Journal #7 - Abolitionist Poetry

Speaker:

Both Frances Harper and John Whittier wrote their poems placing themselves as the speaker. John Whittier was an abolitionist who opposed slavery and the idea of mandatory colonization in Africa. He also favored emancipation and the education of slaves. (p.1221) In his poem, “The Hunters of Men”, Whittier characterizes slaveholders as the “hunters of men”. The process by which these slaveholders obtain their slaves is comparable to a man who is hunting a fox. One quote that clearly demonstrates the speaker’s point of view is when Whittier writes, “All mounting the saddle, all grasping the reign; / Right merrily hunting the black man, whose sin / Is the curl of his hair and the hue of his skin!” (lines 23-26). By exhibiting that the only difference between slaves and white people is their appearance, nothing else, Whittier stimulates the reader’s emotions to the injustice of slavery.  In the poem, “The Farewell of a Virginia Slave Mother to her Daughters Sold into Southern Bondage”, Whittier praises the hardships that slaves have gone through and have survived. He epitomizes how horrible it would be to have the life of a slave; slaves have no mothers, siblings, families, or children to comfort them after being worked to the bone and beaten all day. However, slaves have found their only love and comfort in God, “Oh, may He, to whom alone / All their cruel wrongs are known, / Still their hope and refuge prove, / With more than a mother’s love” (lines 65-68). By showing that slaves believe in God just as the whites do, Whittier appeals to the majority of the population – mainly Christians at this time. Frances Harper is another poet who helped persuade the audience of this time to take action against slavery. In her poem, “The Slave Mother”, Harper tells the story of a son being taken from his mother, in-depth. She describes the hopelessness, pain, agony, depression, and overall emotion of a slave mother losing her son. By doing this Harper is allowing the audience to empathize with slaves, especially if the audience happens to be a mother or father. She describes the mothers feelings toward her son when she states, “His lightest word has been a tone / Of music round her heart, / Their lives a streamlet blent in one - / Oh, Father! Must they part?” (lines 29-32). In this stanza, Harper captivates the reader both emotionally and religiously. The thought of losing a child is terrifying to most people. Also, she uses the word “Father” which is also a term used to refer to God. Both these poets call attention to the inhumane treatment of slaves and how much pain and suffering they actually have to bear. By doing so, they are reaching out in hopes for their audience to stand up and oppose slavery.

Journal #5 - The Theme

One thing that William Apess and Lydia Sigourney had in common was that they both wrote about the plight and mistreatment of Indians, especially by the white man. Since Apess was, in fact, a Native American of the Pequot tribe, he had a very in-depth perspective about the abuse and injustice the Native Americans were experiencing at this time. Sigourney, on the other hand, was not a Native American. However, she advocated for Native American and women rights. Both Apess and Sigourney were devout Christians, which is probably what lead them to believing this treatment of Indians was inhumane. Both Apess’s, “An Indian’s Looking Glass for White Man” and Sigourney’s poem, “Indian Names” expose how cruel and monstrous the white man was to the Native Americans. Furthermore, these two writings exemplify how ignorant the white man was during this time period. One example from Apess’s writing that demonstrates this belief is when he writes, “ If black or red skins or any other skin color is disgraceful to God, it appears that he has disgraced himself a great deal – for he has made fifteen colored people to one white and placed them here upon this earth”. Here Apess expresses, through religion as he often does, that there is, in fact, no superior race in this world. On this note, Apess also addresses the white population by affirming; “…you know as well as I that you are not indebt to a principle beneath a white skin for your religious services but to a colored one”.  During the time period in which Apess wrote, most whites that lived in the United States were Christians. So, by asserting this fact, he is implying that whites are ignorant to the religious beliefs and principles in which they practice. Lydia Sigourney also demonstrates how naïve and ignorant these settlers were towards the Native Americans. In her poem, “Indian Names”, Sigourney basically gives a list of places in the New England colonies that are named after Indian tribes; yet, the Indians are no longer allowed to live there due to the Removal Act of 1830 and the killings of many Native Americans. One quote from her poem that exhibits this fact is when she presents to her readers, “Your Mountains build their monument/Though ye destroy their dust”. Overall, the main theme characterized in these two writings is the white mans ignorance to the Native Americans influence in their lives and surroundings. 

Journal #4 - The Explication

In the story, “The Tenth of January” by Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, the main characters play a huge role in setting the plot, themes, symbols, and conflicts of the story. In literature we can evaluate a character three ways: what the individual says, what the individual does, and what others say about the individual. The protagonist, Asenath Martyn, is described as being a cripple her entire life, having a scarred face, and very unattractive physically. When Sene was a kid she recalls a time when she went to get coffee and the children on the street yelled, “‘Humpback! Humpback!’ cried the children, —the very children who could leap and laugh”. It is described throughout the story how embarrassed Scene is about her appearance. All the other girls, especially Del Ivory, are beautiful young ladies who have no trouble finding a potential husband. A short flashback comes into Sene’s mind when she remembers a time when she was younger, playing with Del, and they were talking about their future husbands. Del responded to Sene’s thoughts of having a husband with, “‘yours!’ Del shook back her curls; ‘who do you suppose would ever marry you?’” Sadly, Asenath still agreed with Del on that matter – who would want to marry a cripple over someone like Del Ivory? This causes the main conflict throughout the story when Asenath discovers that her future husband, Richard Cross, is actually in love with Del. Scene cannot decide whether she should set Dick free so that he can marry his true love Del, or if Sene should stay with him so she does not have to be alone with her father her entire life – she turns to God for help. It is frequently said throughout the story that Asenath is religious, she feels like she has to be in order to find some good in her life. On the tenth of January, God answers Asenath’s internal conflict. After the mill had crashed and Sene awoke, her ring finger was missing. Scene began to reminisce on her life, “Life—even her life—grew sweet, now that it was slipping from her”. Sene ends up dying after her father’s hard attempt to save her. Asenath Martyn is a depiction of life itself. Even though she had every hardship thrown at her (i.e. being crippled, humpback, ugly, having no friends, no family beside Old Martyn) she still found happiness throughout her life. When Sene is in the mill about to be burned to death, she simple comforts a child and keeps her calm. Sene is a prime example of showing how good can be found in everyone’s life, even the most unfortunate. 

Journal #3

Washington Irving’s short story, “The Wife”, demonstrates that Americans value marriage in the highest form. Marriage is portrayed as the ultimate happiness for a man, rich or poor. In the short story Irving speaks about a friend of his that said, “I can wish you no better lot than to have a wife and children”. Marriage is seen as being more gratifying than being single because of the unconditional love, support, and they are “monarchs”.  Women should support their husbands and be there for them when they are in need. The story describes a rich man who has lost his wealth – yet his wife is more beautiful, happy, and optimistic than ever. Therefore, the woman plays the backbone of the marriage. She can provide everything her husband needs to get back on his feet, or vice versa. This short story shows that economics in America at this time fluctuates very quickly. One minute a man can be rich and powerful, the next he can be poor living in a cottage. Money is a very powerful aspect of what a man uses to define himself. If it were not for marriage, or women, money could cause a man to “fall to ruin like some deserted mansion, for want of inhabitant”.