Dana's Bag

Dana’s bag represents Dana’s connection to her home in the 1970s. Whenever Dana prepares to be transported to the plantation, she packs some modern necessities in her bag. She takes this bag with her to the 1800s, so the tenacity with which she keeps the bag close to her represents the fact that she does not belong in the 1800s.

The Whip

The whip is a somewhat obvious symbol of racial discrimination and injustice in this novel. The white slave owners use it to beat the black slaves in a display of dominance. It also represents cruelty, and it is used to invoke harsh and violent imagery.

Books

In this novel, books serve as a symbol that transcends the conflicts between humans that arise because of discrimination. This is because they represent education. Dana teaches a number of black and white characters how...