"Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" is the first full-length narrative written by a former female slave in America. It sets itself apart from other narratives by appealing directly to women and focusing on the particular struggles that girls faced during slavery.
A main theme is family. Slavery is a family affair in almost every sense of the word. Slavery ruins families either by physically separating them, in the case of the slave families, or corrupting them, in the case of the white families. Jacobs depicts slave families as being kind and loyal, while the white slave-holding families as greedy and cruel.
Incidents direct appeals to white readers is one way that Jacobs attempts to convince readers that black and white women are fundamentally the same.
Women like Harriet Jacobs and the abolitionist who took her in were crucial forces in ending slavery.
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Song of Myself
"Song of Myself" might be the most egotistical poem ever written. The poem helped shape the idea of what it means to be an American. It is a democratic poem that draws all different kinds of people and people into itself and tries to forge them into a unity.
One of the main themes is identity. Whitman sees his identity into at least three components: his everyday personality, the more inner "self" or "Me Myself," and the universal "soul." For him, there is no such thing as a private experience. He experiences the pains and the pleasures of all the poeple in the world.
The poem has two primary speakers, Whitman and the "Me Myself." His soul does not and cannot speak for itself.
In this poem Whitman addresses the reader like a close friend, and his tone is reassuring and non-judgmental. He wants to get close to everyone he meets. He is eager to become fast friends woth any kind of stranger.
One of the main themes is identity. Whitman sees his identity into at least three components: his everyday personality, the more inner "self" or "Me Myself," and the universal "soul." For him, there is no such thing as a private experience. He experiences the pains and the pleasures of all the poeple in the world.
The poem has two primary speakers, Whitman and the "Me Myself." His soul does not and cannot speak for itself.
In this poem Whitman addresses the reader like a close friend, and his tone is reassuring and non-judgmental. He wants to get close to everyone he meets. He is eager to become fast friends woth any kind of stranger.
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass's narrative is basically an autobiography. It's the story of his life from the time he was born a slave to the time of his escape to freedom in the North.
Slavery is the big theme in Douglass's narrative. The book remains one of the most important historical documents from that period, showing us the kinds of lives that American slaves like Douglass lived.
Douglass argues that slaves aren't the only victims of slavery. Perhaps because he's writing a book for a mostly white audience, he focuses on how slavery corrupts every American who rakes part in it.
Education and self-improvement were very important to Douglass. The worst thing to his mind, is that slavery prevents people from improving themselves through education.
In order to be truly free, Douglass needs an education. He cannot escape until he has learned to read, write, and think for himself. The act of writing the Narrative is his final step in becoming free. In a sense, the story he tells in the book doesn't end until he's written the book itself.
Slavery is the big theme in Douglass's narrative. The book remains one of the most important historical documents from that period, showing us the kinds of lives that American slaves like Douglass lived.
Douglass argues that slaves aren't the only victims of slavery. Perhaps because he's writing a book for a mostly white audience, he focuses on how slavery corrupts every American who rakes part in it.
Education and self-improvement were very important to Douglass. The worst thing to his mind, is that slavery prevents people from improving themselves through education.
In order to be truly free, Douglass needs an education. He cannot escape until he has learned to read, write, and think for himself. The act of writing the Narrative is his final step in becoming free. In a sense, the story he tells in the book doesn't end until he's written the book itself.
Walden
A couple big themes in this story include isolation and happiness. There is a big difference between being lonely and being alone. We are most alone in a crowd because we lose the company of ourselves without a sense of ourselves, we can't form attachment without others.
Thoreau talks about how when you are alone you can understand who you really are. Thoreau doesn't prefer solitude to company. Instead, what he prefers most in the company of true friends that share his interests and values.
Walden is a joyful book. Thoreau preaches the joy of life. Happiness cannot be found in luxury or power. These things can only distract from the true source of happiness.
Thoreau discovers true happiness in the simple life he leads at Walden Pond.
His sole purpose is to relate the discoveries and success of his personal experiment living for two years alone by Walden Pond.
Thoreau talks about how when you are alone you can understand who you really are. Thoreau doesn't prefer solitude to company. Instead, what he prefers most in the company of true friends that share his interests and values.
Walden is a joyful book. Thoreau preaches the joy of life. Happiness cannot be found in luxury or power. These things can only distract from the true source of happiness.
Thoreau discovers true happiness in the simple life he leads at Walden Pond.
His sole purpose is to relate the discoveries and success of his personal experiment living for two years alone by Walden Pond.
The Birthmark
The Birthmark is one of Hawthorne's more famous short stories. It tells the story of a scientist who is obsessed with the removal of his wife's birthmark. In Aylmer's mind, the birthmark becomes the symbol of human imperfection. He wants to rid his wife of her flaws.
I found "The Birthmark" to be slow reading. Much of this is due to the fact that Hawthorne is writing in the nineteenth century.
The main characters in this story are Aylmer the scientist and his wife Georgiana. Aylmer kills his wife trying to remove her birthmark and make her perfect. Aylmer's love for his wife rivals his love for science.
Hawthorne's message is that being imperfect is just part of being human. Also that men are usually fools who don't know a good thing when they have it.
I found "The Birthmark" to be slow reading. Much of this is due to the fact that Hawthorne is writing in the nineteenth century.
The main characters in this story are Aylmer the scientist and his wife Georgiana. Aylmer kills his wife trying to remove her birthmark and make her perfect. Aylmer's love for his wife rivals his love for science.
Hawthorne's message is that being imperfect is just part of being human. Also that men are usually fools who don't know a good thing when they have it.
The Fall of the House of Usher
Some of the key themes of this story include family, isolation, and identity.
This story explores a family so removed from normalcy that their existence has become supernatural. The bond between the sister and brother is very intense. Poe implies that their bond is primarily psychological and spiritual.
The house of usher exists in its own reality. Such isolation forces the family members closer and closer together. The brother and sister's extreme isolation from others could continue for years.
This story presents a interpretation of a split personality disorder. Roderick and Madeline are one person split into two pieces. Roderick has no identity without Madeline.
This story explores a family so removed from normalcy that their existence has become supernatural. The bond between the sister and brother is very intense. Poe implies that their bond is primarily psychological and spiritual.
The house of usher exists in its own reality. Such isolation forces the family members closer and closer together. The brother and sister's extreme isolation from others could continue for years.
This story presents a interpretation of a split personality disorder. Roderick and Madeline are one person split into two pieces. Roderick has no identity without Madeline.
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