LITR 4232:
American Renaissance
Student Presentation Summary
Tuesday, 4 February 2003: William Apess (Pequot), 1397-1403. Elias Boudinot, 1409-1418. Seattle (Duwamish), 1418-1422. Sojourner Truth, 2023-2029, + Harriet Beecher Stowe, “Sojourner Truth, the Libyan Sibyl,” 2530-2538.
Reader:
Sara Curtis
Discussion notes:
Jody Danielle Newmann
In my presentation we will focus
on:
Objective
Three: To
use literature as a basis for discussing representative
problems and subjects of American culture such as equality;
race, gender, class;
modernization and tradition; the family; the individual and the community;
nature; the writer’s conflicted presence in an anti-intellectual society.
Readings: William Apess 1397-1403, Elias Boudinot 1409-1418, Seattle
1418-1422,Sojourner Truth 2023-2029, Harriet Beecher Stowe 2530-2538.
These
stories are alive with biblical references. We will focus in on the topics of
religion and sex to see why the Christian ideal is the preferred defense when
demanding equality. These examples show a few examples of a biblical defense.
Example
1:
Page 1400 shows Apess asking why God says, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself.” Further on he asks if Jesus ever told his disciples to hate based on
skin color.
Example 2:
Page 1411 “of one blood God created all the nations that dwell on the face of
the earth.”
Example 3:
Page 2026 “Whar did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had
nothin’ to do wid Him.”
·
Why
is religion such a platform for those fighting racism and sexism?
Many racist and even sexists people, usually making their views known on shows
like Geraldo Rivera and Jerry Springer, consider themselves Christian and found
their practices on biblical references. How does its use further both sides of
the argument and yet remain valid to the masses in and of itself?
Elias Boudinot and William Apess
both had successes or advantages somewhat due to the white people they
encountered in life. For further on this information for Boudinot see page 1409
and for Apess see page 1397. Apess was even scared of his own race (Indians)
because of the stories his caregivers (mostly whites) told him.
·
How
does this make their
(Apess and Boudinot) voices different
from an Indian, or minority in
general, who was treated horribly by whites, when speaking in defense of their
race…are their voices stronger, weaker, do we feel as though they have sold
out?
·
What
about when applied to Sojourner Truth, whose children were given away by her masters and who was also raped by
a different master?
In Candy Berry’s presentation
she stated that “being African-American and being a woman had an equal impact
on her (Sojourner Truth) message.” Does
this mean that Apess and Boudinot’s message could have been more powerful? In
other words did the fact that Sojourner had kids make her speeches more
noteworthy?
Discussion:
Deterrean said, Religion could transcend race and sex.
He referred to Dr. M L King. He also said that if God is neither a racist nor a
sexist, than who are we to say we are acting on God’s behalf by hating others.
Simone replied: Religion has both sides of the argument
confronted in the text.
Deterrean responded: There’s a movement that says
after Jesus’ death twelve tribes became white making them God’s people and
the Jews the devil’s people.
Jennifer: For racism from a biblical reference uses
only a phrase whereas the whole book needs to be viewed to understand the
“real” message.
Simone: It is easy to manipulate references in the
bible.
Deterrean: Old testament and the New Testament is also
relevant. In the New Testament Jesus walks around healing and being loving and
in the Old Testament God burns towns etc…
Jennifer: Oppressed people lash out. In earlier days
people were more sensitive with their speech.
Simone: I’m reminded of Frederick Douglas. His eyes
were opened through reading when the white woman taught him to read and it gave
him an easier view of both sides of the talks where race was concerned.
Sandy: It’s easy to stand for your beliefs today, at
that time the thoughts were different.
Cory: The
writers had a foot in both worlds, they sacrifice original principles for both.
I think it makes their argument weaker.
Sandy: Not
all the people in a group have the same ideals.
Simone:
Sojourner Truth had experience in being abused. She was a woman talking when few
women were. Wasn’t a huge movement like in the 1960’s with MLK and Malcolm
X.
Sarah: Truth
brought the message to the masses.
Dawn:
Truth’s message is undiluted, so it carries lots of weight.
Dr. White:
Truth was not among her people. Her later life is lonely. White closed that as a
“grandmother” image Maya Angelou has successfully incorporated that appeal
into her persona.