Class will meet as usual, from 15:20-18:10. No weird scheduling!
Follow-up:
-You can watch the Obama/Wright video here. I forgot to mention the politics of Obama's name when we were speaking of Equiano. Of course "Barack Obama" is controversial for some (white) Americans, not because it sounds African (like his Kenyan father), but because it sounds Arabic (which it is). Or I guess more specifically because it sounds like "Osama." So guess what Obama called himself for the first 30 or 40 years of his life? "Barry" Obama, which is a more English-sounding first name. Later he considered it to be a personal truth to be Barack, even though it was probably a political disadvantage.
-Carol asked for some additional internet resources about slave life. This one has some good illustrations.
-Lucille pointed my attention to this book from the 1970s which documents the experience of African-American slaves. It was later made into a famous U.S. television show. I also want to tell you about Toni Morrison, who is probably the greatest African-American novelist, and has written books about black experience that span in setting from 1500s-1900s. Indeed many argue that she is the greatest of all U.S. novelists... I think certainly one of the best five. You can read her Nobel Prize acceptance speech here. Unfortunately we may not read Morrison in the spring because her books are too long and we have so much else on the schedule.
Reading:
-Slave Spirituals (photocopy)
-You can listen to "Go Down, Moses" and "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" by following these links.
-Harriet Jacobs autobiography, 804-05
-Harriet Jacobs, "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl," 805- middle of 820.
-Norton Headnote on "Slavery, Race, and the Making of American Literature," 748-49
-Frederick Douglass autobiography 920-23
-Frederick Douglass, "The Heroic Slave" (photocopy)
Questions: Vincent, Joy, Qian Yu, Sharon, Sherry, Sydney, Ken
Answers:
93. (Alyssa) What would Thomas Jefferson say about the possibility that slave spirituals like "Go Down Moses" and "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" contain coded political messages? What would William Apess or Frederick Douglass say?
94. (Caleigh) Why does Jacobs argue that "slavery... is far more terrible for women" (816)? Why is this topic well calculated for her reading audience?
95. (Esther) Jacobs really did hide in a small space in her grandmother's attic for seven years, as you see on 818-20. But we can also consider this scene a kind of literary symbol. Analyze it, and compare it to the similar scene which takes place in Winnemucca's autobiography, on 1582-83.
96. (Jane) How do you imagine the difference reading these texts in a literature class in Taiwan instead of in a literature class in the United States?
97. (Jenny) Why does Douglass name his protagonist "Madison Washington" and refer to the greatness of Virginia on 174? And to the "principles of 1776" on 248?
98. (Lucille) What advantages does the fictional genre of this story offer to Douglass that he would not have in the autobiographical genre that Equiano or Jacobs use (which Douglass would also use in writing three of his own autobiographies)? What disadvantages?
99. (Ted) Many of the West African tribes/nations that had their people taken into Atlantic slavery were matriarchal in their political structure, i.e. dominated by women. So why do you think writers like Equiano, Walker, and Douglass place so much emphasis on the idea that blacks can/should be masculine or "manly"? Does this vision of anti-slavery or anti-racist rhetoric become problematic when we consider the role of female writers like Wheatley and Jacobs?
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First of all, the participants of the class are different in Taiwan than in the United States. Participants in the U.S might be the target group in the text we've read and they might still share the racial discrimination experiences in some ways nowadays. In the U.S., students and teachers, no matter which ethnic group they came from, they are very likely to have the experience to communicate and to interact with people from other ethnic groups. People in the US are “in the context” of the text we are now reading. They are directly facing people who are blacks or whites everyday. The text we have read so far is inevitably about blacks, Indians, and whites(the Creole). As for a Taiwan student, I think our discussion about American identity is always from outward while students in the America can arouse such question from inward. Apparently, we are not “Americans.” We don’t have the fear of being misinterpretation or misidentified. Yet people who lived upon that land, especially the minorities, would urgently challenge the idea of being an “America” because the power relationship within the country is directly influences them.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing should be notified here: We, as Taiwanese students, can observe and discuss the American point of view when the American’s approaching other countries. When we regard America as a unity, we might see things differently from outwards.
In the U.S. the difference of the appearances can be apparently recognized; comparatively, in Taiwan, the difference between different ethnic groups is more invisible. However, the discussion about “racial issues” can be similar to both Taiwan and the U.S.. There are historical facts and processes where we find similar issues about ethnic discrimination and the unfair policies
Speaking of “American” identity, I have a question about “group identification.” When there is a “group” being identified, there is a separation. But all groups tried to identify/justify that they have the right of being “certain America.” I find that then anxiety in the idea of “unity” is to be assimilated. The anxiety hidden in the multi-independency (multeity) concept is to be separated and neglected. How do we balance such conflict? Or, can we find another way to discuss the issue?
According to Harriet Jocobs, slavery is far more terrible for women because they suffer more mental and physical torture then men do. From the passages we can see that besides constant physical violences, it is a common thing for the female slaves to endure their White masters' venting lust on them. In that era, this situation produced lots of problems for the women. It is already a torture for them to experience this terrible matter, and the childbirth because of these incidents caused much pain to them. It is mentioned on top of p. 814 when Brent narrated that "I knew that as soon as a new fancy took him, his victims were sold far off to get rid of them; especially if they had children." It is impossible for female slaves to protect their babies when they were born since they can't even protect themselves, and what's worse, they were even forced to be sold to a new environment. This is why Brent said on p.816 that "when they told me my new-born babe was a girl, my heart was heavier then it had never been before," for she knew that she couldn't protect her own baby because her poor fate was already decided.
ReplyDeleteThis topic is a well-calculated one for her readers because from a female slave point of view, Jacobs was trying to attract attention of female readers about how debased and demoralized slave women were. She wanted to capture the attention of Northern white women and to show them how the slave women's rights were deprived of. It might not be a good starting point to directly discuss the topic about how white slave owners did to them due to the extreme sexual prudery in that era, but by showing the different conditions of women and men, the topic might attract its readers and display desirable results. Besides, the book was first sold at anti-slavery offices in 1861, and that minimized the reader group; so by pointing out how slavery was far more terrible for women than men, the writings may attract attention in the most sufficient way.
This is Jenny answering question 97:
ReplyDeleteThe name “Madison Washington” can be divided into two famous family name, and make me think of James Madison and George Washington, both the founding father of the United States. (Yet, George Washington signed the 1793 Fugitive Slave Act.←well… he was the president, maybe he could only sign the act or there would be greater confliction in the time that America is dealing with Indians and forming new government. I don’t know his attitude toward the Blacks.) Upon seeing the name of the protagonist, the readers might start to expect that the protagonist is striving for freedom and independence. And expecting this protagonist would be someone great and a leader.
Virginia is also called “Old Dominion” and “Mother of Presidents,” refreshing the glory history reminds the readers the dream of freedom that Americans used to have. (many people nowadays neglect the fact that they are depriving other race’s freedom?) Maybe Virginia is where the freedom born in the heart of many Americans. Many presidents were born in Virginia(both James Madison and George Washington). Many great deeds about independence happened here. In the later story, Madison Washington gained freedom from a ship that departed from a harbor (Richmond) in Virginia. Mentioning Virginia is implying that there will be something great happened, and it is related to some race’s freedom.
I think the Principles of 1776 on 238 means the declaration of independence. As a human being, they are doing is similar to how the American had strived for their independence. Madison Washington had made his speech of their wish to the sailor, which is similar to the first part of declaration of independence, which consists of their requests and reasons. There’s also the depiction of how the slaves are being treated reconstructed the impression why the slaves want freedom and being treated as human beings.
This is Sydney.
ReplyDeleteIn Harriet Jacobs’ narrative, she mentions the southern slave law decides that the children must “follow the condition of the mother” to be slave or free.
Is it because men are more likely to gain their freedom than women in that period? Like Jacob’s father can be permitted to hire himself out; and Jacob’s first lover is a free colored man.
And is this unfair chance of freedom the result of the society’s patriarchal concept?
Advantage of fictional genre: Compares to autobiographical genre, it provides more Interesting narratives, and this might be more attracting to the masses. Especially if you wrote fiction, you can jump over the parts that are not important or just to emphasis the parts which convey your idea.
ReplyDeleteDisadvantage of fictional genre: It’s not as convincing as autobiographical genre; some parts of the story might be exaggerated and presented in a much dramatic way, which reduced the authenticity of the text.
This is Sharon =)
ReplyDeleteAfter reading some of the readings about African Americans, I have a simple question about the life of black slaves at that time: I am wondering that whether black slaves can gain back their freedom as long as they fulfill two things— 1. Having enough money (did they have allowance secretly?) 2. Having owner’s approval (did they sign contracts?).
In Winnemucca's case, the buried scene represents a kind of rebirth, which from “taking White as friends” to “disillusioning the fact that they will do nothing but persecute them.” On the country, unlike Winnemucca, when I read Jacobs’s story, what comes into my mind is that the circumstances Jacobs faces is just as Moses’s. Both of them are hidden themselves in order to avoid calamity which is going to come to them; and after the long waiting/ hiding, both of them rise from nothing to something. Indeed, this also looks like a rebirth; what’s different is during the hiding time period, Jacobs thinks one day she will have chance to go outside again, while in Winnemucca’s thought is she is doomed to die.
ReplyDeleteCarol and I have made some discussion about the novella The Heroic Slave, and thanks to Carol, we had come up some questions. We have learned that there are many examples of “extramarital affairs” (Jefferson for example) during the time period that we are now reading. I wonder people involved in this kind of peculiar relationship included a male slave master, his wife and a female slave. That is, how would the male slave master treat the child and the mistress? What about the attitude of master’s wife toward this kind of scandal? In the novella, we can see that master’s wife sometimes feels jealous about the mistress, but why should she feel jealous about a slave? Also, what is the usual consequence of that female slave involved? Finally, what kind of attitude would people who live in North and South hold?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the autobiography of Frederick Douglass, I notice the interesting interaction between him and his owner. It mentions that his mistress, Sophia Auld, teaches him how to read. Something interesting here is that why the slavery owner do so. To the slavery owner, a literate slave may become a potential danger. Once the slaves know how to read or even write, they may have power (of course the power of words) to rebel against their owners. I wonder if Sophia Auld is the exception or there is still other slavery owner do so. If she is not the exception, why they do so?
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I have no idea how Jefferson would interpret these two slave spirituals. Methinks maybe he would like to relate “Go Down Moses” to the Independence of America. In the song, there’s a holy leader-Moses striving to rescue his people from the “bondage toil”, the oppression. He may like to refer to the oppressor as the British Empire, and the search for freedom as the sacred pilgrimage. As to "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot", since the chariot is a symbol in Greek mythology as the power of god. He may like to connect the chariot to the newly independent American government. That the black slaves want to ask for the government’s help and be free from the evil European’s control.
ReplyDeleteHowever, in Douglass’s view, the interpretation would be quite different. Douglass advocated the Abolition; he devoted his life to be against the injustice the black slaves suffered. Thus, he may like to relate Moses to a “Savior”, a heroic figure that can lead the blacks to be free from the harsh oppression under the White slave owners. In other words, the Egyptian is referred to as the American slave owners, and Moses’s people are regarded as the black slaves.
Masculine, in a general perspective, promotes the courage and bravery of Men. Even though in many of the African tribes they were matriarchal, when the people are sold as slaves, they are confronted with a different patriarchal social structure. Moreover, slaves, men or women, are more likely to experience even more brutal treatment by their owners (which were white) in comparison to the women of Western civilizations. As a result, in order to show their social and gender status, black male writers tend to emphasize on the fact that they are of the male gender and should be shown the equal rights as white men. We don't see much of this in Equiano's writing (mostly narrative), but this phenomenon overflows David Walker's "Appeal in Four Articles." Also, it is largely observed that the male gender contributes to battle and warfare. So as in Walker's biography, it's critical for him to exagerate on his gender status and to express Black's outrage as to raise up the possibility for black men to unite and fight against white men's racial discrimination. Eventually, this "Black Masculine" idea has comtribute to further anti-slavery writings during that period.
ReplyDeleteHowever, with the emergence of black women writing, we see that the bravery of "Black Masculine" does become problematic through the women's writing style. In Jacob's "Life of a Slave Girl," she does not promote the idea of masculine nor significantly promote black feminism, rather she tries to gain the public's sympathy by displaying the weakness and inferiority in behalf of a black women's role. This shows more of a desire of gentle and soft converge of black and white's society, whereas the "Black Masculine" concept still believes that strong resistance is the final solution to slavery and racism.