Understanding Slavery Essay Example for Free

Understanding Slavery Essay A poignantly moving tale of a woman’s courage and determination in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl undoubtedly serves as an inspiration for those who endeavor to rise beyond their initial station in life on the way to achieving one’s dreams. Though the author claims it to be a historical account, it could easily pass off for a work of fiction in the tradition of the historical novel – a romanticizing American life and history with its tale of noble suffering, heroic daring and unwavering zeal. Perhaps more significantly, its merit lies in offering the reader the painful truth of the slave experience through the eyes of an African-American slave girl. As Jacobs narrates, she was born a slave but she never knew it until six years of happy childhood had passed away (Jacobs, p. 1). Though they were all slaves in the family, she was so fondly shielded from that fact and they appear to have lived normal lives that she never dreamed she was â€Å"a piece of merchandise trusted to them for safe keeping, and liable to be demanded of them at any moment† (Jacobs, p. 1). That is, until her mother died and her life took a turn for the worse, experiencing first hand what it meant to be a slave in those days. Because of the way she was raised, it would appear that Linda Brent is exceptional for a woman of her social stature. Having received the rudiments of a basic education at the hands of her family’s original owners, she is clear thinking and possesses a keen intellect. Not surprisingly, she was able to transcend the limitations of race, class and gender and grasp the reality that women, regardless of color, race and stature, share the common experience of victimization at the hands of a male-dominated, patriarchal society. Moreover, by virtue of the loving relationships she had established early on with her family and immediate community, she is quite capable of empathy. Her initial understanding of the nature of slavery, though nonetheless negative, did not prevent her from maintaining a positive outlook towards life, notwithstanding her position in the social hierarchy. This however has been severely challenged throughout the years of her ordeal. Due to the many betrayals she had experienced in her lifetime, she learns to distrust people, and even though this is gradually tempered by the formation of positive relationships, she retains her hesitant, guarded approach to life. The book’s main strength lies in its rich narratives, the vivid portrayal of the female slave experience, and its use of the female point of view in the narration of her tale. In terms of limitations, the book would have problems in its illustration of the slave experience as representative of the larger Africa-America black community. Linda Brent and her family could be considered among the lucky few fate seemed to have favored among the millions more of their kind, who, though some might have endeavored to attain their freedom were faced with more dire, less relenting circumstances which made freedom remain a dream for them. A cursory glance at historical accounts of slavery would reveal that many have attempted to escape from their masters, with a considerable number dying in the attempt. In Jacobs’ particular tale, the experience of women in bondage is illuminated. Yet more than a narration of physical infliction of pain, torture and misery – the often-told tale of American slavery – what is striking is how she makes the reader comprehend that the most devastating blow endured and inflicted upon female slaves is that of the continuing existence of a system recognizing, even illicitly sanctioning concubinage and licentiousness among white males, the double standard of the times which make it doubly hard for women, most especially slaves, to live a decent, dignified existence wherein they could realize their true worth as individuals. For the slaves in America’s colonial past, every day was deplorable. Suffering in its various forms – physical, mental, emotional, psychological and spiritual – was common-day fare subject to the wiles and dispositions of their masters. For both men and women, manual labor, e. g. working the fields in the plantations of the South, was a large component of the day. As Jacobs (p. 12) illustrates: â€Å"On a farm, they work until the corn and cotton are laid. They then have two holidays. Some masters give them a good dinner under the trees. This over, they work until Christmas Eve. If no heavy charges are meantime brought against them, they are given four or five holidays, whichever the master or overseer may think proper. † For the women, this was often aggravated by (more often than not) unwarranted sexual advances, if not from their masters, the other male members of the household, or among fellow slaves. New Year’s Day was a terribly appalling affair, for hiring day at the South took place every first of January. To the slave mother, New Years Day comes laden with peculiar sorrows: â€Å"She sits on her cold cabin floor, watching the children who may all be torn from her the next morning; and often does she wish that she and they might die before the day dawns. She may be an ignorant creature, degraded by the system that has brutalized her from childhood; but she has a mothers instincts, and is capable of feeling a mothers agonies† (Jacobs, p. 13). Children born as slaves were sold off at the auction block, for they belonged to their master just as their parents did, for him to do with as he pleases. For is that not the nature of property? Slaves were treated as such, not regarded as human beings, but rather little more than animals to be set to labor upon the fields, to assist in the keeping of the household, to run errands and perform manual labor deemed unworthy of the white master’s unsoiled hands. Those same white hands were quick with the whip for every transgression committed by an erring slave, and a mouth which reserved the foulest of words to further degrade the slave and instill in his/her consciousness his/her lack of worth, how inferior and far beneath their master they were. The ensuing slave consciousness formed from this inhuman treatment, nourished throughout a life of bondage and suffering, is bitter and bleak, their minds ignorant and uncultured, deprived of the conditions which give human existence its dignity, the individual his self-worth (Fowler and Fowler, p. 2). Yet in this condition of bondage, in their shared experience of misery, pain and wretchedness, they became increasingly aware of their sorry plight, and learned to yearn for freedom (Genovese, p. 114). The first stirrings of rebelliousness began to beat in their hearts yearning for a life free from bondage and servitude. In this shared experience, the slave community developed a culture distinctly its own, reverberating with the influence of their African origins infused with their newfound material conditions in American soil. It is the experience of a particular slave girl by the name of Linda Brent which we shall explore in detail. Jacobs’ work, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, utilizes the literary form of the slave narrative, a form of autobiography with a unique structure and distinctive themes tracing the narrator’s path form slavery to freedom. It traces the narrator’s journey from poverty to freedom as her determination to overcome societal and self-imposed limitations leads her on to prevail despite her harrowing circumstances. It is quite a moving and inspiring tale, and the author succeeds in painting a deft picture of the real-life suffering of men and women in bondage who were born, raised and died as slaves at the hands of their masters in the sprawling plantations of the South. Though the slave narrative is recognized as a powerful literary form with obvious merits as a tool for anti-slavery and human rights causes as it compellingly illustrates how individuals could rise above the depths of their despair and overcome seemingly impossible odds, it too has its flaws as a resource for fully understanding the complex institution of slavery. At one point, it perpetuates the myth that individuals can overcome established social structures and societal features disadvantageous to marginalized groups, e. g. racism against colored peoples, through sheer determination, will power, a never-say-die attitude, and a perpetually rosy outlook in life that things could only get better. In actual truth, for most slaves the matter of winning one’s freedom is a whole lot more complicated than what most narratives seem to suggest in their â€Å"success stories. † The abolition of slavery was not simply a case of dissolving a centuries-old institution due to the influence of writers who decided to go public with their personal accounts of the evils of slavery. In a way, the slave narrative is deceptive in its promise of deliverance (giving a sense of false hope) to blacks while reinforcing the notions of a superiority complex of whites over other colored peoples as they could always say that those who fail to break down society’s barriers, e. g. racial boundaries and the gap between rich and poor, to achieve success have only themselves to blame for their failures. It thus becomes a case of â€Å"If others can’t do it, why can’t I? † Yet the situation is inherently more complex than this. In analyzing slavery one has to consider the larger macro factors – economics, political institutions, cultural norms, ideology, etc. – as shaping the micro ones. That is, in the case of the slave narrative one needs to situate the personal accounts in the larger social context of the period, the interplay between the personal and the historical, personal troubles and public issues, the intertwining of biography and history. Moreover, one could also apply a feminist reading in Jacobs’ text for as Linda laments the birth of her daughter Ellen, she remarks how â€Å"†¦slavery is terrible for men; but it is far more terrible for women† (Jacobs, p. ). Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl illustrates how slavery proved to be a more wretched state for women who had to endure the same dehumanizing cruelty and brutality inflicted on men, as well as the torment of sexual abuse at the hands of their male masters and the anguish of being taken away from their children. Their pain and degradation were further compounded as they suffered being used as vessels of lust for their masters, breeding bastards to add to their master’s stock but denied a mother’s right to care for her children. The children born from such unions, Linda chillingly points out, was more often than not sold to protect the honor of the slave owner’s wife faced with the undeniable living testimony to her husband’s lust. Addressing the issue of human bondage from a woman’s perspective, Jacobs attempts to get through to her readers, particularly the women of the Northern states, to make them aware of their responsibility to make their voices heard in protesting against slavery for their silence would be in support of the perpetuation of slavery as an institution. Her tale emphasizes the struggle of a particular woman (herself) to protect her family, in the process learning to fight for her freedom to be an independent individual in control of her own life, and enticing her own family and community to join in the struggle for the emancipation and liberation of slaves. All said, in its own way Jacobs’ work has significantly contributed to the success of the movement to abolish slavery in the United States of America, and for that her efforts have been well-rewarded with the renewed scholarly interest in her work. Works Cited Andrews, William L. Classic African American Women’s Narratives. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press, 2003. Bell, Ella Louise. Myths, Stereotypes and Realities of Black Women. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, Vol. 40, No. 2, 146-159, 2004. Fowler, Lois J. and David H. Fowler, eds. Revelations of Self: American Women in Autobiography. New York: SUNY Press. Gates, Henry Louis Jr. The Classic Slave Narratives. Signet Classic, 2003. Genovese, Eugee. Roll, Jordan, Roll: The World the Slaves Made. New York: Pantheon Press, 1974. Gronniosaw, James Albert, Olaudah Equiano, Nat Turner, Frederick Douglass, William W. Brown, Henry Bibb, Sojourner Truth, William and Ellen Craft, Harriet A. Jacobs and Jacob Green. Slave Narratives. Library of America, 2002. Jacobs, Harriet Ann. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press, 1988. Mccaskill, Barbara. â€Å"Yours very truly: Ellen Craft – the fugitive as Text and Artifact. † African American Review, Vol. 28, 1994. Randle, Gloria T. â€Å"Between the Rock and the Hard Place: Mediating spaces in Harriet Jacobs’ Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. † African America Review, Vol. 33, 1999. Yetman, Norman R. ed. Voices from Slavery: 100 Authentic Slave Narratives. Courier Dover Publications

How Our Universe Was Created :: essays papers

How Our Universe Was Created Creation Stories, myths that explain the origin of the universe, or cosmos. The origin of the cosmos forms one of the principal themes of mythology throughout the world. (Rev. Bruce Vawter). Cosmogony has attempted to explain everything from the Greek deities Uranus (sky god) and Gaea (earth goddess), to say the creation of humankind, after which the mythic cosmos comes to resemble the world of human experience. In mythic history, the earliest era of the world is usually the closest to perfection-a Golden Age or Garden of Eden. There are thirty-five religions that I have heard of and countless others that have not been documented. I have always wondered why we Latinos, African, Asians, Italians, Indians, and the rest of the cultures on this earth practice different religions and ideas. The answer is billions of years ago, in a galaxy far away, an intergalactic council was formed. The council members consisted of dozens of what we call Gods. Each was a ruler of a planet. And on each of these planets there were people who worshiped their Creator (God). The climate of each world was different from the other. Each planet could only sustain life for its people. The inhabitant’s needed a particular climate so that they could survive. Even there agriculture was dependant on the climate as well. One day the supreme deity who created each of the Gods, decided to allow each of the member’s to unite it’s people with the other. They wondered how they would be this since all of the planets differed in climate and no one could survive on the others planet. So it was decided that they would all create what today is know as the Milky Way. With careful planning the RNA/DNA was joined to create a human that would be able to withstand various climates and be able to eventually procreate. Fifteen billion years ago, give or take five billion years, the entirety of our universe was compressed into the confines of an atomic nucleus. Known as a singularity, this is the moment before creation when space and time did not exist. According to the prevailing cosmological models that explain our universe, an ineffable explosion, trillions

Amy: A Case Study Essay

Amy is the mother of three children: a daughter who is seven and twins – a boy and a girl – who are five. Her husband is an attorney and works long hours. Amy is a college graduate and worked in a professional role until the twins were born. Amy is an only child, social, attractive and very well organized. However, inside, Amy feels insecure, even worthless. Her mother was an alcoholic and her father died when she was ten. After her father died, Amy began to take care of her mother when her mother was to drunk to cook meals, or clean the house. Somehow, Amy always felt it was her fault her father died and her mother started drinking. She had always thought that when she got married and had her own family everything would be perfect. She never expected her husband would work seven days a week, 12-hour days. He rarely had time for the children or for her. Amy started drinking to numb her feelings of disappointment, but soon her drinking got in the way of taking care of th e children and her home. Case study: Amy Amy is a single child, very intellectual and organized. She is married to an attorney who works twelve-hour days five days a week. Amy is a mother of three children a seven-year-old daughter and twins that are five years old. Amy is a collage graduate and had worked as a professional before her twins were born. After Amy’s marriage she comes to realize that her husband works so much that he has little time for her or their children. Amy believed that her family would not resemble that she had grown up in. Amy lost her father at the age of ten and found herself taken care of her mother. Amy’s mother is an alcoholic; Amy would take care of her mother when she was to intoxicated to care for herself or the household. Amy feels that she is worthless and insecure, she feels that her mothers drinking and her father’s death is her fault. Amy has found herself in a situation resembling her mothers. Amy has begun drinking to numb the feelings of disappointment. Amy’ s drinking has come to the point of interfering with taking care of her children and her household. It seems that Amy is in need of help with her issues and her recent increase with drinking. The need to have a assessment and comprehensive treatment plan with a continuity of care approach should be the main focus of treatment for Amy. To assist Amy I would have to assure that the diagnosis is specific and pertains to her individual need. As the book states; â€Å"First, diagnosing a condition not only implies that you understand the criteria for making the particular diagnosis but that you also can’t differentiate that condition from others† (Fisher & Harrison, Ch. 6 pg. 114) Because Amy’s drinking has influenced her family life and her ability to take care probably of her children; it is safe to say that Amy’s diagnosis would be alcohol Abuse. One of the 1st steps in diagnosing Amy properly would be to do a psychosocial interview. After I have completing a thorough psychosocial interview and eliminating other factors in Amy’s life to eliminate dual diagnosis such as. Amy’s situation meets criteria for the DSM-IV of influences, be cause of substance abuse on her social, occupational, or recreational activities shown by her lack in care with their children. Because of Amy’s more recent bout with alcoholism to say that she has no physiological dependency as of yet. Diagnosis of substance abuse follows DSM-IV criteria of failure to fulfill major roles and obligations to work, home, or school. Motivational interviewing developed by William Miller and Stephen Rollnick is a process that assesses the client’s readiness for change. The client may not be ready to hear that they are substance dependent and not quite ready to change (Fisher & Harrison, 2009). Determining what stage that Amy is in would be preferable means of continuing, the stages are; pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. Because Amy has sought out help its safe to say that Amy is in the preparation stage. This is an and him and important state that occurs when the individual has become ready and determined to change and take action to do so with steps given by a counselor or therapist. Dr. Amy has entered the stage and be saved to say the next leader action and maintenance stage it was the continuing care plan will be set up in the process of treatment would begin. Amy will enter the next stage, maintenance stage. In this stage, the person tries to maintain the change that resulted from his or her actions without relapsing (Fisher & Harrison, 2009). Treatment Plan: Minnesota Model program; : A continuum of care including assessment and diagnosis, detoxification, inpatient, therapeutic communities, halfway houses, outpatient, and aftercare has been developed using the Minnesota model† (Fisher & Harrison, Ch. 8 pg.135) Amy has used alcohol recently to numb her feelings of disappointment duration of time unknown. However, the period of time is substantial enough to meet substance abuse criteria of DSM-IV. Amy will remain absent from all substances and enter a 30-day inpatient program geared towards complete abstinence and extended learning of mind body and spirit. Amy will remain absent from any substances for duration of 30 days or longer and enter a continuing care program based on 12-step program. Strategies and goals for Amy to complete; attending daily AA meetings after completing 30-day inpatient program. Amy will continue AA meetings on a daily basis as well as completion of program lectures. Amy will participate in individual and family counseling once a week for one year and establish a strong support group with peers in 12-step program. Amy will participate and Al-Anon, and marriage counseling once a week for duration of one year. Amy’s participation is based primarily on financial availability recommendation inpatient 30 days, continuing care, and follow-up. In conclusion I believe that Amy is willing to stop the down word spiral she has begun and is willing to go to any means necessary to do so, I believe Amy understands her consumption of alcohol has negatively influenced her home life. Amy isn’t is in need of therapy at this time primary focus on abstinence from alcohol followed up with therapy to deal with childhood issues such as her father dying and her becoming the mother role model. After completion of treatment program stated above I believe Amy will have a better grasp on that ability to deal with past history influences and triggers. I believe Amy has had a tough life and put a lot of pressure on her ability to succeed where her parents did not. Cite page Fisher, G. L. & Harrison, T. C. (2009). Substance abuse: Information for school counselors, social workers, therapists, and counselors (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. Rollnick, S. Ph.D. & Miller, W. Ph.D. (1995) Motivational interviewing. Retrieved on 12/15/12 from: http://motivationalinterview.net/clinical/whatismi.html

Exercises in Identifying Adverb Clauses

An adverb clause (also known as an adverbial clause) is a dependent clause used as an adverb within a sentence. These types of clauses can modify the whole sentence, as well as verbs, adverbs, and adjectives, and may show aspects such as time, reason, concession, or condition. These clauses often start with words such as (while, if, because, when, although, unless, since, so that, whereas, even if, in case, as long as) and other words. In contrast, an adjectival clause will modify a noun and start with a relative pronoun (that, who, whose, whom, or which) or a subordinate conjunction (when  and  where). Before doing these exercises, you may find it helpful to review the study sheet Building Sentences With Adverb Clauses. Practice Identifying Adverb Clauses Each of these  proverbial sayings contains an adverb clause. Identify the adverb clause in each sentence, and then compare your answers with those below. While the cats away, the mice will play.A lie travels around the world while truth is putting her boots on.If you dont know where you are going, any road will get you there.Memory is deceptive because it is colored by todays events.Never look down on anybody unless youre helping him up.You have to kiss a lot of toads before you find a handsome prince.Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.Life is what happens when you are making other plans.As soon as you forbid something, you make it extraordinarily appealing.Everything is funny, as long as its happening to somebody else.Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.When the going gets tough, the tough get going.When in Rome, do as the Romans do.Cowards die many times before their death.Dont cross the bridge till you come to it.Dont put the cart before the horse. Answer Key In the following sentences, the adverb clauses are in  bold print. Examine what word or phrase theyre modifying and what aspect they show (time, reason, concession, or condition). For example, in sentence 1, the clause refers to the time that the mice will play. While the cats away, the mice will play.A lie travels around the world  while truth is putting her boots on.If you dont know where you are going, any road will get you there.Memory is deceptive  because it is colored by todays events.Never look down on anybody  unless youre helping him up.You have to kiss a lot of toads  before you find a handsome prince.Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.Life is what happens  when you are making other plans.As soon as you forbid something, you make it extraordinarily appealing.Everything is funny,  as long as its happening to somebody else.Don’t count your chickens before they hatch. If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. When the going gets tough, the tough get going.When in Rome, do as the Romans do.Cowards die many times before their death.Dont cross the bridge till you come to it.Dont put the cart before the horse.