Women as Examples

            In Narrative of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, there are numerous references to the slave women. One of their most striking features is that not one of them is given a voice. This signifies that women both played the most influential role amongst the slaves and that they were brutalized and animalized the more because of it.

            Douglass never states how the treatment of the women was taken by the rest of the slaves, but he alludes to the fact that they played a supreme role in how the slaves viewed their women. The most striking of these allusions is when Douglass regales us with the fate of his Grandmother. “She was nevertheless left a slave – a slave for life – a slave in the hands of strangers” (Douglass 92). Though men tended to be pushed into the spotlight more in the seventeenth century, Douglass chose to use a woman to illustrate the all-important fact that slaves were slaves for life, regardless of their lifelong conduct.

            Douglass consistently brings up repeated scenes of excessive brutality against women. His first example was Aunt Hester, who was savagely beaten in front of him. Of this event, Douglass writes that “it was the blood-stained gate, the entrance to the hell of slavery, through which I was about to pass. It was a most terrible spectacle. I wish I could commit to paper the feelings with which I beheld it” (51). Though this was his first time really experiencing the brutality that the slave owners inflicted upon the slaves, he never describes another scene of similar brutality done to a man, with as much feeling as he does this incident. The only other brutal scenes that Douglass describes with such a passion were the incident with his Grandmother and the Master Thomas’ beating of the slave Henny.

            Douglass’ repeated use of women to demonstrate the worst that slaveholders had to offer as well as giving us insight into how the beatings of these women affected him give us insight into the importance of women. It shows that the slave owners used the women as examples more often than men because it sent a louder and clearer message to the slaves that they were not to be trifled with.

Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1986.

A Change of Heart

We often cringe at the thought of innocently carefree children being forced to grow up, finally learning the harsh realities of life. Will they become calloused and jaded? Will they scoff at their beloved Tooth Fairy? Will they stop wearing their Batman shirt because it isn’t “cool” enough? We all wish for children that we can preserve their innocence in a frozen moment in time. We might wish that our youthful naïveté was still intact, and that we felt completely at peace dancing in public. Now let’s steer this example back to the 1800’s. 

In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Douglass recounts his experiences with Sophia Auld; so childlike and naive in her unusual kindness toward everyone around her. “...she had been in a good degree preserved from the flighting and dehumanizing effects of slavery. I was utterly astonished at her goodness.” (Douglass 77) A kind white person was a completely foreign and unthinkable concept to Douglass and his fellows. His whole perspective and manner were forced to shift. How does one interact with a white woman when “The crouching servility, usually so acceptable a quality in a slave, did not answer when manifested toward her. Her favor was not gained by it; she seemed to be disturbed by it.” (Douglass 77)

Sophia’s very countenance and manners were the first step in Douglass’ true realization of his condition. Did she feel guilt? Did that mean that white people knew that their actions were wrong? To further her kindness, Sophia teaches Douglass how to read. However, Sophia is reprimanded for her role as teacher by her husband. Sophia was told by the society around her that her kindness was wrong. Just like the children of the world who eventually stop coloring outside the lines, Sophia was forced to succumb to the societal norms of her day. “The fatal poison of irresponsible power was already in her hands, and soon commenced its infernal work. That cheerful eye, under the influence of slavery, soon became red with rage...” (Douglass 78)

In a bizarre turn of events, the woman “...of the kindest heart and finest feelings...” (Douglas 77) hopped on the cruelty bandwagon along with her peers. Perhaps feeling guilty for her past actions, Sophia became more violent in her punishments than even her husband. “She was not satisfied with simply doing well as he commanded; she seemed anxious to do better.” (Douglass 82) Sophia knew that she had created the ultimate monster in Douglass, according to whites, when she taught him to read. She takes out her feelings of guilt and betrayal of her society through whips and lashes upon her former pupil. Sophia knew that she had given power to a slave, just as Douglass realized the importance of what his mistress had done for him. “The first step had been taken. Mistress, in teaching me the alphabet, had given me the inch, and no precaution could prevent me from taking the ell.” (Douglass 82)

          In this day and age of media, technology, and communication, knowing one’s beliefs and values is extremely important. As the saying goes, “If you don’t know what you stand for, you’ll fall for anything.” Sophia Auld let her society tell her what was considered right and normal. Today, there are so many vessels of opinions vying for our attention. Advertisements, social networks, blogs, and so many others indoctrinate us in what to believe in. It is our job to know what we stand for, so that we don’t end up like Sophia Auld: guilty in her kindness and confused in her values.

Works Cited

Douglass, Frederick, and Houston A. Baker. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Penguin, 1982. Print.

If You Give A Man A Book

Education is at the center of everything; there is hardly an aspect of our lives that isn’t affected by education somehow. How much education one has has long been a status symbol, with the lowest classes getting very little, if any. This was true during the time of slavery in America, as seen in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. Frederick and his fellow slaves were forbidden from learning how to read and write. It was considered dangerous to educate a slave, as that would not only make them more equal to their white counterparts, but also give them the foundation for more advanced thinking. As Frederick discovered, this was the ultimate tool to keep a man inferior. Without the knowledge of how to read or write, one is severely limited in what they are aware of and therefore their opportunities. Today, more people are offered an education but black Americans remain a minority in schools, especially college and onwards. Though they may not be forbidden from learning anymore, the low number of black Americans in higher education can be seen as a lasting effect from the rights that were denied to them during slavery and through the civil rights movement. The disparity in education lasted long after slavery was abolished, and continues today, despite the fact that Frederick Douglass and countless others recognized that it was the cornerstone of equality.

            Upon teaching himself to read, Douglass immediately realized the power that it created; “The reading of these documents enabled me to utter my thoughts, and to meet the arguments brought forward to sustain slavery...” (84). The inability to read and write was the most substantial difference between slave and master; as long as the white master had that much more than his slaves, that was all the power he really needed. The slave who had even the slightest education was significantly closer to a means of freedom than one who did not. As Douglass discovered, printed materials such as newspapers and pamphlets were powerful tools used by abolitionists to spread hope and ideas, a way to unite where it was exceedingly dangerous to do so. The newspapers that were instrumental in teaching Douglass of the possibility of freedom were only useful to him because he could read; illustrating the injustice that the vast majority of the readers whom they were meant for would never be able to do so. The masters were right in fearing that if their slaves could read they would be more willing to revolt and gain their freedom. While young white children were in school and being taught the alphabet and how to read and write, blacks of all ages were prohibited from the same basic education, thus creating a division between them that was greater than any other inequality brought about by slavery.

            Two of my great-grandparents went to college, all four of my grandparents did, and so did both of my parents and their collective five siblings. It is not unusual for white American families to have college education in their histories, yet it is still rare for black families to have more than one or two generations with any kind of degree. This could be due to many different factors, but it is not difficult to see how history has played a large role. At the height of slavery, it was illegal to teach a slave to read, and nearly a century after the abolishment of slavery, segregated schools still existed. My family history would be very different if my grandparents weren’t accepted into all public schools and their grandparents had been illiterate. For any who have a family history that includes slavery, they have had very different obstacles and opportunities than I have. 

            In his fight for equality, Frederick Douglass used writing and giving speeches as his primary means of getting his word across. This proved to be very effective because of how eloquent and well spoken he was, which surprised many people. The fact that he was a self-taught intellectual made him all the more impressive and respectable because most of his peers could never say the same. It was his self-education that paved the way for Douglass’ success, as without it he probably never would have escaped slavery. This was the case for most slaves; whether or not they became free was often directly connected to how much education they received. It was paved into American history that education should be something that is not an equal right, but rather something that was used to keep slaves below their masters. The trials that Frederick Douglass had to go through in order to learn should be remembered, especially when considering the trials that people still have to go through for an education today.

Work Cited

Douglass, Frederick, and Houston A. Baker. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Penguin, 1982. Print.

Knowledge is Power

The fight for power within the human race has existed since the beginning of time. Throughout history we have continually built class systems that let some people rise to ungodly power, and others suffer within the depths of lower class societies. But what is it that allows one group of people to so completely rule another? The answer lies within education, with knowledge comes power.

The upper classes in all parts of the world have been marked with the ability to access resources that mentally stimulate them. Within Hinduism, the priestly, ruling and farming castes were the only ones able to access religious and intellectual studies, while the servant castes only duty was to serve, not to learn or grow. In 18th century France, extra letters on the ends of words were added as to easily identify those of a lower status who wouldn’t be able to accurately spell words in their dictations. Communist societies are known for the burning of books in order to stop their citizens from gaining further knowledge. But why is this method so effective?

In the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas, An American Slave, this concept of knowledge is greatly attributed to his personal release from slavery and need to be set free. In the slave age in America, teaching a slave how to read or write was strictly forbidden, and attributed to to being “...unlawful, as well as unsafe, to teach a nigger to read”(Douglas 78). His master goes on to explain that reading and writing will ruin the best slave. In this moment, Douglas realizes that the very core os slavery exists solely in this fact, “I know understood what had been of most perplexing difficulty --to wit, the white man’s power to enslave the black man”(78). The ability of the Europeans to take African’s from a country so vastly different than their own, with no knowledge of the way in which the world worked, they were able to capture not only their bodies, but their minds. From the beginning, they had the disadvantage and continued on to their new lives and positions as the lesser of two, ignorant as to the freedoms and luxuries that existed. Denied access to the understanding of the new language they would now adopt, they were unable to expand their horizons and build an understanding of what else existed out there.

Without stimulating our brains, we are unable to grasp that which is not in front of us. Through reading and writing we enable our brains to think deeper about the world around us. Douglas describes himself experiencing this immensely, “It had given me a view of my wretched condition, without the remedy... In moments of agony, I envied my fellow-slaves for their stupidity”(84). By being exposed to knowledge, we are snapped out of the dream-like state of ignorance and obedience, and are able to think freely for ourselves, enabling us to search for a better alternative and question the lives we are given in order to make them better. 

This tactic of denying a group of people education, or limiting that which they are exposed to has proven to have drastic effects. Many nations in communist governments only way to keep their citizens under control is by censoring what information from the outside world they come in contact way. In 3rd World countries, the push to send young girls to school drastically effects the entire society. With education comes questioning, and with questioning comes change. 

We often take for granted how great we have it in our country. Even the very act of typing and submitting an opinion on a public forum is a luxury unheard of and unimaginable in some parts of the world. By denying certain people to education we have created a detrimental class system characterized by the rulers and the servers. Whether it has been minority groups, gender separation, or economic standings, this pattern of destruction has repeatedly done nothing but create negative side effects on the human race.

Bibliography

Douglass, Frederick, and Houston A. Baker. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American                Slave. Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Penguin, 1982. Print.

Masters of the Game

Because the white man found the black man and was able to take him and his family from their land and use them as laborers, it was widely believed that the blacks were not only meant to be slaves to “civilized” westerners, but that they accepted this role. Captain Delano in “Benito Cereno,” illustrates this prevailing belief with his condescending descriptions of the slaves aboard the ship and his reluctance to see the intelligence and power that they were capable of. His notion that the slaves were obedient, docile creatures nearly cost him his life, but on a larger scale it shows that the white American and European’s conviction that they were superior to blacks in every way was extremely dangerous and eventually led to the successful uprising of the slaves. Had the whites not so fervently underestimated the slaves and their capabilities, they may have known better than to treat them like animals. In “Benito Cereno,” by Herman Melville, the slaves, Babo in particular, use their white masters’ naiveté to their advantage and are able to exact revenge. By merely pretending to be submissive, Babo and the other slaves show that they held that power over the whites. In most cases the slaves obeying their white masters was out of self-preservation and the interest of staying alive, but it nonetheless demonstrations that their “playing the part” of subservience says more about their intelligence and strength than it does of the white’s.

Delano is so sure that the slaves on the ship are friendly and compliant that he never considers the possibility that they could resent the men who have taken them from their homes and mistreated them; “Captain Delano could not but bethink him of the beauty of that relationship which could present such a spectacle of fidelity on the one hand and confidence of the other”(Melville 176). His observations throughout the story are so erroneous that they show how blind he was to the slave’s unhappiness. His insinuations of the slaves being loyal like animals also show that he believed them to be incapable of thinking for themselves and having higher aspirations than serving others. After describing how cheerful they are as a whole, he goes on to say, “… to this is added the docility arising from the unaspiring contentment of a limited mind, and that susceptibility of bland attachment sometimes inhering in indisputable inferiors…” (212). Everything in this description goes to show that Delano’s preconceived notions of blacks kept him from seeing what was truly going on.

Babo and the other slaves continued to act like willing and cheerful servants because to do otherwise would have meant that their plans for revenge and freedom were ruined. In order to not give themselves away once Delano entered the ship, they had to pretend to be following Benito Cereno’s orders. The fact that they did so when they were actually the ones in control shows how they used their situation to their advantage, knowing that Delano and the other white men would be so convinced of their nature that they would never suspect anything to the contrary. It is often said in competition that one should never underestimate their opponent; the problem was that the whites did not see the blacks as opponents because that would have meant that they saw them as equals. By being the underdogs, the slaves had the upper hand.

Follow Your Leader

Leader: (Noun)

1. The person who leads or commands a group, organization, or country.
2. A person followed by others.

By definition, a leader is one whom is in command of others; to set an example and to be followed. Leadership invokes a positive connotation in society both today and throughout history. We all want the respect and dignity that comes with the title of “leader”. We are taught as children to respect leaders, and learn about such leaders as Abraham Lincoln and George Washington in our schools. Yet what happens when leadership becomes a sinister, manipulative threat? Herman Melville depicts this question in his novella “Benito Cereno”.

Seguid vuestro jefe.

Follow your leader.

    These are the words crudely painted upon the side of the San Dominick. Although Delano remains ignorant to the ominous meaning behind these words, the reader later finds out the hidden message of Seguid vuestro jefe. These words are meant as a warning to the crew members on board the San Dominick, for the skeleton of their murdered leader, Don Aranda, lies within the ship. “...suddenly revealing, as the bleached hull swung round towards the open ocean, death for the figurehead, in a human skeleton; chalky comment on the chalked words below, ‘Follow your leader.’” (Melville 234) “Follow your leader” by protesting against the slaves, and the Spaniards will rest next to Aranda’s decaying bones. This is in part how the slaves, led by Babo, kept Cereno and his men in line. I also think that this motto could be referring to another leader aboard the ship. Benito Cereno’s docility under Babo’s reign could prove as an example to the crew mates to remain submissive. Either way, Babo used this phrase as a direct threat to his white counterparts in order to force them into compliance.

Follow your leader...

The reader is given hints regarding Don Aranda’s corpse within the description of the San Dominick. Near the words Follow your leader, “Battered and mouldy, the castellated forecastle seemed some ancient turret, long ago taken by assault and then left to decay.” (Melville 164) Looking back upon this quote after knowing what unfurls in the story, I believe that this quote is a description of Aranda, whose body was “battered and mouldy”, long ago “taken by assault and then left to decay” by the slaves. Although possibly far fetched, Melville placed many hidden meanings within this text, and this is an accurate description of the slave master who was overthrown by his own “cargo”.

We know that the dictionary definition of a leader is “a person followed by others”. Yet what was a leader defined by in the setting of Benito Cereno? Race. Delano was more inclined to believe that weak, fainting Cereno was truly in charge just because of his skin color. Melville redefines the concept of leadership in a way. Leaders are not always those with the title of “Captain” or the one giving orders. Leaders are the revolutionaries, the ones who think for themselves, cruelty aside. Leadership proves an important theme in Benito Cerino through racial conceptions of leadership as well as Babo’s usage of a motivational phrase to overthrow those who believed themselves above him.

Seguid vuestro jefe.

                                               Follow your leader.

Works Cited

Melville, Herman. Billy Budd and Other Stories. London: Penguin, 1986. Print.

Control and the Corruption of Spirit

            In Benito Cereno and Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, the issue of slavery and simple control over other human beings is brought up multiple times. One of the arguments for the continuation of slavery in the United States was that slaves’ lives were better off the way that they were. Douglas wrote that the Americans thought that the slaves’ singing was “evidence of their contentment and happiness” (Douglass 58). On the other hand, most slaves were certainly mistreated and miserable with their lot in life, particularly on the plantations. However, the lot of the slave owners, or if not owners, the ones that still had control over others should be brought up. While slavery was damaging to the slaves, it also had serious consequences for those that held slaves.

            In Benito Cereno, the damaging effects of slave owning is most evident in both the Africans on the San Dominick and in Captain Cereno. The Africans went from being the slaves to the masters in a very short period of time, following their rebellion aboard the ship. While it cannot be said for certain what their overall temperaments were prior to being taken aboard the San Dominick, there is a certain corruption that can be attributed to them once we encounter them in the story. The women are described as exceptionally vicious by the account that “they would have tortured to death, instead of simply killing, the Spaniards slain by command of the Negro Babo”(Melville 251) It is exceptionally unlikely that they would have had these feelings of such violence prior to their slavery turned control over their slavers. Similar transformations can be observed in the case of what the Africans did to Don Joaquin; “as upon the approach of the boats, Don Joaquin, with a hatchet tied edge out and upright to his hand, was made by the Negroes to appear on the bulwarks; whereupon, seen with arms in his hands and in a questionable attitude, he was shot for a renegade seaman.” (254) This evidences a decent into cruelty in which the “masters” were not simply content to kill the man, but to force him to be killed by his allies.

            In the case of Benito Cereno, it can be plainly seen that slaveholding, and then being the subject of slavery, caused an extreme change in character. Cereno answered Captain Delano’s query “what has cast such a shadow upon you?” with “The Negro.” (256) While his stint as a slave under Babo helped to cause the change, and his subsequent death, the fact that he was transporting slaves was the main cause of his decline. What his answer means is not just the trauma he underwent aboard the ship, but the mental guilt that he underwent at what he had forced upon countless slaves during his tenure as captain.

            Frederick Douglass gives a prime illustration of the effect that slaveholding has on a person. His primary example was Mrs. Auld, whom he initially describes as “a kind and tenderhearted woman” (Douglass 81). Douglass describes slaveholding as “The fatal poison of irresponsible power” (77) and goes on to discuss how this power turned Mrs. Auld into an overly controlling and almost vicious woman. This case most clearly illustrates how slavery corrupts the mind and spirit of the slaveholder, turning a nice, innocent woman into a monster. Douglass also describes the effects that slavery had, or would likely have on the children that he learned from in Baltimore. He states that had he divulged their names, it would have been cause for great shame to them. They could not even take any pleasure or satisfaction in having helped to teach a young boy.

Melville, Herman, and A. Robert Lee. "Benito Cereno." Billy Budd, Sailor: And Other Stories. London: J.M. Dent, 1993. 161-258. Print.

Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1986.

Ignorance

One of the themes that Melville introduces in the story is that of ignorance. Ignorance is typically thought of as a bad thing in modern society. We see it as an impediment to knowledge and a thing to be eliminated. Other times, we hear that ignorance is bliss and something that is sometimes desirable. This begs the question, which view does Melville subscribe to? I believe that he is of the opinion that ignorance is, in the end, a good thing.

Throughout the story, Captain Delano is described as fairly ignorant. This is due to his having “…been a person of a singularly undistrustful good nature, not liable, except on extraordinary and repeated excitement, and hardly then, to indulge in personal alarms, any way involving the imputation of malign evil in man.” (Melville 162) Because of his trusting nature, he is susceptible to being deceived and remaining ignorant of things that otherwise would be staring him in the face. He repeatedly sees suspicious behavior such as the black boy that hit the white boy with the knife. (179) However, he is so trusting and subsequently so ignorant that he sees little awry with the scene after a minute. The fact that this carries on until he leaves the San Dominick is further proof of his ignorance and seems to indicate that the ignorance is, on the whole, a bad thing because it led to his being unprepared for the following events. However, that is only the surface of Melville’s intent. The question that has to be asked is what would have happened if Delano had not been so ignorant? The answer lies in the brutality of the rebel slaves such as when “…the Negro Babo ordered to be thrown alive into the sea…” (244) referring to the Spanish sailors. Had Captain Delano not remained ignorant of Babo’s control, he would have been killed quickly and likely brutally by the rebel slaves. When it is looked at from the view that ignorance saved not only his life, but likely the life of his crew, it can be seen that Melville in fact believes that ignorance, while maybe not bliss, is certainly a trait to be thankful for in certain circumstances.

Works Cited:

Melville, Herman, and A. Robert Lee. "Benito Cereno." Billy Budd, Sailor: And Other Stories. London: J.M. Dent, 1993. 161-258. Print.