the money in the stone crock—two hundred and forty-three dollars in all […]. Deacon Spofford noted the among and wrote after it “for the school.” Then, quill poised in hand, he looked across the table at Amos. “And will you say what should be done with it?” he asked.
Amos answered, “The town shall use the money in any way it sees fit to educate its sons and daughters.”
“I have heard that those in your care have not always fared well at the school,” Deacon Spofford said as if he were asking for forgiveness of Amos Fortune.
“That is why I give the money to the school,” Amos replied as he rose to leave.
