Nat Turner is a Patriot

             The discussion about Nat Turner’s mental state in today’s class raised the debate as to whether he was delusional or not. Nat Turner spoke in a way similar to many biblical figures and heroes. He was a very religious man, which of course could have contributed to his believed ‘calling’. I personally believe that many special people are meant for a greater purpose, and that could have been the case for Nat Turner. There are many figures throughout history that believed their sole purpose in their lifetime was to make a change during a time when it seemed like no change was possible. It almost seems like when all hope is lost an individual that is special appears to save those that are in distress.

I most definitely believe he was a patriot because he had a goal, and he would do anything to achieve this goal. He knew that in order to enact change he had to fight back or die trying, and that’s exactly what a patriot is. He figured if his own people were being killed, and treated so poorly, that fighting back was his only option. Death is almost always inevitable when attempting to attain freedom. I believe Nat Turner to be a hero, and an inspiration to many influential figures down the road.

Nat Turner was definitely molded by his experiences with slavery. He was a very intelligent man, and with the disgusting stories he had heard he was conditioned to be a hero. It is possible that Nat could have embellished his visions, but I would like to think he did have a specific calling and mission he was meant to achieve. I by no means believe that he was delusional, but rather inspired and courageous.