Paul Lawrence Dunbar's The Ingrate, By Paul Laurence Dunbar

Nightjohn is a book about a slave who has gone through so much, he ran away from his plantation, made it all the way North and became free, but turned around and came back to teach other slaves how to read and write. He taught Sarny how to read and write for tobacco the first night he was at the plantation, and helped her get through tough times by reading, writing, and teaching her valuable lessons throughout the book. Although Nightjohn was trying to be a nice person and teach them how to read and write if they got caught the consequences would be horrible.

In Search of the Promised Land: A Slave Family In The Old South by John Hope Franklin and Loren Schweninger outlines a very unique African American family living in Nashville, TN accounting tales of the trials and tribulations that Sally Thomas, the mother, and her sons had to go through; and how in the end she accomplished her goal. The authors excellently executed the life of this family in an informational and intriguing text by explaining and comparing the different lives and classes of slaves back in that century through Sally and her son’s stories.The detail and the historical pictures in the text help give life and a sense of “realness” and credibility to the situations given to help breathe life into the story, making the story easier to understand and believe.

Wendell Berry’s past is more than just his own in “My Great-Grandfather’s Slaves,” but his past is intertwined with the slaves that grew up with. A quick reading of this poem by Berry would not give the reader that he was connected with the slaves, but rather that they lived separate lives. Berry says he sees the slaves and their activities but does not ever write about how they are connected until the very last stanza. After reading the final stanza it gives the rest of the poem a new meaning and if the reader does not take the time to closely re-read the writing they will miss out on what Berry is really trying to portray. Wendell Berry is trying to show the reader how his past is linked with the past of his grandfather’s slaves with his

Traditions throughout culture change with time, yet in most instances, a handful of people refuse to change their methods or beliefs. In “Dead Man’s Path,” Chinua Achebe creates a changing society and presents a group of people who are unwilling to change their way of life and adapt. Achebe uses symbols, allusions, characters, and setting development to give the reader an interpretation of the changes made throughout society that creates a conflict between a new generation and an old generation.

At the age of eleven Sarah was given a waiting maid. She rebels against slavery through declining her gift. Missus said, “This is our little Hetty. Sarah, dear, she is your present, your very own waiting maid."… Miss Sarah said,"… I don 't need a waiting maid… I 'm perfectly fine without one" (Kidd 14). Making this kind of comment in front of a large family gathering brought shame to the Grimkè household. Sarah knew this and still took this risk to stand for her abolitionist views. Even at a young age Sarah has always opposed the use of slaves. After being told she has no choice but to take Handful she treats Handful the best she can. This causes a relationship to spark between the two of them which was unheard of in that time period. In addition to Sarah refusing her birthday present, which was Handful, she takes it a step further and teaches Handful how to read. Turning, I watched her carry the lantern to my dressing table, light swilling about her feet. When she set it down, I said, “Hetty, shall I teach you to read?” (Kidd 57). Being able to read and write was considered powerful, which is why it was against the law to teach a black person to read. Only the elite should have that ability. Sarah taking this risk for Handful demonstrates how willing she is to “free” Handful in any way she can. The uncanny relationship between the two, sparks a set of values in them that will continuously shape their lives.

The lack of a teacher proved limiting to Douglass’s pursuit of freedom. Nevertheless he persisted in finding new ones, affirming that “Mistress, in teaching [him] the alphabet, had given [him] the inch, and no precaution could prevent [him] from taking the ell” (35). Since, however, there are no more delightful mistress’s to educate him, he resorts to “making friends of all the little white boys whom [he] met in the street” by which “many of these as [he] could, [he] converted into teachers”(36). After taking this new step to freedom, Douglass “finally succeeded in learning to read,” furthering his comprehension and unlocking the door to endless knowledge supplied by literature (36). In learning to read, Douglass could now take use of

The slaves say nothing at all or are encouraged to only praise their master, because they could be punished by being sent to a more cruel slave owner. This act of being “sold down the river” to the deep South was common in the pre-Civil War South. This connection to a frequent historical phenomenon verifies the authenticity of Douglass’ narrative and how it must speak the truth. Douglass also asserts how slaves are tormented by betraying each other. He recalls how even though he wants to help emancipate other slaves, he cannot tell the specifics of his escape because he does not want to “run the hazard of closing the slightest avenue by which a brother slave might clear himself of the chains and fetters of slavery” (86).

The man, as I later learned was named Frederick Douglass, would frequently tell stories about how he escaped and how his owner treated him. At those times, I had flashbacks to how I nearly got captured while escaping. I still feel the creeping presence of the sentries scouting the area for any escaped slaves.

On the first day of school Little Man's teacher was not at school so Mr. Crocker Cassie's teacher has to teach both classes. The first day they got something they had never had before books. Little Man opened the first page and saw that the books were handy downs from the white schools and they were old “Very poor” (pg. 25). This made Little Man mad he through his book on the ground Mr. Crocker wanted him to pick it up, but he wouldn’t. The teacher was going to give him a whipping, then Cassie stood up and showed her what made Little Man mad. Mr. Crocker would not listen, so Cassie through her book down too, and

“The Souls of Black Folk” was written in 1903 by William E. B. Dubois (4). Dubois was an activist for civil rights and an author of many pieces regarding the lifestyle, struggle and historic patterns of African Americans (4). Though Dubois was born after the abolition of slavery, he knew the prospects of the African American struggle were most likely formed due to the conditions of black lives during slavery. Dubois was also an educator and advocate for educational opportunities in black communities (4). Not only writing, reading and math but critical thinking, health and survival and extra sources that could uplift and broaden the mind to do what it has the potential to do. The first chapter of “The Souls of Black Folk” gave a depiction of two prominent intervals that are cultivated in black culture, the veil and double-consciousness. Dubois wanted to bring attention to them for the productivity of social equality. His audience was not the black community, but white Americans who judged, misunderstood and moreover controlled it. He aimed to clear the narrative of the African Americans being inadequate and bring forth the truth of black culture’s compromise.

This trend of competing incentives continues when Roxy offers to sell herself into slavery to ease Tom’s debts. Tom has found himself in “nearly three hundred dollars” of debt due to his gambling addiction (Twain 52). Roxy, unaware of this debt, decides to tell Tom of his true heritage; that he was “bawn a nigger en a slave!”(Twain 51). She hopes that he will be more likely to financially support her if he knew the truth. Similarly, the Chicago Public School teachers demonstrated this economic incentive by boosting student test grades. Both Roxy and the teachers hoped that their risks would result in an economic gain. Upon seeing Tom in this dejected state, “her heart was touched and her motherhood rose up strong in her”(Twain 99). She realizes

Langston Hughes’s “Let America Be America Again” is a poem that could be endlessly applied to where America stands today. This poem illustrates the morals, ideas, and visions set forth by those who found this country and how America has begun straying from those principles. The poem expresses that America is made up of all walks of people and that no man should be crushed by those above him, but rather be given the same opportunity as those above him. Hughes desire to make America great again can be shared in some way or another by most Americans making this poem everlasting. “Let America Be America Again” has the personalization, the language, the connection shared by every American, and the rhyme to allow readers of every race, gender, or religious belief to be brought together as not only people but as Americans.

The short story, The Ingrate by Paul Laurence Dunbar tells the story of a slave owner and a slave, both of whom deceive

    The narrator describes a vision he had while he was listening to Louis Armstrong, exploring back into the history of slavery. He his introduced in an intangible voice , someone who has lost his specification through the society . The narrator casts back on an earlier period of the 20th century, encouraging that a newly educated black class felt guilty of a past that was no flaw of its own. The narrator's  granddad emerged  to be in this line hoping to forget the history of slavery, but on his deathbed reveals that the struggle against white oppression is still continuing .

The Lesson is a short story about a family of African American children. The children are cousins to each other, living in a low class neighborhood. Miss Moore is the tutor to these cousins. None of these from the family of cousins cared for Miss Moore. One day all children with Miss Moore hired a cab to Fifth Avenue. All these were gathered outside a toy store looking at the toys. All the children were confused and feeling out of place. Miss Moore asked the children about their experience. Sugar, one of the children commented on the amount of food consumed by all in one year that equals the price of one sailboat toy at the store. Sylvia, another important character does not like Sugar's comments and tries to stop her until Sugar pushes Sylvia off. Sugar believes that there is no democracy in the country in the presence of such inequity. The main aim of the story was to show economic inequity in the society in the 1960s.