Pro or Anti-Slavery

Herman Melville’s story “Benito Cereno” tells a story at which slaves take over a ship and put on an act to fool Delano, who is a captain of another ship. One question that struck me when reading this book was, is this a pro-slavery or anti-slavery story. Throughout the story there are signs of both, but the conclusion that came to was that it was more of a warning to other slave holders.

            In this story Captain Delano looks past many obvious signs that something is wrong on the ship because he is too over trusting and ignorant to see them. When Delano first boards the ship he sees three slaves sitting with two Spaniards holding hatches and when one Spaniard misspoke, “one of the black boys [was and] seized the knife, and, though called to forbear by one of the oakum-pickers, struck the lad over the head, inflicting a gash from which blood flowed” (Melville 179). This confused Delano, for “‘had such a thing happened on board the bachelor’s delight, instant punishment would have followed’” said Delano (179). This was an obvious sign of unbalance of order (back then), but Delano shrugs it off liking nothing happened when Cereno says, “that it was merely the sport of the lad” (179). Delano surprisingly trusted the judgment of the captain he had just met.

            Later in the story Delano recognizes that the whites seemed to be the “shrewder race” on the ship (201). He begins to question Cereno’s loyalty to his crew and begins to think that his crew might “have dark secrets concerning [him], could [he] be any way in complicity with the blacks?” (201). At this point you think that Delano has finally caught on to what is going on in the ship but quickly overlooks that ideal because he believed the blacks “were too stupid” to go into cahoots with (201). Even with all these clear signs that the order of power was compromised he was still too trustworthy of the slaves to see what was happening.

            I believe that this story is a warning to other slave holders because Melville is trying to say that if you keep mistreating your slaves there is a possibility that they can come together and overtake you. I think that Melville uses Delano’s character as a representation for how Americans thought back then about slaves. He uses Babo in the story to show that blacks could become educated and they were not as dumb as most slaveholders thought them to be. I believe that this shows that is pro-slavery but in a sense that you need to treat the slaves as humans and not as animals as they would.Herman Melville’s story “Benito Cereno” tells a story at which slaves take over a ship and put on an act to fool Delano, who is a captain of another ship. One question that struck me when reading this book was, is this a pro-slavery or anti-slavery story. Throughout the story there are signs of both, but the conclusion that came to was that it was more of a warning to other slave holders.

           

Physical and Psychological Enslavement

            Being a slave was not only physically exhausting but also mentally. Fredrick Douglass makes this clear in his book Narrative of the life of Fredrick Douglass, an American Slave, with personal experiences that he has gone through. Not only are they beaten if they get out of line but they are also stripped of their voices and beaten if they say the wrong thing.

            The physical enslavement wasn’t just the beatings that they were given, it was also the conditions in which they were forced to live in. Douglas explains how they were forced to sleep when he says, “drop down side by side, on one common bed,--the cold, damp floor” (Douglas 55). Along with not having any other clothing than a shirt, they also only had “miserable blankets” to sleep under (Douglas 55). Having very little sources of warmth made it very difficult to sleep. Even though they would were getting very little sleep they had to be up at their “post” by the “morning summons” and “for if they are not awakened by the sense of hearing, they are by the sense of felling” (Douglas 55). This is saying that if they did not wake up in time they would be beaten awake.

            In order to enslave them mentally they took the slaves voice from them. They were not a loud to speak their minds, and had no say in anything. In order to keep the slaves in line, “the slaveholders have been known to send in spies among their slaves, to ascertain their views and feelings in regard to their condition” (Douglas 62).  This forces the slaves to lie about things such as how they feel about their owners, because if they tell the truth and the owner finds out that slave would have been beaten. Douglas states, “I have been frequently asked, when a slave, if I had a kind master, and do not remember ever to have given a negative answer” (Douglas 62). This shows that by planting spies it made it so no slave could trust another one, therefore they would lie to each other. I also believe that this could have been a plan to keep the slaves from bonding, making it an everyman for themselves situation. This would make the slaves less likely to try to overtake their masters because if they were to do it they would have to team up.

            The slaves would also play a psychological game on their owners. They would sing songs to vent about their problems in way that their master’s wouldn’t notice. They would, “sing the most pathetic sentiment in the most rapturous tone, and the most rapturous sentiment in the most pathetic tone” (Douglas 57). This means that the slaves would sing sad songs happily and happy songs sadly to throw off their owners. This was their way of rebelling slavery and praying that one day this would end, Douglas shows this when he says, “every tone was a testimony against slavery, and a prayer to god for deliverance from chains” (Douglas 58).

            Slaves were forced to live in treacherous conditions and beaten. Alongside that, they were treated poorly and were given no rights. They were treated worse than animals, for “if a horse did not move fast enough, or hold his head high enough, it was owing to some fault of his keeper” (Douglas 60). They were stripped of their voices, which dehumanizes them that much more. These things don’t only destroy you physically but also slowing brings you down mentally.

Frederick Douglass

Amanda Lievanos

ENGL 130

Dr. Oster

20 February 2012

An Inch of Motivation

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave is a piece of writing that both informs the reader of the brutality of slavery and pleads a change to be made within the country. Douglass’ words: “You have seen how a man was made a slave; you shall see how a slave was made a man,” is evidence that his story is the conversion from how he first became a slave how he escaped that title and was able to become a free man.

In our class discussion we spoke about the possible motivations that led Frederick Douglass to consider his escape. “The Colombian Orator” is certainly one book he came across that became the little inch of motivation he needed. This particular opened his eyes to ideas he did not before believe were possible. The Sheridan was able to give him “ a bold denunciation of slavery, and a powerful vindication of human rights” (Douglass 84). From this book Douglass also read conversation between a slave and his master. Because of this he made the discovery of the power of argument and the power of words.

Although “The Colombian Orator” is an important source for Douglass’s motivation, I believe something that happened earlier in his life became his foundation of encouragement. The incident that really stuck out to me was the conversation that occurs between Douglass and Mr. Auld. When Mr. Auld makes discovers his slave (Douglass) has been being taught how to read he immediately puts a stop to it. He goes on to explain to Mrs. Auld that teaching a slave to read is unlawful and unsafe, “if you give a nigger an inch, he will take an ell” (Douglass 78). In other words if you educate a black slave even in the slightest they will use it to their advantage. The white masters believe an educated slave is not an ignorant slave. Therefore these slaves will believe there is something better in the world than what they are being forced to do and could potentially rebel against their owners.

For me, this became the turning point that helped Douglass realize what makes the white man powerful. As Mr. Auld goes on with his explanation using the words “spoil,” “unfit,” and “unmanageable” Frederick Douglass gets a clearer understanding of what exactly makes the white man superior over any other. “From that moment, I understood the pathway from slavery to freedom. It was just what I wanted, and I got it at a time when I the least expected it” (Douglass 78). It is this incident that urges Frederick Douglass to continue learning to read and continue his thoughts on believing that slavery does not have to be forever. “In learning to read, I owe almost as much to the bitter opposition of my master, as to the kindly aid of my mistress. I acknowledge the benefit of both (Douglass 79). Without knowing it Mr. Auld becomes the reason behind Douglass’s motivation to exist as more than just a slave.

It’s difficult to believe that the story of Frederick Douglass is only a mild case of what slavery was like for people of color but it’s encouraging to know that he was able to become something greater and become a man of great success after the horrific experiences he went through.

The Right to Freedom

“I think I never hated slavery so intensely…” stated by Frederick Douglass in the novel Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass (34).  This is exactly what I was thinking when I started to read this novel.  Frederick Douglass does a remarkable job in adding all the horrific details when writing about the torments of slaves.  In the 1800’s to the early 1900’s, slavery was known to be an acceptable act.  In fact, not owning slaves was out of the norm.  Slavery had “…an inevitable tendency to brutalize every noble faculty of man” (37).  Children were taken away from their mothers at a very young age and were stripped of their right to identity.  However, I question the white slaveholders’ acts of torment towards the African American slaves just because they had a different skin color.  How can something so superficial be the cause of the deaths of so many innocent lives?  Unfortunately this is the reality of our American history. 

America is known worldwide to be the country of freedom; however it is frightening to know that our government once allowed the enslavement of slaves.  Slaves were stripped of their freedom the moment they were born by being auctioned off to slave plantations.   “You will be free as soon as you are twenty-one, but I am a slave for life! Have not I as good as right to be free as you have?” (83).   The detainment of freedom the moment the slaves were born is, in my opinion, taking away their life.  What is a life worth living if it is full of excruciating pain and suffering?  No one deserves to be whipped until you scream, to be whipped until you hush, and to be whipped “…where the blood ran fastest” (51).   It is morally inhumane to treat a human being the way the whites did.  Yet they took no shame. 

One of the ways the white slaveholders took away the slaves freedom was by diminishing their right to education.  The white slaveholders would not allow the slaves to learn to read and write because they thought that knowledge was power.  “If you give a nigger an inch, he will take an ell.  A nigger should know nothing but to obey his mater…learning would spoil the best nigger in the world” (78).  This sense of mentality is just humiliating.  African Americans have tremendously helped develop our world today.  Imagine how much our society would have progressed if they were allowed the right to an education earlier.  In fact, now-a-days, there are African American doctors that try to save the lives of the white, even though they know what the whites have put their family ancestors through.  African American doctors have forgiven and set aside the horrifying acts the whites have done to their family because they know that a life is worth more than anything in the world. 

“I often found myself regretting my own existence, and wishing myself dead; and but for the hope of being free, I have no doubt but that I should have killed myself…” (85).  This statement saddens me because no young child should ever feel this way.  The desire to die at such a young age is detrimental to the child.  The devastating acts the whites have performed on the slaves during their enslavement are demeaning.  They treated slaves as if they were more like pets rather than human beings.  Douglass admits that slaves, along with horses, sheep, and swine “…were all ranked together at the valuation” (89).  The whites were dehumanizing African Americans, and they took pride in it.  I believe that students should be required to read Frederick Douglass’s novel, so that they understand the severity of slavery.  Students are taught about slavery in high school, but they aren’t exposed to the cruelty of it.  Everyone needs to understand the brutality of slavery in our American history and how the slaves earned their right to freedom once again. 

Benito Cereno

The Power of Deception

Herman Melville’s main purpose for his story “Benito Cereno” is first not clear at the beginning of his story. Even at the end we still find no true absolutes, no straightforward answers, and we are left wanting more.

The entire plot that Melville establishes is brilliant considering the circumstances and time period he is writing about. This is the part of the story that intrigues me the most. When the issue of loyalty first arises it continues to remain an issue for the rest of the story. There’s the loyalty that occurs between Cereno and Babo, Babo and the rest of his people on the boat, and the loyalty between Cereno and Delano. The main theme that occurs here is deception. The elaborate staging made by Babo is done to deceive Captain Delano all in hopes for the slaves to be freed.

Because of the fact that Delano suffers from being overly trusting he oversees any situation that should be viewed as alarming to any logical person. Of course Melville’s entire staging of the slaves acting as slaves and Cereno acting as the captain was enough for Delano to believe anything he was told. This third person omniscient narrative leaves the reader wanting to help Delano see the full truth because he was being deceived. The scene where Atufal approaches in chains is only one example of masking a situation to ease Delano’s suspicions. Before this particular scene Delano witnesses an event where “one of the black boys, enraged at a word dropped by one of his white companions, seized the knife, and, though called to forbear by one of the oakum-pickers, struck the lad over the head, inflicting a gash from which blood flowed” (Melville pg. 179). Concerned that Delano might jump to assumptions, Babo is quick to plan something that would reassure Delano that everything is as it should be. This is when Atufal comes out in chains. It eases Delano’s securities and he was again is deceived from knowing the truth.

It’s unfortunate that the role-playing occurring upon the ship blinds Delano. He is continuously ignores the signs and “warnings” which should be acknowledged. While the slaves are committing acts of loyalty to each other they are also committing treason by tricking and fooling Delano. It was difficult for me to choose whether I was rooting for Cereno or Babo and his crew to come out on top in the end. Slavery in my eyes is immoral. If you are a slave it is difficult for you to get out of it and it is difficult to find safety anywhere with a target on your back. The slaves in this story resort to their last option in hopes of conquering freedom. They are the ultimate victims so where is the line drawn between who was in the wrong? For these slaves liberty is not something that is handed to them so they feel the only way to get it is to take it! I find myself rooting for Babo and his crew to win their freedom because it is something they were denied.

It appears that Melville is deliberately portraying blacks as being rightly condemned to slavery while warning his readers that if they aren’t careful this in fact could happen to them. Slaves are not as dumb as the whites perceive them to be and with the perfect masking of any situation the unthinkable could be done.

The Perception of Perfection

The perception of perfection is something that is different for everybody.  One person may think that someone is “perfect” whereas another may think that that person has numerous flaws.  There is a reason as to why no two people look and behave exactly the same.  Even in the case of twins, there are slight differences between them.   “The Birthmark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne is the perfect example of the obsession to be perfect. Hawthorne creates an unusual story about a scientist that goes to the extent of murdering his wife to get rid of the birthmark that is placed upon her cheek.  The birthmark on the scientist’s wife’s, Georgiana, face was “… often called a charm” (85).  However the scientist, Aylmer, had a different view upon it.  He stated “…Georgiana, you came so nearly perfect from the hand of Nature that this slightest possible defect, which we hesitate whether to term a defect or a beauty, shocks me, as being the visible mark of earthly imperfection”(85).  This statement allows us to see Aylmer’s obsession to not only be perfect but to have the things around him to be perfect too. 

The narrator suggests that “…it was not unusual for the love of science to rival the love of woman in its depth and absorbing energy” (84).  However, I disagree with this.  As being a scientist myself, I would never try to harm any individual just so that individual can have a better cosmetic appearance.  This is against my moral values and principles.  The life of an individual is far more important than anyone’s desire to achieve perfection and this is a flaw that I believe is embedded in Aylmer. 

Aylmer’s obsession to be perfect distracts him from making rational decisions.  Aylmer knows that most of his scientific experiments have gone wrong, but he is still willing to put his wife’s life at risk.  He believes that “…the draught cannot fail” (97).  However Aylmer thinks that if, by chance, the experiment does fail, then Georgiana is “…fit for heaven” (97).  A sane individual will agree that everyone deserves a life and that no one being can be “fit for heaven”.  Even Aminadab, Aylmer’s assistant, agrees that taking a life of a loved one for a small flaw is insane by stating “ If she were my wife, I’d never part with that birthmark” (89). 

Georgiana’s devotion to keeping her husband happy is inspiring.  In the process of the removal of her birthmark, “…she prayed that, for a single moment, she might satisfy his highest and deepest conception” (96).  Even though Georgiana found Aylmer’s journals of failed experiments, she still was willing to give up her life just for the satisfaction of her husband’s need for perfection.  Georgiana’s sacrifice of life for the one that she loves is a quality that Aylmer lacks.  In my opinion, this is a quality that is needed to be perfect. 

Aylmer’s perception of perfection is only in appearance and he handles “…physical details as if there were nothing beyond them; yet spiritualizes them all, and redeems himself from materialism by his strong and eager aspiration towards the infinite” (94).   However what is the point of perfection if it is not executed morally.  If everyone in the world had the same mentality as Aylmer, then our society would become corrupt and innocent lives would be taken away for irrational reasons.  Nowhere in the short story does it say that Aylmer has the right to decide what is perfect and what is not.  In my view, Aylmer was the source of imperfection.