Web highlight (midterms): Misty Hummel

However, The Dream differs from the American Dream in that it focuses on success in the future “one day” not immediate success and factors in set backs. The Dream reconnects with the past and does not abandon it because of involuntary participation of the slaves. Instead of individualism, the Dream focuses on group identity and the need to rise again. It is also more focused on traditional families rather than nuclear groups (Obj 3a).

In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Douglass experiences the American Dream in his ability to subscribe to a newspaper and read it. He was also free to use his voice and discuss abolition with other liberators. His power to do this expresses the Dream’s idea of rising up from barriers.

Sample Student Midterms 2007: Sample answers for Topic 2:
shorter, more focused essay on personal choice of topic

The Double Minority

            The plight of the African American has been an always arduous one from the initial days spent in bondage as American slaves to the days of the Civil Rights Movement when African Americans fought for the rights which had still not been awarded to them since the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. As painstaking as this journey has no doubt been for the African American man, I am of the opinion that the African American woman’s voyage has been twice as devastating and that she has been afforded even less opportunity than have African American males simply because, not only is she black – she is also a woman, and therefore suffers as a sort of “double minority,” to borrow from course objective 2a.

            One way in which the African American woman suffers more greatly than the African American man is that, during times of slavery, her children are usually taken from her shortly after birth. No doubt an African American male slave may be torn apart over being parted from his newborn child, but because slaves were not legally able to marry, often times a man might not even be aware that he had a child. Additionally, because men do not give birth to children, they have not carried the child with them for months during pregnancy and have not become attached to the child. Men also lack the natural maternal bond that most women posses toward their children, which would make it extremely devastating for any woman to be viciously separated from her child. Furthermore, often times, slaveholders were the fathers of a slave woman’s child, and thus suffered in no way by the child being sent away, but often preferred it. Frederick Douglass explains in his Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass how he was separated from his mother at birth in the following passage: “My mother and I were separated when I was but an infant—before I knew her as my mother. It is a common custom in the part of Maryland from which I ran away to part children from their mothers at a very early age. . . For what this separation is done, I do not know, unless it be to hinder the development of the child’s affection toward its mother, and to blunt and destroy the natural affection of the mother for the child. This is the inevitable result.” We see that because Douglass’ mother was forced to give up her child shortly after birth, her own son has never had a normal, loving affection for her. Even more devastating is the fact that we are led to infer that over time, because of the fact that she is never allowed to see him, Douglass’ mother’s affection for her own son dwindles, which must be a horribly sad and guilty situation for any woman to be forced to contend with.

            More effectively than any work of African American minority literature read this semester, Harriet Jacobs’ Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl describes the daily trials and tribulations faced by the African American female slave. Jacobs explains how “That which commands admiration in the white woman only hastens the degradation of the female slave. . . My master met me at every turn, reminding me that I belonged to him, and swearing by heaven and earth that he would compel me to submit to him.” While a white woman would experience joy and envy for being blessed with a beautiful face, the black woman suffers more for it, as she is at once desired by her master and therefore hated by her mistress. So, not only must she contend with the fact that her master is constantly pursuing her, and will likely even rape her, she must also suffer to be wished dead by her jealous mistress, who is subject and likely to attack her as well.

Sample Student Midterm Answers 2004  

ESSAY TOPIC 3: Compare and contrast two or more texts in African American literature to develop a theme of your choice.

Sample Essays

Essay Topic Three:

Religious Conflicts

            African Americans were taken from their homelands, taught a new language, new way of life, and a new religion.  The conversion of many African Americans was in a sense reversed missionary style in that they were taken from their land and brought to a new “Christianized” culture rather than the missionary bringing a new religion to their culture.  Equiano, Fredrick Douglass, and Linda, all after being introduced to this new religion and having their old one spoken of negatively, take quickly to the new ideas of one great God, their were times of doubt, and much criticism of the way the whites lived out their own Christianity.

            There is a glimpse of Equiano’s old religion when he gets near the boat full of white men and says, “I was now persuaded that I had got into a world of bad spirits” (57). While the reader thinks little of this statement it does remind them of his background in spiritual belief systems.  In The Life of a Slave Girl the preacher is in one of his traditionally pro-slavery sermons and he says, “Instead of being engaged in worshipping him, you are hidden away somewhere, feasting on your master’s substance; tossing coffee-grounds with some wicked fortuneteller, or cutting cards with another old hag” (517).  This is a direct condemnation of their old beliefs and religion.  It is often the last of what they had from their past home, and also it gave them peace of mind to “know the future,” as their futures were very uncertain.  Voodoo is in the American culture like witchcraft, and being founded on Christian standards they did not well put up with it as a practiced religion.  This forced assimilation is an example of Objective 1a the American Nightmare in that they were unable to willing choose a belief system, rather it was pressed upon them to change their personal beliefs.

            Eventually all three of the slaves read about in our class text showed some signs of conversion to Christianity. Objective 6a talks about the desire for tradition, and community in the African American culture and religion may have been an acceptable way for them to fulfill their desires for “family.”  Equiano is even baptized because one of the ladies told him that he could not go to Heaven if he was not (81).  Apparently his previous master had not wanted him to be baptized; perhaps it would have dealt poorly with his conscience to enslave a fellow brother in Christ. He even had a stand in godmother for the event which gave him a kind of community and kinship.  The assumption is made that Douglass’ grandmother or other slaves may have taught him since he later teaches Sunday school to fellow slaves (401).  He remembers it fondly saying, “We loved each other, and to leave them at the close of the Sabbath was a severe cross indeed” (401). The kinship Douglass felt was with his fellow black slaves, not only through their struggles, but also through their faith. Linda found religion through her grandmother and at her last departure they pray together with her child for mercy and protection, which inspired her to trust God (614).  She had family, but still found an even deeper unity through her religion, and also was able to “carry it with her.”

            All three of the Christian believers saw sharp differences in their faith and that of the white slaveholders.  Their speaking out against the hypocrisy gives them a voice after it had been taken from them as is stated in Objective 1b, and it also allows a way to “teach” us what it was like to be them at the time of slavery and Christianity as it stated in Objective 5a.  Equiano searched to be a first rate Christian, looking into Quaker, Roman Catholic, and Jewish religions.  He finally decided that he was more righteous than the people he spoke with, and simply studied the scriptures (185).  A lot could probably be learned if all Christians would only compare themselves with the Bible rather than following a specific religion. Douglass speaks authoritatively about the contrast of faith saying, “What I have said respecting and against religion I mean strictly to apply to the slaveholding religion of this land, and with no possible reference to Christianity proper; for, between the Christianity of this land, and the Christianity of Christ, I recognize the widest possible difference” (430).  He is passionate about the hostility held in the hypocrites of America who taught him the true values of a Christianity that they do not practice.  Linda marks the same differences between “Christianity and religion of the south” (524).  She points out the practice of religious activities by a man who has no desire to live rightly according to the Bible (524).  This seemed to help them more than it hurt their faith.  It gave them a superiority in some aspect that God was on the side of the oppressed, and also that they had learned to live out their new faith better than the people who had practiced it for years.

Conclusion:

I learned about the bigotry of the idea of religion to both the slaveholders as well as the slave. To realize what I was reading and how it affected previous students in the course came as a shock to me. Perhaps because of the eloquence of their writing, the true implementation of the actions hit me only after their perspectives had fully sunken in.

The models themselves are first rate and are certainly something to aspire to and to emulate in our work this semester.