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LITR 5431 American
Romanticism 2010 Student Midterm Samples #2 short essay |
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Denielle Alexander
Understanding Minority Texts in
the Romanticism Era
I have
always had a passion for minority rights, social issues and political laws that
exert freedoms for minorities or limit them. During the course of this class
there was one passage that struck me, and, while reading it, chills went down my
spine because it was very powerful and expressed Romantic qualities. William
Apess’ An Indian’s Looking-Glass for the
White Man: “Now
suppose these skins were put together and each skin had its national crimes
written upon it--which skin do you think would have the greatest?
I will ask one question more. Can you
charge the Indians with robbing a nation almost of their whole Continent, and
murdering their women and children, and then depriving the remainder of their
lawful rights, that nature and God require them to have? And to cap the
climax, rob another nation [African
Americans] to till their grounds, and welter out their days under the lash with
hunger and fatigue under the scorching rays of a burning sun? I should look
at all the skins, and I know that when I cast my eye upon that white skin, and
if I saw those crimes written upon it, I should enter my protest against it
immediately, and cleave to that which is more honorable. And I can tell you that
I am satisfied with the manner of my
creation, fully—whether others are or not.”
I found some connections from the passage in relation to Objectives 1a and 2c
and also some of the academic terms used within the course of the class and
Romanticism era. “Objective 1a: the Romantic {or} Ideology. To identify and
criticize ideas or attitudes associated with Romanticism such as desire and
loss, rebellion, nostalgia, gothic and the sublime”. These terms I have listed
have quite a strong connection with in the text. As I review what defines
Gothicism, I notice Apess’ passage had some gothic imagery in it. Even though he
used gruesome language such as murder and sins of crimes, he also spoke of
“repressed fears and desire” which can be categorize as gothic qualities. Apess’
said “Can you charge the Indians with robbing a nation almost of their whole
Continent, and murdering their women and children… and rob another nation
‘African Americans’ to till their grounds, and welter out their days under the
lash with hunger and fatigue under the scorching rays of a burning sun?” These
two examples sarcastically speak on how the dominant culture “whites” took over
these ethnicity groups’ identity and sense of who they are as a whole. Apess is
recalling memories, negative memories which provide the reader with gothic
imagery and a gothic connection to the text.
Also, the sublime had a potent effect on this eye catching passage. Apess
expressed the beauty and pain of his creation or skin color as a minority and
feeling of rebellion: “…I am satisfied with the manner of my creation,
fully-whether others are or not.” While reading this, the sublime experience
comes from the beauty and pain of being part of the Indian or Black races. The
dominant culture has so physically and mentally drained these two groups that
being a person of color is painful, negative, tragic or pitful. The Indian race
is perceived to be afraid, and live in danger and terror, unable to defend their
women, children or land from the white race and. Throughout all this fear and
terror, Apess still finds beauty and happiness with his skin color and
ethnicity. He also finds pleasure to knowing that God has created more
minorities than whites, and that there is something more beautiful about being
who he is and what he is naturally born of. Also, I have connected with the
nostalgic memories of desire and loss. Apess constantly reminds himself of the
nation that was robbed from him or the identity of his race that was taken. His
desire comes from the contentment he has in being who he is, which is Indian;
his loss comes from the crimes that were committed towards his people, such as
the intangible freedom and rights they lost.
I did find that Objective 2c closely related or connected better with the
passage. Obj. 2C: racially divided but historically related “Old and New Canons”
of Romantic literature amongst African Americans “slaves and being the minority”
and the American Indians. Apess compared the unfortunate struggle and abuse of
having their race’s whole identity and culture snatched away. He reflected these
two groups as having similar oppression experiences with the dominant white
race. Even though the color and tradition of these two groups are not the same,
the painful history they shared together is what casts them as part of the
minority group. History also enables the American Indian and African American
groups to share the same struggles in current events, and be able to sympathize
better with one another and also understand what it takes to rise and progress.
There is a bond that is created because, unlike groups of the Asian and Hispanic
culture who are part of the minority group, American Indian and African
Americans either, did not come to America by choice or were forcibly stripped of
their rights, land and freedom and both must adapt to the dominant culture.
Other minority groups willfully come to America and want to be part of the
dominant culture, but these two groups did not necessarily have a choice; the
decision was forced upon them.
As long as I live in America, which is full of many immigrants and minority
groups, this passage will always have an influence. Rights, freedoms,
stereotypes, racism, and equality are topics that minorities will continue to
fight about and press on until there is truly equality for all. It’s a part of
our American history, slavery and the thievery of stealing what was once the
American Indians’ home. My face lit up when I read Apess’ text; his verbiage and
tone were powerful and straightforward. He spoke with honesty and everything
spoken was highly blunt. It was eye catching; I had to read the passage over and
over again, because it was that real and strikingly genuine. Like I said
earlier, I have a strong passion for African America rights, but also the rights
and freedoms for all minorities. And reading this in an America Romanticism
course truly shows romantic qualities throughout the texts.
