John Perry Barlow once said: “Our identities have no bodies, so, unlike you, we cannot obtain order through physical coercion. We believe that from ethics, enlightened self-interest and the Commonwealth, our governance will emerge. To me, this quote means that race is an imaginary thing and that there is no physical difference between two people of different races. The only thing that differs between the two people is what they have learned, what they have accomplished, and what their interests are as individuals. Throughout history, issues of race, gender and religion have always been considered a social issue that has created great conflicts between people. This topic is prevalent in Toni Morrison's novel, A Mercy, which is set in the 17th century. The different voices in this novel show how conflicts are fueled by the social problems of this century. It is said that there are physical differences between blacks and whites, due to their skin color. In Thomas Jefferson's Notes on the State of Virginia (264), "the deep-rooted prejudices among the whites...[who] see only the distinctions which nature has made." The difference in color caused the formation of "parties, and [produced] convulsions which will probably never end except in the extermination of one race or the other." With this notion created by the white race, controversy and racism were created. Slavery has always been a difficult subject to discuss over the centuries. The issue of race has always been associated with slavery. Since the dawn of time, slavery and indentured servitude have been observed among various ethnicities. In the novel, we meet Florens, a slave whom Mr. Jacob Vaark accepts as a paymaster...... middle of paper ...... after Rebekkah is very depressed and alone. In the novel, Christians are also represented in a different way. Lina, who is a Christian, goes to church and still bathes every day despite what regular Christians do. Ultimately, Lina's religious views help Rebekkah. With such tension over religion, it is difficult for anyone to have any freedom without being judged. The differences and conflicts between the color of one's skin, being someone's property, the roles of men and women, and the emergence of religion are all present in the novel A Mercy, by Toni Morrison . It has been said: “Our identities have no body, so unlike you, we cannot obtain order through physical coercion. We believe that from ethics, enlightened self-interest and the Commonwealth, our governance will emerge. This quote being proven to have brought about changes in others in a positive way..