comparitive Flashcards
Cyclical storytelling of remembering to forgetting
It is seen through the use of a cyclical narrative with the text opening being named “Remembering” and the epilogue referencing “forgetting” that the grief and powerlessness of the slaves often results in feeling of defeat as Whitechapel asks “don’t make me remember” emphasising the idea that “memory is pain trying to resurrect itself” and as such often it is easier to forget the past than confront it.
Prodigious carpet imagery
The complexity of systemic oppression and prejudice is reinforced through through the symbolic referencing of the “prodigious carpet”, that suggests that the practise and “thread” of discrimination “over the generations” has become so complex that “it cannot be unwoven” suggesting that the oppressive forces have become to great for any individual to feel optimistic about changing their destiny. This idea of the multi layered problem of oppression is echoed in The 7 Stages of Grieving as the refernces to racial profiling, the stolen generation and a general fear of institutions defies the assumption that indigenous maltreatment goes beyond the “single cause and effect” of the landing of British Boats in 1788 but now a culture “with many beginnings” that has no “end in sight” in regards to undoign indigenous oppression.
Intertextual referencing to romeo and juliet, doomed
D’Aguiar, in The Longest Memory, while condemning segregation and racial discrimination for its ability to alienate and isolate, ultimately endorses the pursuit of true equality and integration as being the solution to marginalisation, as he compares the relationship between Lydia and Chapel to that of Romeo and Juliet, presenting the most pure love as being a love founded upon equality. Describing their love as transcending the “heavens”, and as allowing the “stars” to “become one” and “blur”, D’Aguiar presents Lydia and Chapel as being the hope of the new generation, as their desire for equality is symbolised by D’Aguiar’s use of light dark imagery, with the stars as “bright as two suns” blending in with the darkness of “starlit nights”. Chapel and Lydia thus find their own sense of belonging despite the alienation they experience in their segregated society through their love for one another
Contrast of the white vs slave voice in the Virgininan, Lydia still affored her constitutional right
The idea of voice and one’s ability to be heard in explored within the Longest Memory particularly through the publication of the The Viginian which shows a stark contrast between the respect of the right for whites to have a voice, even if it does not agree with convention in contrast to the absence of any voice of the slaves. Whilst there is debate following the receipt of the “most articulate letter” the paper has “recieved in a long time”, despite the intellect and education clearly behind the letter the fact that it was written by a slave serves more as a catalyst for a discussion on policies regarding literate slaves instead of an exploration of the enslaved voice and experience. This difference in voice is further emphasised through the contrast of the “resounding “No”” regarding the inclusion of slave throughts with the raaction to Lydia’s writing, as despite it going against the consensus of beliefs at the time and dismissed as “unmitigated realism”, her desire to interact with slaves whilst frowned upon is still allowed as she is the “mistress of her own fate” and as such entitled to her “constitutional” rights. In this it can be seen that regardless of opinion the white voice is still heard as unlike the voice of a slave it is afforded basic respect and the white population entitled to a level of freedom.
Chapel writes in verse vs the blunt slave master langugae
D’aguiar explores the idea of voice and education through the writing style of Chapel being that of verse to emphasise his educated state as he utilises metaphors to understand his oppression as he recognises his dehumanised state as a “calf” and the the use of violence which “hung over [him] like a noose” to keep his community oppressed as seen with the graphic recollection of “the way some children had their skin ripped raw”. D’aguiar uses the abrupt change in tone with the loss of verse and transition to the staccato statements of “yes master” and “ I am ungrateful; a wretch” in order to demonstrate the limited voice expected of the slaves as they are stifled by their social status.
Graphic imagery of power over slaves & lack of remorce
D’aguiar frequently employs graphic depictions of the loss of power in the slave’s life as seen with the brutal recollection of the Chef’s rape with the way she was “dragged… to [Sanders Senior’s] bed” with the violent and involuntary language of “grabbed” and “choked” emphasising the loss of autonomy for those oppressed. In this, the violence is also seen to be attributed to be of the slave’s own fault in that they would be beaten for “indolence” and their death would be through their “own design” further reinforcing the idea that the white enslavers would justify their actions to be moral in some sense and shift any blame to those they were oppressing.
Epigraph about sorrows pots, speaking to the struggle of slavery
D’Aguiar foregrounds the struggle of the enslaved experience through the referencing of Zora Hurston’s Dust tracks on a Dirt Road through the epigraph referencing the quote of having “been in Sorrow’s kitchen” . In this the capitalisation of sorrow personifies the grief filled emotion that was caused by the racial segregation and opression that both Hurston and those in the Longest Memory had to contend with. Through this visceral description of having “licked out all the pots and pans” the text further emphasises the deep and personal hurt that many in slavery have experienced and the all consuming and painful experience of grief.
****The referencing of Dust tracks on a Dirt Road foregrounds the ideas of the in regard to the struggle of African Americans against the institutionalised racism but also the idea that individuals can become complicit in their acceptance of such oppression.
Animal imagery, calf imagery when discussing as stock, commodification
The Longest Memory demonstrates the often dehumanised position of slavery through the frequent usage of animal imagery as the referencing of slaves who woukd “whinny like horses” and “howl like wolves” from the outset aimed to establish not only the inhumane treatment but also commodified status of the slaves. It is seen throughout the text that in many converrstions regarding the practise of slavery that african americans were seen not a equals or even people but instead “a creature” who is “not like” them and as such identified like other farming stock like a “cow [and] it’s newborn calf” or a “mare to its foal”. In this is is seen not only are the slaves dehumanised to be “wild beast[s]” that are considering like animals in the social hierarchy but further their commodification results in moral discussion surrounding them being framed in economic terms of “assets” and “stock” instead of people
Contrasts in their voice
D’aguiar demonstrates the difference between generations through the polyptoton of the descriptions of the father and son’s voice demonstrating the contrast between the education of the two men. Whitechapel’s speech is seen to be linked to the idea of forceful and “strong” communication, that of someone who is able to command respect but only through the direct and “clear” reinforcement of the plantation owners commands where as Chapel’s voice is linked more so to a “strength” of idea, in his conviction of his beliefs and “clarity” in his understanding of his circumstances.
Inheritance of beliefs, fathers club with his friends
your throat is dry, your clothes damp” becomes “your glass is full, your clothes are dry” Mr. Whitechapel has been verified as an enslaver, demonstrates who his views are equally to be condemned as the other plantation owners
Cook turning to relationship with Whitechapel to deal with her grief
after he laid his hands on me I wanted to die” “Whitechapel saved my life” “my pot is sweeter to me” > family = identity
Education empowers
D’Aguiar highlights the importance of education in allowing individuals to transition from positions of oppression to that of power as Chapel is not only able to better understand his circumstances following his learning of how to read and write but in that way that he “can open a book” he is seen to transcend his position as a slave and instead “sound like the master”. In this, The Longest Memory aims to reinforce the importance of voice in providing individuals a way to escape oppression and reclaim a sense of autonomy and control.
epigraph counterfeit atlantis and the link to lydia and chapel going north
The second epigraph cautioning of trying to tell between the “couterfeit Atlantis” and anything that is “true” speaks to the struggles of hope through the narrative as several characters have hopeless dreams be it the dream of Chapel and Lydia to live in the North and Whitechapels belief that he can come to an agreement with Mr Whitechapel and save his son. In this the epigraph cautions the sorrowful and painful reality of the life of the slave as immediately Chapels death is confirmed.
Whitechapel’s refusal to talk of Africa
“make your dreams here” refuses others of hope & dismisses his own identity as nothing more than a slave
Whitechapel’s support of the system, hid indocrtrination
“run from here and you die” “It was my view that a slave could live a good, long life if he worked hard” “master of his own slavery. Slave and enslaver” “that slave of yours is a slavers dream”
Christian refreding judas as Whitechapel, indicating chapel as jesus, martyr, as he dies for his beliefs we see the conflict of him being a martyr for freedom and an example of punishment, reframing his guilt from a christian perspective reflecting the beliefs of his oppressors
D’aguir utilises the Christian referencing of Whitechapel identifying himself as “Judas” to reflect his udnerstanding of the betrayal he has committed against Chapel, who would be likened to Jesus in this analogy. Biblical referencing
emphasises the extent of Whitechapel’s indoctrination as not only, like Judas, has he betrayed those close to him, but in his processing of guilt he still frames his actions through the perspective of Christianity. In this, D’aguiar aims to solidify the devastating extent of the influence of oppressors and manipulation of slaves as Whitechapel subconsciously, even in times of his greatest guilt and grief, still subscribes to the Christaian ideals forced upon him.
Contrast with the fears for the white working class as the impoverished state of them is seen to be a crime despite for the black slaves it being standard, alliance of the familial langugae
D’aguiar emphasises the hypocritical and illogical morals of the white community within Virginia through the juxtaposing reaction to the freedom of slaves and poverty of whites, as through familial language, the “plight of their poor brothers” being the “impoverished whites” is lauded as unacceptable for those who share white heritage and are thus allied against the “awful situation” that does not distinguish the two races. In this is is seen that whilst there is revulsion at the idea of living “barely one rung above that” of the slave, there is a sense of blame pointed to those black slaves that share this desire to not live such a life instead of the unfair hierachal system of the time..As such it can be seen that blame for problems within society is often shifted from those who have the power to change custom and instead onto the vulnerable victims who are suffering themselves.
Virginia
The contextual setting of the border town is reflected within the alternating tones of the text as whilst the defeated stories dominate there are still moments of hope mirroring the conflicted position of the border state.
Epigraph showcasing generation grief but also hope > “to our parent’s parents, the pain, the sorrow To our children’s children the glad tomorrow”
Generational grief that has affected those who came before and those who came after, however also brings in an aspect of hope as it speaks to the fact that whilst the past brings “pain, the sorrow” the future generations can hopefully experience a “glad tomorrow”
Symbolism of the suitcase, the movement of the burden to us
Speaks to the difficulty in holding and feeling so much pain and sorrow for such an extended time and cautions that at such a point of being at “capacity” one can only turn to numbness in order to deal with the grief. It also speaks to the fear this causes as it robs a sense of humanity regarding the ability to feel something about such significant losses of family, land and culture. Instead of holding this to herself the women symbolically places the suitcase at the audiences feet which could represent the shifting of the burden and that it is now “time” for the stories that she has carried for so long to be taken up by the broader community and shared, pacing responsibility and onus on the audience members.
