Summary Of Nat Turner Confession

Nat Turner begins his confession (or so Gray does, by prompting Nat to do so) by speaking about his childhood. He was raised in a very religious family, and was admired from a young age for his remarkable intelligence and quick ability to read and write. Turner was a born leader; in fact, it was often thought when he was child that he would become a preacher as an adult, for his honesty and leadership skills. Other slaves in the “neighborhood,” as he calls it, would have him plan their mischievous activities for them, as he was regarded as highly intelligent and able to pay careful attention to detail as not to be caught. One day, as Turner was praying at his plough, he claims to have received a message from God telling him, “Seed ye the kingdom of Heaven and all things shall be added unto you.” Turner interpreted this as a sign from God that his great purpose would soon be revealed to him. …show more content…
He tells Gray about seeing white and black spirits battling while thunder rolled and blood flowed in streams. He heard a voice saying, “Such is your luck, such you are called to see, and let it come rough or smooth, you must surely bare it.” The Spirit confronted Turner once more in May of 1828, and Turner describes a loud noise before the Spirit appeared before him, and told him that the “Serpent was loosened, and Christ had laid down the yoke he had borne for the sins of men.” Turner interpreted this to mean that he should fight against the Serpent; in his case, these were white slave owners. Turner states, “for the time was fast approaching when the first should be last and the last should be first.” Upon this, Turner was instructed to await the appearance of a sign in the heavens before communicating his "great work" to any others. An eclipse of the sun in February 1831 inspired Turner to confide in four fellow slaves: Henry, Hark, Nelson, and

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