Never Caught: The Washingtons’ Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Interviews With Ona Judge”

In this activity, students will demonstrate their understanding of Judge’s changing circumstances by writing two interviews with Judge that take place at different stages of her life.

In Never Caught, many of Dunbar’s ideas about Judge’s thoughts and feelings are speculative because Judge left behind a limited number of first-hand testimonies. Imagine, however, that as she was researching for the content of this book, Dunbar was lucky enough to come across both 1794 and 1803 newspaper interviews with Judge. Create these interviews based on relevant information in the text.

• Each interview should be 200-250 words long and set up in “Q & A” style.
• Use standard, academic English: Do not attempt to recreate dialects in any way.
• In each interview, the reporter should ask for Judge’s thoughts about “our new nation,” George and Martha Washington, and her experiences living and working in the president’s household.
• Judge’s answers should reflect your understanding of her circumstances: What would she most likely say in 1794, while still living in the Washington household, and how might her answers change by 1803?

When you finish, read a classmate’s interviews and answer the following question in a complete paragraph:

• What changes are evident in Judge’s answers from 1794 to 1803, and is this a complete and realistic presentation of both her likely thinking and the changes in her circumstances?

Teaching Suggestion: This activity can be completed individually, with a partner, or in small groups. Students should take into account both concrete, verifiable evidence such as the dates of key events in Judge’s life and the suppositions that Dunbar makes as someone who has reviewed and analyzed research related to Judge’s life. Students might design or review guidelines before responding; for example, answers should remain within the boundaries of Dunbar’s characterization of Judge (e.g., in her 1803 interview, Judge may express anger at the Washingtons, but based on Dunbar’s characterization, it is unlikely that she would openly celebrate their deaths).

Differentiation Suggestion: A successful response requires students to gather evidence about Judge’s likely opinions and her life circumstances during two key periods. Students with reading fluency or attentional learning differences might share the task of evidence-gathering with partners or small groups in order to maximize efficiency and increase potential for success. If students are responding individually, those who benefit from strategies with written expression might list their ideas for each interview instead of writing out complete articles.

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the bulleted outlines below. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Most of the book’s chapters follow a similar structural pattern.

Briefly describe the chapter structure; what is its rhetorical purpose? (topic sentence)

Identify at least 3 strong examples that support your interpretation. Analyze and discuss the structure of these example chapters, pointing out ways in which they fulfill the rhetorical purpose.

In your concluding sentence or sentences, comment on how the book’s structure relates to one or more of its main thematic interests: Freedom and the Myth of the “Noble Slaveowner,” The Need to Reexamine History, and The Vulnerability of Black Female Bodies.

2. Some of the enslaved people in this narrative choose to remain in bondage rather than seek freedom.

• What is the greatest motivation for the people who make this choice, as presented by Dunbar? (topic sentence)
• Analyze and discuss at least 3 situations or events that support your topic sentence.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, comment on how this motivation relates to one or more of the book’s main thematic interests: Freedom and the Myth of the “Noble Slaveowner,” The Need to Reexamine History, and The Vulnerability of Black Female Bodies.

3. Dunbar presents Ona Judge as unique in many ways but representative of all of the enslaved people in other ways.

• Which of Judge’s qualities make her unique and which make her representative of the larger group? (topic sentence)
• Determine at least 3 incidents, decisions, events, or circumstances that demonstrate both Judge’s uniqueness and her ability to represent others.  Analyze and discuss these examples in support of your topic sentence.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, comment on Dunbar’s purpose in portraying Judge in both ways.

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. Ona Judge faces terrible oppression because of her race. How are the obstacles she faces compounded by her sex? How do 18th-century American beliefs, customs, and laws related to women interfere with Judge’s opportunities, happiness, and safety? Which ones are problems for all women, and  which are problems for Black women? How do wealth and poverty impact the degree to which 18th-century women—white or Black—are burdened by society’s strictures? Write an essay that analyzes the ways in which Judge’s race, sex, and access to resources intersect to create a more complex set of obstacles. Comment on how this intersection is related to the text’s concern with The Vulnerability of Black Female Bodies. Support your arguments with evidence drawn from throughout the text, making sure to cite any quoted material.

2. In her discussion of the ends of the lives of George and Martha Washington, Dunbar gives detailed information about how each intended for those they held in slavery to be treated. What conclusions does this evidence lead Dunbar to reach regarding George’s and Martha’s attitudes toward slavery? What other evidence does she provide throughout the book that supports her interpretation? Does Dunbar seem to believe that having different attitudes is the same thing as having different degrees of culpability? Write an essay comparing and contrasting Dunbar’s portrayals of George’s and Martha’s attitudes toward slavery. Comment on how this portrayal is related to the text’s concern with Freedom and the Myth of the “Noble Slaveowner.” Support your arguments with evidence drawn from throughout the text, making sure to cite any quoted material.

3. Dunbar supplements her recounting of historical fact with speculations about conversations, thoughts, and motivations. How do these elements help bring her characters to life and engage the reader’s emotions in a way that the facts alone might not? What role do these speculations play in constructing the text’s overall argument? Do they impact the soundness of Dunbar’s argument in any way? Write an essay analyzing the role that speculation plays in Never Caught. Comment on how this speculation is related to the text’s concern with The Need to Reexamine History. Support your arguments with evidence drawn from throughout the text, making sure to cite any quoted material.

Multiple Choice and Long Answer Questions create ideal opportunities for whole-text review, exams, or summative assessments.

Multiple Choice

1. Which detail is a part of the motif of Judge’s unique circumstances?

A) The weather on the day she was born

B) The name her mother chooses for her

C) The early age at which she begins working

D) The race of her biological father

2. Which consideration is least likely to be a factor in Judge’s ability to pass as a free Black woman?

A) Skills acquired while working for the Washingtons

B) Her biracial background

C) The choice of New Hampshire as a refuge

D) Her acquaintanceship with the Langdons

3. Which statement is the most accurate summary of Dunbar’s characterization of George Washington?

A) Passionate about the project of independence, Washington is driven while President and somewhat neglects his home and family.

B) Deeply bonded to the culture of Virginia, Washington serves his country not because he is ambitious but from a sense of duty.

C) Aware that slavery is a key economic engine in both North and South, Washington makes preserving slavery a cornerstone of his presidency.

D) Somewhat conflicted about the institution of slavery, Washington tries unsuccessfully to ensure that it will be phased out by the end of the century.

4. Which statement is the most accurate summary of Dunbar’s characterization of Martha Washington?

A) Martha Washington is an introverted and insecure woman who finds the pressures of public life nearly intolerable.

B) Martha Washington is a moody and callous woman mainly concerned with preserving her own class status and privilege.

C) Martha Washington is a kind and soft-spoken woman with deep maternal instincts, even toward those that her family holds in bondage.

D) Martha Washington is a brilliant and ambitious woman intensely frustrated with the limited opportunities available to women.

5. What idea is most clearly illustrated by including details about people like Langdon and Whipple?

A) Typical Northern opinions about slavery

B) The unintended consequences of the Fugitive Slave Act

C) The precariousness of white social status

D) Differences between male and female reactions to slavery

6. What goal does this text suggest is most realistic for people escaping from enslavement?

A) Status

B) Happiness

C) Autonomy

D) Security

7. What element does Dunbar describe in detail as a way to indicate social status?

A) Community gatherings

B) Transportation

C) Hairstyles

D) Clothing

8. What paradox is created by Dunbar’s approach to her subject matter?

A) She hopes the reader will both admire and reject the values of the Revolution.

B) She attempts to convince the reader that the enslaved both accepted and reviled slavery.

C) She seeks to portray Judge as both unique and representative of a larger group.

D) She provides two conflicting definitions of “freedom” for white and Black Americans.

9. Which statement is the most reasonable interpretation of Dunbar’s purpose in speculating about the internal lives of her characters?

A) She wants to bias the reader’s perspective on George Washington.

B) She wants to generate reader engagement and empathy.

C) She wants to draw a clear line between history and fiction.

D) She wants to provoke conversation about historiography.

10. Which detail does Dunbar most likely offer to support the text’s exploration of the additional challenges Judge faced because of her sex?

A) The race of Thomas Law’s children

B) Patsy’s death in childhood

C) The interview with Whipple

D) The yellow fever epidemic

11. Which of the consequences for escaping that Judge fears does not eventually come to pass?

A) The Washingtons will never give up on trying to recapture her.

B) She will live in poverty and struggle to find meaningful work.

C) She will lose contact with many friends and family members.

D) The Washingtons will persecute her family members.

12. Which statement most accurately represents the text’s stance on Black history?

A) Black history is important enough to require teaching separately from American history.

B) Black history is the central frame through which all American history should be taught.

C) A genuine understanding of US history requires a genuine understanding of Black history.

D) Understanding Black history requires understanding the histories of other marginalized groups.

13. Which is the most accurate statement of Dunbar’s motive for exposing the darker side of George Washington?

A) Dunbar wants her audience to stop admiring George Washington.

B) Dunbar wants her audience to reexamine the American national myth.

C) Dunbar wants her audience to think critically about contemporary leaders.

D) Dunbar wants her audience to understand that America is a troubled country.

14. Of these, which idea does Dunbar’s text most clearly argue?

A) The enslavement of one human by another does as much damage to the enslaver as to the enslaved person.

B) The diversity of reactions to slavery among the enslaved shows that not everything about slavery was terrible.

C) The characteristics of an enslaver matter greatly when considering the moral gray areas of slavery.

D) Human bondage is entirely wrong regardless of how enslaved people are treated.

15. Of these, which idea does Dunbar’s text most clearly argue?

A) The purpose of caste systems is to divide the oppressed.

B) People are often complicit in their own oppression.

C) The pursuit of freedom is worth any risk.

D) Violence is often the only way to secure lasting freedom.

Long Answer

Compose a response of 2-3 sentences, incorporating text details to support your response.

1.How does Dunbar use George Washington to refute the idea of the “benevolent” enslaver?

2. What does Dunbar imply are Martha Washington’s motives for continuing to pursue Judge after she has escaped?