African-American Studies

Author Charles Chesnutt uses his stories from The Conjure Woman to broach many different subjects surrounding slavery and slave treatment. In two of the stories, Po Sandy and Daves Neckliss, Chesnutt uses an interesting dynamic between main characters to touch on perceptions of slavery. Specifically, he uses the views of John and the responses of Uncle Julius to discuss these things in a context that is easy to understand and digest.
   
In explaining his perceptions of Uncle Juliuss slave experience, John states in Daves Neckliss, Whether the sacred name of liberty ever set his soul aglow with a generous fire whether he had more than the most elementary ideas of love, friendship, patriotism, religion, -- things which are half, and the better half, of life to us whether he even realized, except in a vague, uncertain way, his own degradation, I do not know. I fear not (Chesnutt). In Johns righteous indignation, he takes slaves for fools.
   
Uncle Juliuss narratives provide a counter to this view. Though he is technically uneducated, his words are full of power and they show a certain understanding for his situation that in itself counters what John initially assumes. The author uses the language barrier to further reinforce the differences between John and Julius, and to pain the picture that John is coming to the situation from an outsiders perspective
   
Additionally, John paints the picture of slavery that might suggest that slaves had little life. It is clear from Uncle Juliuss critique that the slaves actually had their own sub-culture going on in the fields, and that they engaged in things like religious, love, partying, and plenty of others. While John tries to dehumanize slaves as a result of their experiences, Julius makes it quite clear that the slaves were actually alive in many ways. He does this by describing, at length, the way that many of the slaves desired one woman on the plantation. In Daves Neckliss, Uncle Julius says, De young nigger men on de plantation wuz des wil atter Dilsey, but it didn do no good, en none un em couldn git Dilsey fer dey junesey, Note Sweetheart. tel Dave mence fer ter go roun Aun Mahalys cabin. Dey wuz a fine-lookin couple, Dave en Dilsey wuz, bofe tall (Chesnutt).
   
Uncle Julius tells another lengthy narrative in Po Sandy, which retells of some of the horrors that may or may not have been true for slaves during the day when Julius McAdoo was living in captivity. In this story, Uncle Juliuss narrative is meant to challenge Johns assumptions about the extent to which slaves suffered under their masters. Because John would not do many heinous things on his own, he falsely believes that slave owners would not do those things. Uncle Julius long story brings the matter close to home for John, even bringing his wifes emotions into play. On the other, it stretches to absurd lengths, which provide a clear contrast to the assumptions about slavery that John possesses.
   
The author stages these critiques under the guise of storytelling, even having the narrator go so far in the first story as to assert that it was the person time for storytelling. Additionally, Julius is allowed to continue with his narrative uninhibited, which means that John gets to offer no opinion while Julius is speaking. This provides a clear, concise picture of the critique, and allows the reader to fully digest it without influence from John.

Question 2

The themes of motherhood and maternity are prevailing throughout many of the works of Jacobs, Harper, and Wilson. Their perspectives and females are different than those brought to the table by men. As such, these women are able to provide a view on the importance of motherhood and also provide a context for understanding the rebuilding of the United States after the Civil War. In their writings, an emphasis is put on finding mothers and lament is shown over the fact that many families were torn apart as a result of slavery. The mother is a sign that signifies a complete home in the fullest sense, and without that figure, the home cannot operate as it was intended to. Additionally, the mother is seen as the prevailing force that pulls all together. As such, it can be something of a symbol for the federal government. Without strong leadership and a well-established government during reconstruction, the country was not going to move forward.
   
Harriet Wilsons Our Nig describes a mother in certain and important tones. Wilson writes of Mag Smith, Early deprived of parental guardianship, far removed from relatives, she was left to guide her tiny boat over lifes surges alone and inexperienced.  As she merged into womanhood, unprotected, uncherished, uncared for, there fell on her ear the music of love, awakening an intensity of emotion long dormant (Wilson). In Wilsons writings, the mother is a sign of strength. Over time, the mother becomes something of an icon, and the importance cannot be understated to individuals of that time. As the writings describe, slavery often tore mothers apart from their children. This was something that had to be made right if newly freed African Americans were going to forge forward in the new world after the Civil War. Additionally, Wilsons writings are some of many that describe what mothers often had to go through Their strength came from their experiences.
   
In Jacobs works, one can see how maternity and motherhood was smashed to pieces during slavery. Jacobs describes how many of the slave owners forced mothers to become something like cattle during the process.  Not only were women physically torn from their children, having maternity stripped away from them they were also torn away from maternity in the traditional sense because of these heinous actions. When slavery ended, women who were enslaved had to remember the way that maternity was designed to act. The author holds maternity in high regard, so issuing statements about the attack on maternity is something that must be taken relatively seriously.
   
Harpers work, Iola Leroy, is another that takes a stance on the role of motherhood, and it truly offers a picture that one can use to assess the entire American situation following the Civil War. Aunt Linda is the chief woman in this work and she is the perfect example of a mothers role in keeping the home together. Though she is often kept in her place as a result of the ascribed gender roles, Aunt Linda is the tape that holds the household together. Additionally, the work centers on the importance of finding Iolas mother, as this will determine her marriage plans.
   
This is similar to what was going on with the country at the time just after the Civil War. Nothing could continue until some things were clearly defined with the countrys newly reconstructed government. Everything was disjointed, with slaves all over the country and few people knowing what their new role would be within the now free society. The establishment of the governments stance on these roles is similar to the search for the mother in some of this literature. It is the straw that stirs the drink, and without the establishment of these things, it is clear that nothing else can effectively take place.