Classroom Post 18

Monday, November 19th, 2012

In class on Friday we received a large excerpt of Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe. I excerpt came from chapter 8 in which the slave owner approaches two slaves hunters an an attempt to retrieve his runaway slave, who was female. The main message of this excerpt comes from the three men's views on female slaves and the inhumanity with which they view them. They debate whether or not to send the dogs after her, but conclude that it isn't worth the risk, because the dogs were likely to just maul her. Although this wouldn't be a problem with other slaves, she is valued only for her looks and ability to produce more slaves, which means that she is only owned in order to get pregnant and pump out more children to be forced into slavery. Not only is the fact that she is owned disgusting, but that her only purpose is to give birth to child after child and watch them get sold into terrible lives for as long as she is able to get pregnant. The book itself is meant to raise awareness about the horrors of slavery, and it serves it's purpose.
In class today,we had a brief discussion pertaining to the reading we did on Friday. After that, we received and excerpt from the fugitive save act of 1850, from section 7. The purpose of that entire section is to prohibit any Northern or abolitionist from aiding a fugitive slave in any way, shape or form without severe fines and confinement. No only does this law confine slaves, but it condemns anyone with a heart good enough to help the slaves out of their tortured lives, almost condemning those who have good hearts and punishing them for it. This law not only encourages slavery, but discriminates against those who oppose it. We also received part of a speech by Frederick Douglass, one which described a slave's view of the Fourth of July celebrations. It was an interesting perspective, as I had never thought about what a celebration of our equality, freedom, and tolerance would look like to a slave who suffers torture every day at those who claim to uphold and exercise those right they earned in the war.

30-Day Challenge!

Monday, Day 14: "Nothing can bring you peace but yourself." -Ralph Wald Emerson