An Indian's Looking-Glass For The White Man by William Apess

Daniely Modesto

Engl. 48A

William Apess

“Or have you the folly to think that the white man, being one in fifteen or sixteen, are the only beloved images of God?”

According to Barry O'Connell (listed below), Apes changed his name to Apess is his later publications and in the legal documents of 1836 and 1837. His family members continue to use the spelling Apes.
By Paul P. Reuben

In “An Indian's Looking-Glass for the White Man”, William Apess writes about religion, racism and its injustice. Apess shows his anger for the mistreatment the Indians and other races suffer from the predominant white Christians, raising the idea that the bible and the concept of religion should be revised.

Apess writes the essays for the whites, who are the dominant society at the time, pointing his finger in the white society’s face, Apess raise questions such as "Is not religion the same now under a colored skin as it ever was? If so, I would ask, why is not a man of color respected?" (1055), Apess points out that Christianity distinguishes race and do not support the Bible. Apess claims that if God loves only white people why did he create fifteen other races? “Who are the children of God? Perhaps you may say, none but white. If so, the word of the Lord is not true,"(1056), Apess also emphasizes that neither Jesus nor his disciples were white skinned and why are the whites superior? Apess cannot understand the reason why other races have to be passive and inferior to the whites. Apess essay shows the strong words of a mixed blood man seeking for an equality life style for everybody, and the right reasons to believe in God.

Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving

Daniely Modesto
Engl 48A
Week 5

Washington Irving
Rip Van Winkle


“Rip Van Winkle, however, was one of those happy mortals, of foolish, well-oiled dispositions, who take the world easy, eat white bread or brown, which even can be got with least thought or trouble, and would rather starve on a penny than work for a pound.”

When I mention the name Washington Irving (1783-1859), chances are audiences either (1) think I’m talking about a basketball player, (2) don’t know who he is, or (3) know generally who he is, but can’t name a thing he’s written.
Yet, two of his most famous stories, “Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Rip Van Winkle” — both ripped from a longer work that most readers can’t name – are so ingrained in our American DNA that you can probably summarize the plot of each even if you’ve never read it.

Brian Jay Jones

(I wonder if that is because he was writing using his pseudonym Geoffrey Crayon)

Rip Van Winkle, is described in the story as a man who used to work in odd jobs always helping his neighbors, but did not want to do anything around his own house and farm. He always does what he could “got with least thought or trouble” just like some kids do. His wife is always telling him what to do, and he is tired of listening to her, however he never did anything to change or make her happy.

As usual, he decides to take a nap and he just wakes up after 20 years. As he got up, he was very stiff, his bones did not want to corporate, and he thinks he might have developed rheumatism from sleeping outside in the cold night. When he wakes up, everything is “different” however, somehow familiar. There are strange faces and names in his old hometown that for a second he started to wonder if he is getting crazy, if he is really Rip Van winkle. He finds his house “gone to decay- the roof falling in, the windows shattered and the doors off the hinges” (960). He finds his daughter, his son, and he finds out that his wife died a short time after him. Rip Vim winkle also realize that his friends fought in the war and are all dead now.

The story is very creative an interesting. At first, the reader does not know that he had slept for 20 years, but throughout the description, we can see the difference in the period of the history as Irving describes. Irving describes two different periods of society, American during the English rules and after the revolutionary War.

Resistance to Civil Government by Henry David Thoreau

"I was not born to be forced. I will breathe after my own fashion."

Wouldn't Thoreau roll over in his grave at the state of politics in America today? Or rather, he would urge us to stand up as individuals, take revolutionary action against the established order with autonomy, reason and intellect.

Shannon Riley, Virginia Commonwealth University

Thoreau, in his essay describes his philosophical ideas about government, the conformism and obedience. Thoreau portrays the civil Government on the 18th and describes the disadvantage of it against people.“Resistance to Civil Government” was neither his first nor the last of his writings on social and political reform. Thoreau believed the individual was not exempt from the power of the state; a decision to disobey also meant a willingness to accept the consequences. And as merely machines, people could easily conform to life at that time.

Thoreau refusal to pay the tax was intended as a direct protest against an unpopular tax and as an indirect protest against the government's condoning of slavery. He also linked slavery to the Mexican-American War, protesting against it. Thoreau was not afraid of saying what he thinks, and he was trying to make people also speak for themselves. In addition, it is clear that, it seems to be either justice or law, and that unfortunately, we cannot have it both ways.

It really makes me compare the today’s government and the 18th century. We still suffer from many issues that great part of the society do not agree, however, many people are afraid of speak up and just conform to life. Unfortunately, we were born cowards, and we still do not fight for what we believe is right. I do not think that many people agree with war and other issues in our present government, although we still kill so many people and conform with many laws, we just obey and pretend nothing is happening and just following the trail, as a good “puppets”, like the government wants us to be.

Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson

“To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart, is true for all men, - that is genius.”

"The ideas of these men, along with those of Plato and some of the Hindu, Buddhist, and Persian thinkers, strongly influenced his development of the philosophy of transcendentalism".

http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/96may/emerson.html

Be yourself and trust your own inner voice, is what Emerson repeats throughout his essay in different ways. Emerson believes that everybody was born able to recognize and understand the moral and truth of life with no pre awareness. Using this inborn knowledge, a gift of God, people can make a moral decision without relying on information gained through everyday living, education, and experimentation.
For instance, Emerson points out in his essay a simple case of small children that speak for themselves, even though they have not been corrupted by the society. Emerson also claims that we are all different individuals and that we should avoid “imitating” models of perfection, but that we should express original ideas and ourselves.

In history, the results of individualism have been spread worldwide. Important leaders, thinkers, and philosophers with radical ideas in virgin areas of research were making significant finds “Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and everybody pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.” (Emerson 1168)

In addition, Emerson says that we should never conform or accept they way society live and tells us how to live, we do not need to follow any pattern or “culture” to be adequate and be happy. “Nothing can bring you peace but yourself” (Emerson 1180)
Because of his spirit of self-reliance, Emerson makes decision for himself, and he would strongly reject any law or policy that would go against his decision or moral force. Emerson’s era happened was a reform and resisted period, and he thought that the effect of the society was not helping people, but building conformity and fear in each of them. He was often criticizing society and trying to make people express their creative thinking, getting rid of the conventionalism.

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

“Slavery is terrible for men; but it is far more terrible for women"

Harriet was actively involved with the abolition movement before the launch of the Civil War. During the war, she used her celebrity to raise money for black refugees. After the war, she worked to improve the conditions of the recently freed slaves.

In the story “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl”, Harriet Jacobs writes about her sad experiences as a slave. Her story documents not only her struggle to run away and be free, but she also puts a great effort in describing her sexual abuse she suffers, and the importance of family and motherhood.

She describes the cruelty to black women in the nineteen-century, and how slaves were supposed to serve their masters. She explains that at that time the system worked against protection of slave women from sexual abuse by their masters. Sexual abuse of slave was not viewed as a criminal offense because she did not count as a woman, but a slave. Rather, she was property of the owner, who could dispose of her body whenever they wish. “A master may treat you as rudely as he pleases, and you dare not to speak” (Jacobs 1817). She explains the process of obedience and well-behaved slaves go through, involving physical pain and physiological torment. Both male and female slaves are explored and humiliated without any reason, however, women are raped and suffer more physiological pain. Linda is forced to have sex with her masters, and forced to keep a secret, for herself, or the master could hurt her or separate her children from her.

She was denied to marry her lover and was forced to give up her purity; going against her own moral principles. “I know I have been disrespectful, sir... but you drove me to it..." Jacobs’s most desirable dream was to obtain freedom to build a family, as any other white woman could enjoy. Jacobs’s story is very devastated; she does not only describe the reader how cruel it is to be a slave, but also how hard it is to be a slave and a black woman.

After seven years of sexual harassment by Dr. Norcom, Harriet Jacobs had had enough. In 1835 she escaped from Norcom, although she would remain in her hometown, hidden, for another seven years before fleeing to the North. In this runaway notice, Norcom ironically states that "this girl absconded from the plantation of my son without any known cause or provocation."


Runaway notice for Harriet Jacobs

$100 REWARD Will be given for the apprehension and delivery of my Servant Girl HARRIET. She is a light mulatto, 21 years of age, about 5 feet 4 inches high, of a thick and corpulent habit, having on her head a thick covering of black hair that curls naturally, but which can be easily combed straight.

She speaks easily and fluently, and has an agreeable carriage and address. Being a good seamstress, she has been accustomed to dress well, has a variety of very fine clothes, made in the prevailing fashion, and will probably appear, if abroad, tricked out in gay and fashionable finery. As this girl absconded from the plantation of my son without any known cause or provocation, it is probable she designs to transport herself to the North. The above reward, with all reasonable charges, will be given for apprehending her, or securing her in any prison or jail within the U. States. All persons are hereby forewarned against harboring or entertaining her, or being in any way instrumental in her escape, under the most rigorous penalties of the law.

JAMES NORCOM.
Copy from the American Beacon, Courtesy of the North Carolina Division of Archives and History

Frederick Douglass

“If you give a nigger an inch, he will take an ell. A nigger should know nothing but to obey his master- to do as he is told to do. Learning would spoil the best nigger in the world.”

He was a firm believer in the equality of all people, whether black, woman, Native American, or recent immigrant. He was fond of saying, "I would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong." ( Frederickdouglass.net)

In the 1800's, slavery was a predominant issue in the United States. The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass reveals much about American history during this time, and illustrates the arguments for the abolition of slavery. Fredrick Douglas was born in Maryland; he was a slave in America until the age of 20, he does not know the date of his birth, as did most slaves. He never really had a chance to know his father and he had only seen her mother four or five times, since masters often-separate family whenever they wish. Fredrick taught himself how to read and write, when he was about 12 years old. He could not let his knowledge be known, because it was against the slavers owner’s wishes. After a endure life of hardship and pain, Douglass escaped to the North where he wrote his autobiographies, which are historical documents of how dehumanized the slavery was.

At the beginning of the story, Douglass’s information about slavery is poor, and he does not have much information and he is not sure why he is a slave. He describes what he see and even thought he acts more as an observer in the beginning, he can already see the injustice and cruelty with his race. Nevertheless, his descriptions of how the slaves were treated at that time are so real that after reading I felt pitiful. It is very sad to think that a human being could treat another in such a useless way. Frederick was a very strong and determined little boy, by his young age, he knew that something was wrong and he did not give up. His determination to learn and teach how to write and read it show his perseverance in fighting against what he believed what wrong. . Moreover, his plan to run away helps hid to find his deserved freedom and to abolish the slavery.

The Minister's Black Veil

“he had the reputation of a good preacher, but not an energetic one: he strove to win his people heavenward by mild persuasive influence rather than drive them thither”

"Discussion of Hawthorne's work should never proceed … as if his characteristic ambiguity were not ambiguity really, but a sort of puzzle set for critical acumen to solve. Hawthorne's ambiguity is one of his ways of representing his pervasive sense of mystery, a kind of humility in him." Neal Frank Doubleday

In the story “The Minister’s Black Veil”, the narrator describes a small peaceful town of Milford. The narrator describes the arrival of the minister Mr. Hooper and the reaction of the people in town about his appearance. Mr. Hooper wears a black veil from his forehead to his nose, and that disturbs and even frights people in town. “a gentlemanly person of about thirty, though still a bachelor…dressed with clerical neatness, as if a careful wife had starched his band and brushed the weekly dust from his Sunday’s garb” Mr. Hooper begins to be seem as a mysterious person. No one comprehends the veil, and people begin to be disturbed also by the fact that he does not seem to be acting normal.

Only his fiancé is comfortable with his veil, but even she questions his attitude and asks for some explanation, which she does not get. When Mr. Hooper is dying, a young minister in the church asks Mr. Hooper to remove his veil before he dies, but he refuses, being buried with his black veil.

Hawthorne in this story creates a fascinating idea of mysteries and secrets that make the reader think and imagine the reason behind the veil. For me, the veils in the story is more than just an object, it became a symbol of isolation and secrets. I believe Mr. Hooper has committed some kind of bad sin and he is punishing himself for that. The veil covers his shame and relieves his tensions of immoral behavior.

Life in the Iron-Mills

“This is what I want you to do. I want you to hide your disgust, take no heed to your clean clothes, and come right down with me.”

“Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid. He is the hero, he is everything. He must be a complete man and a common man and yet an unusual man. He must be, to use a rather weathered phrase, a man of honor, by instinct, by inevitability, without thought of it, and certainly without saying it. He must be the best man in his world and a good enough man for any world.” Rebecca Harding Davis.


In the story “Life in The Iron Mill,” the author Rebecca Harding Davis describes how money has a crucial rule in the American society and how a nation can pay for it. From a window of her residence, the speaker describes the sights, sounds, and smells of the polluted industrial atmosphere in the nineteen century. By her description, the reader pictures the town and the streets like “hell” as she says herself. The quote above, expresses the speakers feeling about the industrialization and capitalism in the society. I feel that the reader has a sense that the speaker is almost screaming, asking for help.

The difference of the social class also creates a notable division between the poor, powerless workers and the powerful, businesspeople and professionals. Davis tries to point out since the beginning, how it is to work and live in “Iron Hill”, focusing on industrial work, poverty, capitalism and exploration of the immigrants. The speaker describes the characters as uneducated and lower class immigrants, working hard in this industry and having a miserable life. Deb,which in the story tries to make justice and help her cousin, in the story is described couple of times as “hungry” but her hunger is not for food, her soul starves for love, change and respect. Unfortunately, the story shows that many people, talented men, women, has no place in the society, has no opportunities or any chance to do what they want and like. Instead, they are forced to retend to be someelse, life by the rules, and be just another worker in the Iron-Mills industry.