American Realism and Slave Narratives Flashcards
background and context, "The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass",
Where do American Realism and slave narratives intersect? What are their characteristics?
- everyday reality -> authentic, lived experiences
- social critique
- slave narrative: harsh realities of slavery
–> realism: even broader -> examine issues of race, class, morality
IN DETAIL
-both aim at showing ordinary life accurately in detail (not the life of kings, but of ordinary men)-> they tell about ordinary people facing hardships, ethical dilemmas, about their thoughts, explanation of their motives etc. -> They changed history with their hardships, not Queens, Kings etc.
-Verisimilitude -> Similar to reality: Life is bigger than your thoughts, but you might create something constructed that resembles reality enough
What may be important things to note in autobiographical style of writing? How does it fit in Realism?
- realism tried to be as real as possible –> writer, narrator, protagonist same person = accurate
IN DETAIL
-It‘s a work of art/testament and evidence by witness of history -> by showing what happens to oneself during a particular time in history
-it blends the literary and the historical, the factual and the invented -> the evidence of witness mixed with a narrative of the author‘s own
-it tells the story‘s events in chronological order
-Autobiographical Pact (A Literary convention and the basis for the understanding between author and reader of an autobiography):
- Narrator, writer and main character are one person
- Autobiographical texts are rooted in the “real” world
It fits into this topic because Douglass does tell events that he himself witnessed, he is the story’s narrator, writer and main character. He is an ordinary person who had to go through hardships and dilemmas and tells his story with his own narrative in chronological order of the events that came to pass. He therefore wrote an autobiography with his slave narrative.
Who wrote in introduction on Douglass‘s narrative? Why does that matter?
white abolitionist -> white people had to legitimise books by POC
IN DETAIL
Garrison, a white abolitionist, wrote the introduction, talking about meeting Douglass after his escape. It matters because slave narratives had to have a preface by abolitionists in order to be taken seriously/have credibility/to be even published at all. It therefore still undermined them as people.
How is Douglass described?
He is described as intellectual, eloquent, a privilege to be around, able to sway the masses, great character.
What are the formulaic elements of a slave narrative?
-Introduction/Frame by white abolitionists
Usually starts with “I was born a slave”
-Narrative from slavery to freedom in chronological order of events
-Systematic problems of slavery are shown via the story of a singular fate -> Fate is not just the problem of an individual, but also traced to the institution of slavery (It harms both Slavers and Slaves)
What are the aims and functions of slave narratives?
- writing themselves into existence
- act of witness
- counter de-individuation “you do not define me”
- education
IN DETAIL
Convincing people that slavery must be abolished. -> by elevating blacks to white people/compare them to them
White people would read it and see the horrors of slavery.
Blacks writing themselves into existence as full human beings with thoughts and feelings, undermining that they allegedly are 3/5 of a human
How did Douglass criticize slavery in the beginning of his narrative? (through speaking of his age, mother), how does he perceive the songs of the slaves?
He criticizes that slavery deprives blacks of family and identity.
He perceives the songs as tragic and horrible cause, unlike what the enslavers thought, black people did not sing because they were happy, but to cope with their suffering. -> They are complaints and pleads for mercy, moving Douglass to tears.
Why is literacy prohibited for slaves? Why was it important for Douglass?
- he had no rights, was seen as threat to the institution of slavery
–> control, oppression, de-humanisation
! Awareness, understanding, self-determination
Because literacy liberates them, teachings them to reflect, criticize and think independently: to resist. -> One step of becoming self-made people
