Journal #11

Hopkin's "As the Lord Lives, He is One of our Mother's Children"was a heartbreaking story that left you almost questioning your own life. Rev. Stevens was a man of great faith and had a huge heart full of love and compassion. He stopped to help a man on the side of the road who was dying and brought him home and took care of him. The man said that his name was George Stone when in actuality he was a runaway man escaping a wrongly accused murder. He was afraid to tell Stevens what his story was because he thought that he would turn him in. But when Stephens found out he got on his knees and prayed and knew that he must do the right thing and try and protect his safety. Brown said he couldnt thank him enough and one day would repay him for what he had done for him. Years later Brown died while trying to move a fallen tree off the railroad track that had an approaching train with Stevens and his son Little Flip on it. Brown reminded me slightly of Uncle Tom because he was a very grateful and honest man and also made a strong friendship with Little Flip as Uncle Tom did with Eva. That was such a hard time in history for the black community and the people who were helping them. Brown dying trying to protect Stevens reminded me to always put myself second and to put God and helping others first. It made me thankful for the way our lives are now where there is much equality and respect for everyone.

"The Wife of his Youth"

Charles Chesnutt's "The Wife of his Youth" is a short story about two married slaves, almost 25 years after the civil war reuniting after the wife's relentless hard work searching for her old love. Even though I knew the title of the short story, for some reason I didn't make that connection until I finished reading! When the old lady walked in the garden I wasn't exactly sure what her purpose was, but I thought that she may have had something to do with Mrs. Dixon. I thought she was going to say something about Mrs. Dixon not being aloud to be with Mr. Ryder or something similar to that, I definitely did not expect her to be his long lost wife at first. When the lady first said "scuse me, suh I's lookin' for my husban'. I heerd you wuz a big man an' had libbed heah a long time..." I had to re-read that line because I thought she was saying that she was looking for her husband, who lived in the house and was a big man. Which after reading it again, that is not what she was trying to say- but I thought it was slightly coincidental that I thought those were her original words. I find it interesting that Mr. Ryder either didn't remember her name at first or didn't seem to bothered when she originally stated her name, considering he used to be married to her. I thought that he was being slightly rude and harsh when he kept on asking her many questions about her husband and slightly mocking her on searching for him for 25 years. After looking at the picture in the woman's locket for a while and then staring at himself in the mirror for a long time I began to think that he had some connection to either the woman or to her husband. I than began to think that the husband was going to be at the party and Mr. Ryder was going to recognize him from the picture and tell him about his wife coming to his home earlier, but that did not happen. Then when he was giving his toast, I thought that he was trying to relate the woman's story to his love for Mrs. Dixie, and that hearing her story made him realize more than ever that he wanted not only a wife but Mrs. Dixie to be it. But then when he began to get more personal in his toast and ask his friends what they believed the man should have done, I thought that he might be the husband, but I did not know if he was ever going to admit it to them. I was honestly shocked that the woman was in the house and he brought her out to meet everyone. He seemed so interested in Mrs. Dixie to raise his social status and to become more elite that he would be embarrassed by his former wife or he would never tell anyone about her. But I think that hearing her story of relentlessly looking for him for 25 years and having complete faith that she would find him and that he would still love her inspired him to realize what was most important in life. He reconnected with his original true love and realized that this ball, the "Blue Veins Society" and having a elaborate life was nothing compared to having someone who loved him endlessly and he could happily spend the rest of his life with.

Lincoln's Legacy for the Just

In President Lincoln's second inaugural speech he not only addresses the horrors and causes of the Civil War but also that he has "high hopes for the future, no prediction in regard to it is ventured" (1372). Lincoln mainly focuses on slavery, which was the main cause for the Civil War. Although neither side wanted a war, they would rather let the nation fall apart than to compromise or make progress as a whole, so a war was started. He says that the colored people "both read the same Bible, and pray to the same God; and each invokes His aid against the other" (1372). Lincoln was a man of immense knowledge and wisdom. He has incredible insight and really was a man far beyond his time. He had the perfect vision of the American Dream- a place where all men are equal in a country that is united and powerful. He said that if everything that God does, there is a purpose behind it, then the act of slavery in America is deserving for the grave punishment of the Civil War. Quoted from Psalms 19:9, Lincoln says "the judgments of the Lord, are true and righteous altogether" (1373). America must come together, and finish the hardships they are given, and then rebuild a nation by caring for any man, wife or child or even your enemy if they want to be a strong and powerful nation once again. Similarly, William Cullen Bryant's poem "The Death of Lincoln" reiterates the nobleness of Lincoln and how influential he was, and still is today. Bryant writes about the funeral of the President, he commemorates Lincoln by saying his "proudest monument shall be/The broken fetters of the slaves" (1381).  Ironically, the assassination of Lincoln was only a month after he delivered his inaugural speech in March of 1865. In this poem you can see the deep emotion and sadness that not only Bryant felt, but how the whole nation was in mourning. Bryant clearly was inspired and influenced by Lincoln and all that he had done for America during his time in office. He says that Lincoln "perished in the cause of Right" (1381). This really realtes to Lincoln's morals, which were clearly stated in his inaugural speech and portrayed in his vision of the American dream. Although both writings are very inspirational, I think that Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address would have been more persuasive at that time. In his speech he not only discusses the Civil War and how it was a horrific time in our country's history- but how it is a time to come together as a nation, rebuild and become even stronger.

Did God Pick You as Superior?

**(Journal #5- comment didn't post, re-writing blog)**

Between William Apess' "An Indian's Looking-Glass for the White Man" and Lydia Sigourney's "Indian Names" there is a common theme of discrimination and possession. In "An Indian's Looking-Glass for the White Man" Apess discusses how the white men feel they are superior to the Indians and that they should be able to own all of the land they want, even though the Indians had been living there for hundreds of years before them. Apess says that the white men, who claim to be solid Christian men are not following what God has said in the Bible and what His teachings are. He said that "God who is the maker and preserver both of the white man and the Indian, whose abilities are the same and who are to be judged by one God, who will show no favor to outward appearance but will judge righteousness" (640). In Sigourney's "Indian Names" she discusses also how the white men feel they have ownership over the land while the Indians were there first. All of the mountains, plains, lakes and rivers have been named and discovered by the Indians. Yet, in knowing this, the white men still want to kick them out because the Indians are considered to them uneducated and of lower class. Sigourney says "But their name is on your waters,/Ye may not wash it out" (1202). Even if the white men completely wipe out the Native Americans and try to erase their vast history- their name still lives on in all the land that they discovered and named. Something I thought was a great quote from Apess that unfortunately was not listen to was "If black or red skins or any other skin of color is disgraceful to God, it appears that he has disgraces himself a great deal- for he has made fifteen colored people to one white and placed them here upon this earth" (642). This not only can apply to the discrimination and removal of the Indians, but also to slavery of African Americans in the United States. Sigourney says "Ye say, they all have passed away/That noble race and brave" (1202) discussing the removal of the Indians from their native lands. I thought it was interesting she used the word "passed away" as if the white men removed them from their land and forgot about them as if they had died, which in actuality many did. She said that white men said their race had just "vanished"which makes the forced removal of them sound so much less barbaric. The themes of possession and discrimination are extremely prevalent through these two works. Apess tries to stand up for his people by saying how they are not following the Bible or God's teachings, and that all men are created equal. Sigourney stands up for her people by discussing how even though the white men tried to remove the Indians and discredit that the land was originally theirs, the Indian names continue to keep their legacy and remembrance alive.

Comments on Amanda's Blog #6

I really agree with what you are saying here, Amanda. I find it so hard to even imagine that not too long ago all women were thought of as a lower class and of no importance, especially black women. They were thought of as property and only good for cleaning and cooking. Our society today has completely changed from what it was like back then. Sexual assault or rape is seen as an extremely punishable crime and back then they thought of it as completely normal. We have come so far from those days, I am so lucky to be a woman today and have the rights and freedoms that I do, and I really take them for granted. I am not an extreme feminist because you almost don’t need to be into today’s world. But after reading these stories and seeing how life was for them and how I live my life now makes me value all the freedom and opportunities that I do have. Without strong and courageous women like Linda who stood up for their rights our life today may not be much different than how it was back then. I can’t even imagine how they had enough confidence and courage to stand up for their rights- it is so admirable. Things that they overcame and struggled with are nothing compared to what I find hard in my life. I complain about having a test, or not sleeping enough one night- while women then were dealing with beatings, rape and slavery. Our recent discussions in class have really opened my eyes to the horrors of slavery; I can’t believe that went on in our country for such a long time. I obviously grew up learning about slavery in my history classes but for some reason now it all seems so much more real. Hearing the slave narratives and stories about the mulatos makes me more fully understand what they were going through. Luckily that time is behind us, and our country wouldn’t have been as developed as it is today without those strong women who stood up for their rights and fought for what they deserved. 

Journal #7- "Gone, gone, - sold and gone."

In John Whittier's poem "The Farewell of a Virginia Slave Mother to Her Daughter Sold Into Southern Bondage"really utilized the imagery element of poetry to persuade the audience to be anti-slavery. Whittier himself was a very involved abolitionist and felt it was very crucial to get his message across. He repeats the phrase "Gone, gone- sold and gone, To the rice-swamp dank and lone, From Virginia's hills and waters; Woe is me, my stolen daughter!" This phrase being repeated reiterates into the reader's mind the sorrow the mother is feeling and how her daughter is "gone- sold and gone." In every stanza he alternates using images of the awful beatings and toils of slavery with images of a normal childhood that the mother is devastated she cant be a part of. In lines 17- 20 it says "Never, when the torturing lash Seams their back with many a gash, Shall a mother's kindess bless them, Or a mother's arms caress them."Immediately the reader can see them image and feel immense sympathy for the slaves. No one wants to even image what it would be like to go through anything horrific, let alone slavery, without having your mother or any family member there to comfort you. The poem also mentions "From the tree whose shadow law On their childhood's place of play;" (39-40). The image of a childhood experiences that everyone cherishes such as playing outside under a shady tree come to the reader's mind and makes them feel guilt and sorrow that these children never got to experience something as simple as that. This poem is very helpful in persuading people to be abolitionist because of how personal it is and how the imagery makes it seem so real. The fact that a mother had to have her daughter "sold and gone." Is something that almost no one can understand. It puts slavery on a more personal level and you see how not only dehumanizing and physically toiling it is, but also how many families and loved ones were separated and never saw each other again. I think it made people take action, especially mothers and women who would feel a strong connection to this story and want to do something to change it.

Journal #4

In the story "The Tenth of January" by Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, there is a major theme of irony that slowly develops and then comes together at the end of the story. Asenath Martyn, or Sene, as many people called her has had a life full of struggle and depression. Her mother was some sort of an abuser, probably of alcohol and of her daughter. Sene had scars and deformaties all over her face and was always in physical pain. She worked at the Pemberton Mill and after her mother died would come home to a very lonesome father. Sene always compared herself to the beautiful Del Ivory, one of her friends from the mill. Sene struggled with depression and very low self confidence, mostly because of the scars on her face. She thought that no one could love her. Dick was so good to her and cared for her so much, but she knew she couldn't be with him. After many times of suicidal thoughts and moments of weakness, Sene finally came to terms with her life and was finally happy this one January morning. And that same morning was the day the factory collapsed and killed many inside, including Sene. I thought this was so sadly ironic how the whole story was about her building of self asteem and self acceptance and finally once she had gone through so many hard times in her life, she was killed suddenly from a building collapsing on her and burning to the ground. It was as if luck wasn't even in the question when it came to Sene's life, once something seemed to be going well, something worse would happen. Although it is ironic that once Sene was happy with her life she would die in such a sudden and disastrous way, it is also fitting. If something this horrific would happen to anyone, it would be Sene. The lonesome girl with no friends, no pride, and an ugly scar down her face making her the laughing stock of Lawrence.