The book has been divided into two main sections where the author explores each part of Nat Turner's mindset at the time. He has a prologue that he uses to set the scene for Nat Turner's period. In addition to the prologue, Oates has an epilogue which he uses to describe the effects of Nat's Turners' rebellion. These two main sections really help the reader understand what Nat Turner's goal was. After the prologue, Oates devotes four sections to describing Turner's state of mind that led to the rebellion as well as the legacy she left for other slaves. In the first section titled This Infernal Spirit of Slavery, Oates states, “For Nat it was a particularly painful time, for he had been led to believe that he might one day be freed” (Oates 21). When Nat was put on the field as a normal field slave, Turner experienced a period of pure confusion. Just a year ago he was playing with the white kids and now he was treated like property and worked like a mule. As he began to become more religious, Turner felt he was put on this earth to end slavery. Oates points out that Turner believed that "God did not intend that a man, with his gifts, his intelligence, his powers, should waste his years hoeing weeds and pruning hogs" (Oates 32). Turner had visions that he interpreted as messages from God to carry out his work. Her