Daniel Cosway Christophine

In lines 18-32, Douglass describes what was an abnormality in those times- a white woman (his master’s wife) taking pity on him, and teaching him to read and write. Douglass’s juxtaposition of his master’s wife’s attitude toward him- which was one of a “pious, warm and tender-hearted” nature, to the way the rest of society perceived him as a “mere chattel” helped highlight just how abnormal her behavior was. This contrast further developed through the fact that to treat a slave as a human being back in those days was “not only wrong, but dangerously so,” yet despite that commonplace assertion found all throughout life back then, his master’s wife still treated Douglass no different than she would treat a friend. This section of the text elaborated upon her kind-hearted nature, which led her to pity and help those worse off than her, no matter how society perceived it. Douglass emphasized this point by using mostly long, well constructed sentences that were filled with figurative language. This syntax helped elaborate upon the tone of newfound hope in this section, by demonstrating his flowing thoughts and feelings, due to his newfound freedoms. This syntax helped emphasize the fact that Douglass had acquired the very knowledge slave owners sought to keep from him, therefore acquiring the power that had been kept from him his whole life.

Dr. Terrell's central thesis is to address the challenges of racist anthropological assumptions, still used to justify and maintain white privileges. Although the biblical paradigm of the Exodus and the proclamation of Jesus claim that “the Spirit of the Lord is upon me … to proclaim release to the captives … to set at liberty those who are oppressed … to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” (Lk 4:18ff.).

He uses cacophonous words to convey his emotions from a slave point of view. Where he states, that “ the blessing in which you, this day, rejoice, are not enjoyed in common.” Here Douglass establishes an acerbic tone to express how this day is an anniversary for the whites, but a day of mockery of its grossest kind to the negroes. the purpose of this is to highlights the freedoms white enjoyed simply because of their race. With the use of an acerbic tone. Douglass moves on to speak of the wrongs committed by America also using cacophonous words where he states, “to sell them at auctions, to sunder their families, to knock out their teeth, to burn their flash…” douglass uses a incensed tone when he is asked to give this speech. And if he should convince you “a system marked with blood and stained with pollution is wrong.” the sixth paragraph is filled with factual evidence of the pain inflicted upon negroes by the hands of the hypocritical

The purpose of the letter is to show what it is like when being treated differently. He also wants changes so he expresses other people's feelings

Early in the book Douglass recites about his childhood when his master would try and be a father to his slave children.He explained his experiences and how the father would unleash his wicked desires onto the slave children ruining there lives. ”The master is forced to sell his mulatto children or constantly whip them out of

Several times the author alludes to the narrator’s naivety and ignorance of how he, as a black man, was viewed in society. The narrator first shows that he believes he makes his own decisions, when in reality he is manipulated by white men at the club, “Blindfolded, I could no longer control my motions.”(p.22). Moreover, he thinks that his perception of the world is clear and is confused at the lack of respect he is afforded, “I was unused to darkness.”(p.21). By foul actions of the men the narrator looked up to, his bright world is destroyed and all that is left is the darkness; a brutal realization of what it means to be black.

and see the ominous clouds of inferiority begin to form in her little mental sky, and see her beginning to distort her personality by developing an unconscious bitterness towards white people.” He beautifully uses ominous clouds to describe the disrespect whites show blacks in general. I alo think he uses his daughter as an example to show the innocence of black people. These few example show how he expertly uses figurative language to make his points during his letters.

Through his diction, specifically the use of “wicked desires,” “own lusts,” and “cunning arrangement,” Douglass clearly identifies the evil within the master’s acts. Douglass logically explains why “my master was my father,” by presenting the details of what happens to the children of slave women. Within this logos-driven passage, however, is a strong emotional appeal. The factual representation of what happened in these cases is corrupt within itself, and through his wording, Douglass attacks slavery and the acts of his master. Laws themselves made slaveholders the slave’s fathers, and Douglass exposes the inhumane concept of being born into slavery.

The author’s diction illustrates Douglass view of the world around him and his feelings about a community created by fear and injustices. “The wretchedness of slavery” provoked Douglass to “trust no man”, which gave him the sense of feeling “perfectly helpless.” Being imprisoned in slavery for so long caused Douglass to witness the evils of man and experienced the cruelty of being alone. Even more when the “ferocious beats” showed their “greediness to swallow” it left Douglass “toil-worn and whip-scarred.” As time passed by Douglass’ desire for freedom has grown. However, when he does escape he puts himself in his own state of slavery that is run by fear. Douglass’ desires has not even freed him, but it also allowed him to live in life without

In lines 18-32, Douglass describes what was an abnormality in those times- a white woman (his master’s wife) taking pity on him, and teaching him to read and write. Douglass’s juxtaposition of his master’s wife’s attitude toward him- which was one of a “pious, warm and tender-hearted” nature, to the way the rest of society perceived him as a “mere chattel” helped highlight just how abnormal her behavior was. This contrast further developed through the fact that to treat a slave as a human being back in those days was “not only wrong, but dangerously so,” yet despite that commonplace assertion found all throughout life back then, his master’s wife still treated Douglass no different than she would treat a friend. This section of the text elaborated upon her kind-hearted nature, which led her to pity and help those worse off than her, no matter how society perceived it. Douglass emphasized this point by using mostly long, well constructed sentences that were filled with figurative language. This syntax helped elaborate upon the tone of newfound hope in this section, by demonstrating his flowing thoughts and feelings, due to his newfound freedoms. This syntax helped emphasize the fact that Douglass had acquired the very knowledge slave owners sought to keep from him, therefore acquiring the power that had been kept from him his whole life.

Cullen utilizes imagery throughout the poem, to illuminate the racism African Americans endured and impact racism carries. The speaker in the poem is an eight year old in Baltimore. In the first stanza, Cullen describes the child as “heart-filled, head-filled with glee.” This image portrays the speaker as innocent and joyful. Then the speaker notices a boy staring at him, the speaker believes there’s little difference between them, that the kid “was no whit bigger.” The speaker gets a rude awakening after the boy “poked out his tongue.” A seemingly playful meaningless gesture is met with the boy calling the speaker “N****r.” Cullen contrasts these two experiences because it depicts how racism comes out of nowhere and effects those you wouldn’t expect. The last stanza, the speaker “saw the whole Baltimore. The image of seeing is not just visual, but a metaphor for the loss of innocence where the speaker now is exposed to the hate. Cullen masterfully uses imagery so that readers understand the incredible impact that words have, especially when used for hate.

The Blackamoors, representing black Africans, with their “lowly” status was a comforting juxtaposition to the white wealthy aristocrat’s fickle status position (pg.40-41). Additionally, the Blackamoors worked to silently justify the slave trade in the minds of the white French aristocrat's psyche (pg.54-55, 97-98). Whether being carved into furniture meant to hold the white Europeans body or the Blackamoors faces designed with an inanimate benevolent expression towards their white owners, agency and humanity were removed (pg.55). Indeed, the Blackamoors ever present, "docile" expression, communicated to the white owner that the black African not only consented to his enslavement, but enjoyed his servitude and was pleased to serve the white

All their dazzling opportunities, were theirs, not mine…. With other black boys the strife was not so fiercely sunny…. Why did God make me an outcast and a stranger in my own house? The shades of the prison-house closed round about us all: walls strait and stubborn to the whitest, but relentlessly narrow, tall, and unscalable to sons of night who must plod darkly on in resignation, or beat unavailing palms against the stone, or steadily, half hopelessly, watch the streak of blue above.

He describes the white colonists, claiming they are “like poisonous serpents; when chilled, they are feeble and harmless, but invigorate them with warmth, and they sting their benefactors to death”. The use of the simile emphasizes the danger of the white colonists that

This line shows how the author is showing that he struggles with racial identity as he feels for multiple races. Although he is white, he is able to empathize with the black person being lynched and feel his pain and suffering. At the same time, the white part of him is laughing along with the other white men who are committing the lynching. As can be seen, he is being internally torn apart by these two sides of him that cannot peacefully coexist. In the poem “Dream Variation,” the author, Langston Hughes brings up the struggles of racial identity when he says,