Benito Cerreno Sparknotes

Caucasians in the southern states became the superior race and the Negroes became the inferior race, thus the labels of Master and slave evolved. Virtually all Anthropologists, Scientists, Sociologist, Psychologists, and scientists agree that there is no credible evidence that supports that one race is culturally or psychologically different from any other, or that one race is superior to another. Yet Twain, In Pudd'nhead Wilson creates the character Roxy as both races, one physically and one mentally. Though her features make her appear to white, "Her complexion was very fair, with rosy glow of vigorous health in her cheeks, her face was full of character and expression, her eyes were brown and liquid, and she had a heavy suit of fine soft hair which was also brown"(Twain 9). "To all intents and purposes Roxy was as white as anybody, but the one sixteenth of her which was black outvoted the other fifteen parts and made her a Negro" (Brand 308).

devices throughout his narrative to show the reader why slavery was such a horrific time. He was very

Herman Melville 's Benito Cereno (1856) and Frederick Douglass 's The Heroic Slave (1852) provide social commentary on the evils, injustices and dehumanizing effects of slavery. Melville 's "Babo" and Douglass 's "Madison Washington" are similar in motive—the pursuit of liberty and destruction of slavery. The ways in which these characters are perceived, however, differ and stem directly from the author 's construction of the narrative. By examining the slave uprisings within the both texts, it is clear that Melville creates a story that depicts “Babo’s” rebellion as maliciously calculated, while Douglass paints the portrait of Madison 's resistance as rightfully deserved and necessary. Douglass 's novel is overtly an abolitionist narrative, unlike Melville’s Benito Cereno, which is quite ambiguous in its didactic message. Critic, William L. Andrews, notes that “The Heroic Slave uses the techniques of fiction to remodel the raw materials of history into a more meaningful and usable truth ” (Andrews 11). There is transparency in Douglass 's goal for the novel—to expose and unveil the atrocities of slavery (separation of families, murder of loved ones, perpetual subjectivity, etc.) and denounce preconceived notions of black inferiority. Madison Washington is a slave, but also a human being—not

Although there were many hints that Melville was spinning a web of deceit in the novella, the quote that best captures the most crucial clue in the text is Captain Delano witnessing Babo attempting to stab Benito Cereno: “Glancing down at his feet, Captain Delano saw the freed hand of the servant aiming with a second dagger—a small one, before concealed in his wool—with this he

Lopez criticizes both authors on how they fell prey to the assumption that “blacks” and negroes” were racial terms naturally existed back then. Which is not the case for back in the 1600’s, African and Europeans did not see themselves as “whites” or “blacks”, it wasn’t until

In the story he talks of how the enslaver were criminals and they stole the people from Africa and took them to america were they were slave even though didn't even do anything.They still took them and he feels if they were stolen and the enslavers were wrong for take them and.Treating them like animals see how terrible it was the meanest condition he realized how bad it was and wonder if the slave were thinking that they rethread be animals so then would know they were slaves.Then be human and know they are slaves.So they would live in the misery of being a slave

Early American Literature reflects many conflicting differences in the presentation of slavery during that time period. Through the two chosen texts, the reader is presented with two different perspectives of slavery; Frederick Douglass’s narrative provides a look at a slave’s life through the eyes if a slave while Benito Cereno showcases the tale of a slave uprising from the viewpoint of the slave owner.. Benito Cereno’s work shows the stereotypical attitude towards African-American slaves and the immorality of that outlook according to Douglass’s narrative. Cereno portrays the typical white slave owner of his time, while Douglass’ narrative shows the thoughts of the slaves. The two stories together show that white Americans are oblivious to the ramifications and overall effects of slavery. These texts assist a moralistic purpose in trying to open up America’s eyes to the true nature of slavery by revealing it’s inhumanity and depicting the cruelty that was allowed.

Thus, representing an unequal portrayal of the two 'races' in their

sympathy for the man and explicitly shows his stance on capital punishment. At the end of the essay he

In Self Reliance, Emerson elucidates that if people in society live an honest, and open minded life they will no longer enable preconceptions of different races to hoard their mind. Society by living truly will soon see truly, and people will no longer see one another for race or ethnicity, but for who they truly are. Emerson’s use of short sentences emphasizes the simplicity of the idea of living truly and being able to see truly. It allows him to be direct and to the point to indicate that this is not a hard thing to live by, and can be achieved with ease as long as one credits themselves to be able to do so. Emerson’s use of the repetition of “truly” manifests the significance of the word, and displays it is the focal point of the greater meaning he is trying to convey, which is being able to live truly and see truly. Benito Cereno, a short story written by Herman Melville, was originally published in 1885, a time blacks were mistreated. During this time period blacks were kept as slaves and were beaten, branded, whipped, and abused by their owners. Blacks acquired no freedom or rights, and were not allowed an education, for fear they would gain knowledge that would enable them to rebel. They were viewed as inferior to whites and worthless, and these preconceived notions about blacks in what drives Babo in Benito Cereno to attempt to make a change. Babo is tired of being “unheard and unseen” (Yellin 688) and wants to allay and eradicate the stereotypes of blacks. He wishes to alter the position of the people who are of the same race as him, and no longer wants blacks or slaves to be treated poorly and with no respect, but as if they are leaders that contain great power and dignity. Due to the preconceptions that are apparent in society, Babo must to strike a balance between portraying himself as a devoted slave to Captain Delano and masking his true self as the leader of the insurgence, suggesting he is unsuccessful in his attempts to defy slavery.

His animosity towards slavery is evident in Moby Dick - he often uses extensive rhetoric to unmask the crimes related to slavery. He is focused not only on the South’s persistent justification of slavery but the fact that the majority of society of the time kept their eyes closed to the reality of it.

Within the novella, Benito Cereno, we see a web of deceit grow and turn very deadly as we observe captain Delano spend a great deal of time trying to figure out the true character of the supposed captain of the San Dominick, Don Benito. Captain Delano spots the San Dominick and upon closer view sees the ships pour state and goes to investigate if there are people aboard the ship in need. On the ship there is only a handful of Spaniards and a large amount of African slaves, who roam freely, unchained, among the ship. Captain Delano immediately assumes some accident must have happened for there to be this much disorder on the ship. Upon meeting Don Benito, and his “trusty servant” it is confirmed that indeed the ship lost most of its crew due to scurvy and disease. As captain Delano spends more time on the ship he can not help but feel there's something amiss about the whole situation and that can be seen during the scene where he watches as Don Benito is getting shaved by Babo. “ Here an involuntary expression came over the Spaniard, similar to that just before on the deck, ... just then the razor drew blood, spots of which stained the creamy lather under the throat; immediately the black barber drew back his steel, and remaining in his professional attitude...held up the trickling razor, saying, with a sort of half humorous sorrow, “See, master,you shook so- here’s Babo’s first blood.” (43) This sentence alone definitely gives of the impression that there is more than meets

On the larger level, the real accounts of Alexander Selkirk were penned down by Defoe in Robinson Crusoe in the eighteenth century. He provided a fictional name Robinson Crusoe to Selkirk. On the other hand Coetzee, in twentieth century consigns the counter narrative to the original text. Within the text, Coetzee is the real author who frames Susan as the narrator narrating her accounts to Foe. Susan Barton, the female protagonist of the novel is a participant narrator who is intradiegetic, homodiegetic and autodiegetic narrator. In part one, she narrates her story of the island in the form of a memoir and the intended narratee is Mr. Foe and within part one, the role of narrator and narratee is interchangeable between Susan and Cruso. The part two materializes in an epistolary form, wherein she narrates her story through letters to Mr. Foe that suggest an extended monologue. She urges him to write down her story as she doubts her own skill of writing it. In part three, she gives a detailed version of her own story to Foe in person; similarly we the readers are synonymous with Friday. She tells her story till the third part and Coetzee, the real author emerges in the fourth part whereas the other characters appear

The Line “By his side stood a black of small stature, in whose rude face, as occasionally, like a shepherd’s dog, he mutely turned it up into” exemplifies the web of deceit the greatest in the novella. This line leads the reader into thinking that Babo is the subordinate because of his “small stature” and “rude

Among the writers of the nineteenth century American fiction, Herman Melville stands out prominently and holds a prestigious position. He is known as the most eminent figure in the world of American literature. His popularity is due to his extra-ordinary writings which are the outcome of the actual incidents which he faced in his life. Herman Melville is a great novelist that the American literature has ever produced. This paper reveals how Billy, the idol of goodness is sandwiched between two evil forces. One opposing is society and the other is a person like master – at – arms, Claggart. Billy, a happy – go – lucky man suffers miserably and ends in destruction. Billy is a good man and stays good till end when he utters “God bless Captain Vere”1 with dying breath. Claggart is evil and remains the same despite the occasional look on his face “the