Charles Johnson’s Oxherding Tales draws from Buddhist philosophy, yet he intended it as a reinterpretation of an American literary form—the slave narrative. In what way does the novel, despite its spiritual themes, serve as a representative example of the slave narrative genre?

Explanation

The correct answer is A. The novel exemplifies the slave narrative primarily through its depiction of the main character’s progression from enslavement to freedom, which is a central theme in traditional slave narratives. Options B, C, and D do not accurately reflect the defining characteristics of the slave narrative genre as applied in Johnson’s work.