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LITR 4332 American Minority Literature Model Assignments Research Project Submissions 2013 |
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Christina M. Velez
29 April 2013
The African
Female Literary Movement
Women
writers have been ignored and scorned for sharing their thoughts, views, and
opinions through writing. Throughout history they have endured many struggles to
find their voice in society. Society once maintained the attitude that women
writers would not ever reach the caliber of male writers. While current society
has given the opportunity for females to gain a lot of ground and has developed
acceptance for females to be considered peers amongst males. While views for
women have evolved to be considered more equal, we often overlook that African
American women are essentially a new voice to the written community. Their
outlooks offer an inside view to the ignorance and hatred that they have endured
and overcome. This progressive literary movement has enabled many leading female
voices to come forward, regardless of race or gender.
History has demonstrated until recently that women were omitted from pursuing
education in the same manner that men were able to do so. According to the
National Women’s History Museum women did not attend college in equal numbers
compared to men until as recently as 1980 (“The History of Women and Education”,
n.d.). The opportunities given to women
today is something we can easily take for granted because we don’t have the
firsthand experience of being denied its pursuit. For most of our notable
history educating African Americans women was forbidden. There were even laws
passed in many southern states that specifically banned anyone from teaching a
slave to read or write. Since education for females during this time was not a
focus, when a black educated female such as Phillis Wheatly put together a
collection of poetry defies all the odds for the time period. As a former slave,
Wheatly had more at stake concerning concepts such as liberty and freedom since
society at the time frowned upon these outbursts. For instance in her poem “On
Being Brought from Africa to America”, Wheatley writes: “Remember, Christians,
Negros, black as Cain, / May be refin’d, and join th’ angelic train…”. It is in
these lines she is voicing out her views in hopes that her white peers will
accept her in the same way she knows God will. She raises questions to the
reader that brings light on if slaves can join their masters in heaven, then why
can they not do the same here on earth? She hints to the reader throughout the
poem to perhaps embracing and accepting equality between the two races. At first
glance of reading this poem the reader may think Wheatley is extending thanks
for being enslaved because she illustrates that her circumstances have brought
so much joy in her life in finding Christianity. However, after reading it
multiple times her true tone is revealed. She illustrates that while blacks
cannot be considered perfect, it would be foolish to grant perfection upon the
so called Christians who have enslaved human beings. She has put together a
piece that has a compelling writing style that demonstrates the demand that
blacks who follow Christian principals should be allowed to live freely without
the fear of skin color separating them from enjoying life to the fullest.
The
fact that Phillis Wheatley was a slave prevented her from obtaining a formal
university education and having peers in a literary circle amongst other poets.
Instead she had to educate herself by going to private libraries since during
this time period, black women were not allowed in public libraries. By doing
this she developed a unique writing style that attempted to mimic European poets
(Lamore, 161-162). In John Lamore’s New
Essays on Phillis Wheatley, he notes that, “Americans began to identify
themselves as Americans, Wheatley like other Americans, looked to their
classical past for a usable model… she [Wheatley] developed a philosophical
position that helped to establish a new poetics out of the classical tradition.”
(Lamore, 162). He also mentions that, “Wheatley herself represented such an
object of wonder during the Enlightenment: an African slave who could use
language better than her master. As a result, before her work could be
published, it had to be authenticated… she would remain an object of wonder whom
many would doubt.” (Lamore, 162).
Another comparable written work for this time period is Harriet Jacobs’
Incident’s in the Life of a Slave Girl.
This
piece offers insight to Jacobs’ own personal experience of being born into
slavery in North Carolina (Yellin, 3). It has been noted that Jacobs was unaware
that she was a slave until her mother died at the age of six. Her family went
through great efforts to making “the little girl safe, but they could not
protect her from knowing the violence of the slave system.” (Yellin, 10).
She was born in a time where the U.S.
Constitution firmly upheld slavery. It was during this time that nothing else of
her life was anticipated, yet she overcame odds and freed herself and her
children. She became and activist and an author, who wrote a narrative of her
life that illustrates the overcoming of the trails during this time period
against blacks and even more so against black women. In
Harriet Jacobs: A Life written
by Jean Yellin, the author notes that many people regarded that Jacobs was ,” a
slave merely in name, but in nature… noble and womanly.” (Yellin, 6).
Jacobs opens the
book with an introduction that offers an explanation that the read is in fact
her own autobiography. “READER, be assured this narrative is no fiction… I have
not exaggerated the wrongs inflicted by slavery…” (Jacobs, 8)
She notes that her story is painful, but
she feels a compelling urge that she needs to make it public in efforts of
helping the anti-slavery movement. She opens the book with these bold lines to
grab the attention of her mostly white readers. She demands their attention in
understanding that the events they are about to be subjected to in the read are
not fabricated or exaggerated. She attempts to introduce herself to come off as
a real person that readers can personally identify with. She offers little
background information about her parents except for specifying their color by
describing them as, “a light shade of brownish yellow, and were termed
mulattoes” (Jacobs, 5). Before her mother’s passing Jacobs fondly notes that her
family lived in a nice home for a slave during this time, it was this home that
became a model she would spend the rest of her life trying to re-establish for
her own children. When Jacobs mother passed the little girl’s life that was no
longer shielded from slave life. Jacobs fondly notes the memory of her mother in
the book recalling her mother’s last blessing, “in many of an hour of
tribulation I… seemed to hear her voice, sometimes chiding me, sometimes
whispering loving words into my wounded heart.” (Yellin, 7). Her mother’s memory
and presence was carried on through her lifetime by whispering blessings and
gave her hope.
Once her mother
passed on, she was sent to live with a slave owner who during her years at their
household taught Jacobs skills that shaped her life. In Yellin’s discussion of
Jacobs life life he notes that, “Miss Margaret taught her two skills…
sewing was a marketable skill Jacobs would use later to support herself
and her children. Reading and spelling – knowledge that would soon become
illegal to slaves – gave her the ability to transform her world and write about
her life.” (Yellin, 12).
Linda
Brent is the main character Jacobs has chosen to be the character to tell her
story. Jacobs undergoes great efforts to outline in the book that there is no
such thing as a good slave master. She maintains that slavery destroys the
morality of slave holders, and they become inhumane monsters. At this time there
were no legal checks for masters to monitor their treatment of their slaves. So
as outlined in the read they inflict horrific torture upon them since they were
viewed upon as object or animals. While Mr. Sands promised to free his slave
children, his intentions quickly disappear and are forgotten.
Ultimately her dream is similar to most and wish that someday she will be able
to create a real home for herself and her family. Her desire to establish a
comfortable home is evident throughout the book. During this time period women’s
rights are regulated and were viewed to be unfit for any kind of life outside of
being a housewife. With Linda being a black female she was not permitted to
obtaining such dreams. Her values are simple as her only dream is to be reunited
with her children. She closes with, “Reader, my story ends with freedom; not in
the usual way, with marriage. I and my children are now free! We are as free
from the power of slave holders as are the white people of the north; and
thought that, according to my ideas, is not saying a great deal, it is a vast
improvement in my condition.” (Jacobs, 286). Jacobs ends the read informing the
reader she made it to freedom without a male protector. While she does not have
yet a home to call her own, but gives the indication that she will continue
working at pursuing her dream. Jacobs is quoted to saying, “The good God has
spared me for this word… I pray to live… life has just begun.” (Yellin, 157).
Overall, Harriet Jacobs was compelled that she needed to make herself
representative women, outlining that her harsh experiences have a slave girl, to
bring public awareness to define slavery as an oppressive system.
Before the Civil War, education for black children did not exist. In fact it was
illegal for them to even read or write. However, after the American Civil War
there was an increase of women obtaining education. The casualties as a result
of the conflict lead to there being a shortage of men. Women always wanted the
opportunity to better themselves and during the post-Civil War years the
opportunities for women to seek out an education increased. However, this new
outlook was only really bestowed upon white women. Schools were not established
in the same manner that they were for white children. African American children
learned in various settings they could find, using any materials that we made
available. In many cases churches would be used as meeting places during the
week for students to learn in (Powers, 2013). When the end of the Civil War came
about, conflicting ideas of what role African Americans were going to hold in
society arose. Freed slaves saw education as a step toward equality, but
Northerners looked upon is as a means of civilizing African Americans. Because
of this outlook schools for African Americans we built (Powers, 2013).
Progressively over time black schools started using the same curriculum as white
schools did to promote equality.
A
more modern female African American author that has become one of the leading
literary voices regardless of race or gender is author Toni Morrison. Her novels
are known for their richly meticulous black characters, ambitious themes, and
intense dialogue. She often writes about America’s historical shortcomings
throughout history against her race, by telling stories of civil rights, slavery
and oppression. She writes to give us perspective and a new means of
understanding events in history in an intimate level and have been understood to
be historical novels (Roynon, 13). In the
Cambridge Introduction to: Toni Morrison, author Tessa Roynon describes
Morrison’s as, “Morrison writes slowly, with great forethought and deliberation.
She reworks her drafts until she is completely satisfied, and until the writing
appears “effortless”.” (Roynon, 12).
Toni
Morrison’s first novel, The Bluest Eye
tells an heart-breaking story about Pecola Breedlove an African American
girl who has a poor dysfunctional family. The book mainly highlights the issues
of racism and the effects of growing up in a racist culture. Pecola is often
bullied at school, disliked by the community, rejected by her mother, and raped
by her father. Morrison writes about the devastating consequences of how African
Americans grow up to look down on and despise others because of growing up in
such an environment. It shows that because of this racist environment, Pecola
develops an obsession with the ideology of whiteness culture. In the beginning
of the book Morrison paints the Breedlove household as, “Here is the house. It
is green and white. It has a red door. It is very pretty. Here is the family.
Mother, Father, Dick and Jane line in the green-and-white house. They are very
happy.” (Morrison, iii). She starts the book by painting the picture of a
perfect home and family. This is a dream that all American’s aspire to, yet
Morrison outlines how such a dream for African Americans is a myth. Pecola is
brainwashed into believing that middle-class white culture is the only valuable
and desirable standard. This is disheartening because if Pecola had more strong
family values and upbringing, she would have more than likely been more proud of
her heritage despite the racism that went on during this time period. The
alienation of African American customs, values, and practices created a
self-loathing environment within black culture.
Roynon notes in her book that because of the controversy of the themes in this
book the novel was rejected twelve times before being accepted by a press
(Roynon, 22). Morrison is noted to describing that a fair portion of the ideas
of this book came from a childhood experience. Roynon notes that Morrison’s
childhood friend, “ expressed a desire for blue eyes, the young Morrison feigned
sympathy… actually “violently repelled” by the mere idea of radical alteration
of her friend’s appearance…” (Roynon, 20). Toni Morrison’s family is noted to
having a profound influence on her development as a writer and early on in her
schooling she was defined as an exceptional student. Morrison credits her mother
to pushing her to attending college. During this time it was an extremely rare
trend for black women to attend college and most were forced to work. During
this time period it was also the era when the Civil Rights Movement was taking
place. However, regardless of color during this time women’s expected role was
in the household and they were discouraged to pursuing education. Instead their
expectations maintained that they were to have babies, maintain a household, and
please their husbands.
It
goes without saying these three influential writers went against the odds of
their time periods to write about the disheartening views society had against
their race and sex. As time has gone by opportunities for black women have
developed. Men still continues to fill supervisory positions, and wage scales
still discriminate against not only black women but women in general. Dispite
all the odds against them Wheatley, Jacobs and Morrison have proved to share an
inside view on the racial hate in our American history. Without their movement,
and the movement of other literary writers in between we would not have they
many literary pieces that account for detailed ignorance imposed upon their
race.
Works Cited
1.
Jacobs, Harriet A.,
and Jennifer Fleischner. Incidents in the
Life of a Slave Girl: Written by Herself. Boston: Bedford/ St Martin’s,
2010. Print.
2.
Lamore, John C.
New Essays on Phillis Wheatley.
Chicago: University of Tennessee Press, 2011. eBook.
3.
“The History of
Women and Education”. National Women’s
History Museum, n.d. Web. 24 May 2009.
4.
Powers, Bill.
“Changes after the Civil War.” Lecture, University of Houston Clear Lake,
Houston, TX. 15 April 2013.
5.
Roynon, Tessa.
Cambridge Introduction to Toni Morrison.
West Nyack: Cambridge University Press, 2012. eBook.
6.
Yellin, Jean.
Harriet Jacobs: A Life. [N.p.]: Basic
Civitas Books, eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 19 April 2013.
