Oroonoko Sparknotes

For hundreds of years, slaves in America were separated from their families to be sold off like livestock to their slave owners, then forced to work and live in unimaginable conditions, and viciously beaten for something as little as a task not fully being met. In the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, written by the self-taught, abolitionist himself, Douglass shares some light on the inhumane treatment and hardships slaves were forced to overcome in his journey to free himself both mentally and physically from slavery. Douglass appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos in order to truly open his reader's eyes to the horrors of slavery, conveying his message that slavery must be abolished.

Slavery is a humongous topic involving both slaves and former slaves. The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave Story is one such story. Douglass suffered punishments, and watching others get punished, he uses those experiences to make his argument against slavery.Douglass’ tone in the narrative is sarcastic and dark. Frederick Douglass successfully uses vast quantities of rhetorical devices, illuminating the horror and viciousness of slavery, including the need to eliminate it.

In a Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave written by himself, the author argues that no one can be enslaved if he or she has the ability to read, write, and think. Douglass supports his claim by first providing details of his attempts to earn an education, and secondly by explaining the conversion of a single slaveholder. The author’s purpose is to reveal the evils of slavery to the wider public in order to gain support for the abolition of his terrifying practice. Based on the purpose of writing the book and the graphic detail of his stories, Douglass is writing to influence people of higher power, such as abolitionists, to abolish the appalling reality of slavery; developing a sympathetic relationship with the

Baym, Nina, and Robert S. Levine. "Angelina E. Grimke." The Norton Anthology of American Literature. New York: W.W. Norton, 2013. 771-75. Print. Grimke expresses how slavery is not right in any way, shape, form or fashion. She states now God does not approve of this. She also states how it is not in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution or anything like that.

The Troubled Man Louie Zamperini a name that should go down in history. Louie could run a mile in 4:07.9 (indoors). He survived 47 days lost at sea, on a raft with 2 other people. He also survived 4 POW camps. In the book Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand Louie Zamperini appears to be very determined and resourceful.

. . To which [a person] a thousand times prefer Death."# She further describes how one is sold into slavery, being either sold one by one or in lots with women and children, but families are not sold together; instead, they are separated, as a family cannot be trusted together for fear that they will commit "some great Action, to the ruin of the Colony."# At first, slavery is depicted as more of an embarrassment than a painful way of life, and Oroonoko lives a decent life for a while. Oroonoko is sold to Trefry, a Cornish gentleman who assists the Governor, and he proves to be a kind and gentle man to Oroonoko. Trefry cares deeply for Oroonoko, and "ever after lov'd him as his dearest Brother, and she'd him all the Civilities due to so great a Man."# Oroonoko is reunited with his love, Imoinda, who has also been sold into slavery, and the two are allowed to marry (which was a privilege that was not granted often). However, the lifestyle Oroonoko leads is not typical, as he reveals when he makes a speech to other slaves. Oroonoko reveals that slaves suffer "Loads, Burdens, and Drudgeries as were fitter for beasts than Men" and that both guilty and innocent slaves "suffer'd the infamous Whip. . . Till their Blood trickled from all Parts of their Body."#

Olaudah Equiano 's The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, Written by Himself, is the story of the eponymous real-life character, Olaudah Equiano, his life, trials, tribulations and journey from slavery at an early age to freedom. For Equiano, it seems that slavery is almost a metaphysical phenomenon. His entire life is essentially characterized by the different experiences relating slavery, from Africa to the Middle Passage to plantation life in the West Indies and United States. Equiano’s views on slavery are tough to articulate and truly complex. Throughout the novel he makes reference to different ‘degrees of slavery,’ at times condemning the practice, and at other times contradicting

The book Unbroken details the struggles and hardships Louie Zamperini found as a P.O.W. in Japan during World War Two. Laura Hillenbrand wrote ths nonfiction novel about Zamperini's life as a troublemaking youth, a soldier, and his post bellum life as a family man and community leader.         Louie Zamperini was born in Olean, New York to parents native to Italy. His family moved to Torrance, California, where he became a troublemaking youth who was always fighting and getting into trouble. Zamperini was known as a public nuisance to the town, until his brother, Pete, put him on the right track.

The analysis of the under discussion autobiography indicates a lot of major universal themes and human exploitation is one of them. A reader can see bleak picture of black slavery from the narration of Frederick Douglass who confronts brutal conduct of white masters throughout his childhood.

Slavery is a lethal poison. 3.9 million African Americans were enslaved in 1860. Frederick Douglass, the author of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, was a victim of slavery. His narrative encapsulates the pernicious effects of slavery, and his journey to freedom. Douglass’s narrative vividly elucidates the cruel institution of slavery; the stories of the slave’s agony provokes feelings of sorrow from the reader. In particular, Douglass utilizes motif and diction in his narrative, Douglass reveals a critical theme that reverberates in today’s society: slavery is an exercise of irresponsible power.

He states “Have they vanquished us nobly in fight? Have they won us in honorable battle? And are we by the chance of war become their slaves? This would not anger a noble heart; this would not animate a soldier’s soul.”(6) So essentially he believes that slaves are good and they help with work “around the house”, but the only way to get slaves is through war. One could argue that he was against slavery because later after he is captured upon a ship, he makes this long speech about freedom and wanting all the other slaves to be free. Oroonoko only makes this speech after he finds out that Imoinda is expecting a child and his appeal for freedom is denied. I am inferring that Oroonoko may not actually give two shits about the slaves, but is more so concerned for the safety of his family and he simply uses the slaves to get his family to “safety”. The Author seems to have found herself in Oroonoko. She most likely, inherently believed that slaves were only rightfully owned if they are received through a war victory.

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.

Within a slave narrative, the identity of the writer greatly affects the perspective of the story and the message that the author wishes to convey. For a narrative of this nature, to send its meaning directly and efficiently it must be able to illustrate the individual struggle of the writer as well as create a clear line between what it means to be a slave and what it means to be free. These identities of the author not only conflict with the image of self but also help to illuminate the struggles of the author. Each identity plays a part in constructing the narrative to depict both the hardships of slaves as well as the capabilities of those freed from enslavement to achieve more. Within Frederick Douglass’ narrative, he depicts both his

The story, Oroonoko; or, The Royal Slave, written by Aphra Behn, depicts the main character, Oroonoko, as being an African prince that lives among his people, whom all abide by a code of virtue and fidelity. When Oroonoko is faced with a dilemma in his own country and living among a “civilized” white society, that are devout Christians, he is confronted with the burden to uphold his code of virtue and maintain a title of being a “Noble Savage” by means of loyalty, religious beliefs, and honor.

Aphra Behn’s novel, Oroonoko, gives a very different perspective on a slave narrative. Her characters embody various characteristics not usually given to those genders and races. Imoinda’s character represents both the modern feminist, as well as the subservient and mental characteristics of the typical eighteenth-century English woman. Oroonoko becomes an embodiment of what is normally a white man’s characteristic; he is the noble, princely, and sympathetic character that is not usually attributed to black men in general throughout most novels of slavery. The complete opposite character style is given to the slavers; the English are viewed as the barbaric, cunning, brutal characters that are usually portrayed in opposite and more generous