When I was learning about history in high school I never thought to question where I could find out about the lives of gay people from the past. It strikes me as strange that I didn't question this even though I was out as a teenager and craved to learn more about gay life. But I think the way our received knowledge about the past is framed contributes to why it doesn't even occur to us to ask about marginalized individuals whose stories aren't included amidst the grander narrative. I've deeply appreciated how some recent novels such as “A Place Called Winter” by Patrick Gale and “Days Without End” by Sebastian Barry introduced gay lives and gay love stories into specific historical settings. These are periods of time in which we know little or nothing about the lives of queer individuals because any records of these identities and relationships were either too dangerous to keep or were purposefully erased. But (of course) gay men existed and loved each other in these times from the past! Since we can't recover what's been lost the only way to reintroduce these lives into the narrative of history is by fictionally imagining them there.
In school I certainly had a lot of lessons about the history of slavery in America and the Civil War (although a lot of the shamefully grim reality of what happened was no doubt withheld.) But, again, I didn't think to question where gay lives fitted into these historical accounts. Some might consider it crass or redundant to ask this when so much about the lives of America's African American ancestry was maliciously and purposefully destroyed. Some might even feel exhausted by the prospect of reading another slave narrative when so many books have already covered this heinous but vitally important era of US history. But, as Robert Jones Jr said in a wonderful interview he gave with Brit Bennett: “If there were 20 million enslaved people there are 20 million stories to tell and not every story is told.” So, yes, there is both a desire and need for a fictional story of two enslaved black men who are in love with each other to be told and I'm grateful Jones has done this in his artful and extremely moving debut novel “The Prophets”.
The main story literally begins with a roll in the hay as Samuel and Isaiah, two slaves on a remote Mississippi plantation primarily work and reside in relative solitude within the property's barn. If this seems romanticised we're soon made aware of the cruel reality of this hellish place. What it vitally establishes is that there is an intense desire and love between these two men which would otherwise blossom naturally if it weren't for their enslavement. Their relationship is made all the more precarious as the white masters and other enslaved people on the plantation become aware of their romantic and sexual connection. Their reactions to this knowledge vary and Jones conveys in a fascinating way how the judgements made upon them aren't simply moral or religious, but also have to do with the commercial loss of two strong and healthy black men who won't produce babies in the breeding programme designed by the plantation owner. The physicality of their relationship also inspires feelings of admiration, confusion, kinship, desire and envy among the many inhabitants which further complicates the ways these men are alternately befriended, betrayed, used and punished. Equally, Samuel and Isaiah themselves have different ways of admitting, denying or suppressing their desire for each other in these dire circumstances. This story delves deeply into the full complexity of the issues at stake and the emotional snags that would have resulted from a same sex relationship such as this.
At first I felt dismayed the narrative didn't stick solely with Samuel and Isaiah's perspectives because I wanted to feel and know more about the dynamic of their relationship. Yet the lives of the other black inhabitants of the plantation are written in such a compelling and vivid way I was so drawn into their individual stories as well as how their actions impacted upon the male couple. I was also concerned about going into the point of views of the white plantation owners and overseer (or toubab men and women) because I was concerned Jones would feel the need to portray them somewhat sympathetically as most novelists feel it's a necessary part of the fiction writing process that you must have empathy with all your characters whether they are good or villainous. I didn’t want to feel sympathy for them because American history is too often dominated by white perspectives. The author approaches this dilemma in a compelling way showing how they would logically justify their dominance over fellow human beings, but also shows their wilful ignorance and despicable abuse of power. I came to feel it was necessary to allocate space for their viewpoints because otherwise it'd be too easy to dismiss them as simply evil. In doing so, Jones creatively shows the way the religious, political and economic ideologies of the time reinforced and perpetuated this system of exploitation.
The novel also ambitiously reaches back in time to portray the ancestry of Samuel and Isaiah which they are unaware of because no records were kept. Patriarch Paul's book which logged the slaves’ arrival at the plantation is presented in the story in a way which is so memorable because its details are so thin. The story depicts the inventive way in which the community of the Kosongo people in Africa was organized to show the markedly different frames of mind from a non-Western perspective. Voices of the prophets also emerge from beyond the grave to advise and comment upon Samuel and Isaiah's bond. This beautifully gives the sense that these men who love each other are cherished and held in a way they aren't in real life. It's another aspect of the narrative which felt somewhat distracting at first but then came to be necessary as it gives some welcome relief from the more difficult aspects of this story. The novel is not difficult in terms of readability. The language is not overly-complicated and though the plot is filled with many characters and layers it's relatively easy to follow. What's difficult to read are the scenes of horrific violence and the surprisingly insidious degrees of malice exhibited by different characters. Yet, that I was unaware of the many specific ways enslaved people in America were systematically abused and kept in bondage is another reason why this book feels necessary. Because it was so harrowing also meant I felt intimately involved in the story. The final sections of this novel are startlingly dramatic and I was thoroughly gripped wanting to know what the fate of the many individual characters would be. The conclusion is both surprising and very moving.
I can only imagine what impact reading this novel would have had upon me as a teenager in my burgeoning understanding of our lost gay history and how valuably it'd have contributed to the formation of my own gay identity. I'm glad “The Prophets” exists now to inspire a newer generation and hope that it's taught alongside texts about the history of slavery in America. I know this makes it sound like I'm recommending this book because reading it is a worthy experience, but its characters are so compelling I felt intimately involved in their lives and stories. Reading this impressive novel is an absolutely absorbing and enlightening experience.
