Camino Ghosts

Content Warning: This section discusses rape, sexual violence, physical abuse, and racism.

Through Lovely’s memoir, John Grisham explores the history of enslavement as a dark moment in US history while situating it in a contemporary context. The novel notes that enslavement and its impact on US society remain inadequately addressed, and Grisham suggests that its traumatizing legacy persists. For example, Mercer realizes that her knowledge of the history of enslavement is limited while she’s reading Lovely’s memoir because the experiences of enslaved Black people are vague and “distant memories of her education” (25). As a testament to the experiences of Lovely’s self-emancipated ancestors, her book offers Mercer literary inspiration and a historical perspective. In addition, Lovely addresses this issue during her testimony in court while explaining why she authored the book. She emphasizes America’s collective negation to confront the legacy of enslavement and the dehumanization of Black people, suggesting that “the real history […] has not been taught” and remains “forgotten” (242). Lovely intention to “preserve the history of Dark Isle” (242), and the survival and resilience of her African ancestors highlights Grisham’s argument that history must not be buried.