Arendt acknowledges the treatment of slaves and compares it to genocide of the human race. Both Douglass and Arendt wanted a better world and were not afraid to talk openly about change. They also spoke up about the harsh punishments put upon people. In Douglass’ narrative, he expresses his feelings toward his slave owners and their mistreatment toward him and other slaves. “Mary was about fourteen; and of all the mangled and emaciated creatures I ever looked upon…the head, neck, and shoulders of Mary were literally cut to pieces” (161).
He also believed that slavery was sinful and against some religions. He was the prime mover in the abolition of slavery in England. In his article Thomas Thompson is trying to prove “that the African trade for negro slaves is consistent with the principles of humanity and revealed religion”. But Sharp argues that it’s against law of nature, humanity, moral laws and natural Equality. For example Sharp revealed that the Jewish religion which says they should love others as themselves still owned slaves.
She tries to gain sympathy for what she has been through. The largest difference between the three stories is the audience. The quote I chose is the quote from Jacobs; it reads “I would rather drudge out my life on a cotton plantation, till the grave opened to give me rest, than to live with an unprincipled master and a jealous mistress” (Jacobs 84). I decided to change the audience to white men of the time period; as they believed that slaves were their “property”. Many slave masters were also sexists.
There are books about the past that allow people to realize the horrible times there have been in the United States. For example, slave narratives. Linda Brent’s Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is a true slave narrative because in her novel, she talks about the hardships during slavery and rebellious experiences of several slaves. Olney states that a slave narrative must include examples of hardships people came across during slavery (Olney 1). In her novel, Brent states that many slaves, including herself, would have preferred to die then to keep living through slavery.
It will therefore bring Babo to the foreground. Instead of Captain Delano’s point of view, this paper seeks to find the voice of Babo, giving him the chance to tell his story and that of his fellow Blacks who perished during the slave trade, one of the darkest events in human history. Since a focal point of the story is slavery as perceived in the 18th century, it is logical that an enslaved person represent their hardships, suffering, sentiments and overall mentality. By “un-silencing” Babo, Melville’s “Benito Cereno” becomes an engaging,
Mark Twain, although a humanitarian, greatly emphasizes the extent to which prejudice and racism was ingrained in Southern culture, almost irreversibly. Twain condemns slavery and those who participated in it through his writing, but he also lets the reader know that, to some degree, the characters in the book that we would now consider cruel or downright evil were somewhat blameless for their actions. These misguided creations of Twain’s imagination are an accurate reflection of the real people that lived in that region in the pre-Civil War days. These characters were born and raised in an environment that impressed bigotry on them, and therefore it was nearly impossible for them to cease thinking in a discriminating manner, especially when everyone else around them encouraged that mentality. This realistic portrayal of Huck’s society suggests that one’s upbringing is the crucial development stage for future behavior and mindset.
While Inventions, such as the cotton gin, enhanced the necessity for slaves in the south, slavery was disappearing from the rest of the world. This is why slavery was called the ‘Peculiar Institution’. Americans that did not live in the south or see the true colors of slavery believed that paternalism existed in there, which delayed violence and revolting needed to start the revolution. It was due to the influence of the Haitian Revolution that allowed Americans and slaves to use more violent tactics to get their point across. Violence played a huge role in the outcome of the Civil War.
Notable characters in the novel who exemplify this are George Shelby and Augustine St. Clare, Senator Bird, and Ophelia St. Clare. All of these characters mirrored actual people from that time period. George and Augustine are the typical moral slave owners, plantation owners who knew that permitting slavery is immoral but were unwilling to do anything about it. Senator Bird is a typical northern politician of the time period, a politician who personally felt slavery is evil but still voted for a fugitive slave law. Ophelia is a typical northern abolitionist who, despite wanting emancipation, harbored prejudices against blacks herself.
Because this novel was written during a period in history that dealt with the injustices of slavery, this paper will take on the aspect of a sociological criticism. Truly, the actions of the characters contained within the novel can be tied to the culture of the period and thus create the complexes witnessed therein. There are many critics who would disagree about the theme of this novel. There are those who believe it speaks only about the ills of slavery and would certainly not be agreement that this novel deals with the issues of treachery and virtue. Yet there is much that can be said about each of these themes throughout the story.
Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin mainly focused on points of slavery, including the whippings, beatings, and forced sexual encounters brought upon slaves by their masters. She wrote the book to show that she was against slavery, and was joining in with the feelings of many other women of her time, who all became more influential in reform movements, including temperance and women's suffrage. The main point of Harriet Beecher Stowe in the writing of Uncle Tom's Cabin was to bring to light slavery to people in the north. In this she hoped to eventually sway people against slavery. The novel Uncle Tom's Cabin focuses on the lives of two slaves, who both start under the ownership of a Mr. Shelby, who is known as a man who treats his slaves well.