What Does Being an American Mean

In our first writing assignment of the semester we read a poem written by Langston Hughes. He cried out against the racial prejudice he received because he was a black man. The words that come to mind are “one day they will see how beautiful I am and be ashamed.” He wrote this in response to the lack of respect and how inhumane and cruel white people were to blacks. My perplexing question is again “who is an American?” As we have gone through the class, we have learned about the struggles and difficulties different groups of people went through in American history. We have learned that all these groups are technically American because we live in a melting pot society. However, after the civil war, many African Americans were still judged and tortured based on their skin color. After reading “As the Lord Lives, He Is One of Our Mother’s Children” and the poems of McKay two things significantly stuck out to me. First in McKay’s poem “America” he states “Although she feeds me bread of bitterness and sinks into my throat her tiger’s tooth, stealing my breath of life, I will confess I love the cultured hell that test my youth.” I believe that this relates to the idea of what is an American, because although African Americans have not been completely accepted into white society, it shows that they are still committed. This also made me think of the concept that Americans will be ashamed of their actions. Reflecting back on our treatment of African Americans in modern times, it is embarrassing to think that we would condemn a group of people based on skin color. Especially since I believe an American is combining all the heritages that fought to become a citizen in our nation. I believe America should be, for the most part, all-inclusive for those who want to be apart of it. Finally in Hopkin’s story, Stone admits that he is under investigation for murder and that he will be killed if the Reverend decides to turn him in, even though he has repeatedly spoke of his innocence in the matter. This is unique and important in two aspects. First, this shows that some Americans are trying to change. It does not matter if you are black, white, mixed racial background. Fifteen hundred dollars was a small fortune back then and it would have been easy for the Reverend to have not listened to Stone and cashed in the reward. Instead he allows him to stay until the danger is passed. I feel like this shows that American society was starting to change and not jump to the first conclusion as had happened in Colorado. Second, I believe that this is a change in what an American is. I do not feel like the town was judging African Americans because it shows that they were horrified when people were beaten within an inch of their life. I think it is important again to reflect on what an American is at this point in time and see how over time it has changed and become more flexible; this in turn has allowed us to create an all-inclusive society.

#10-An Aha! Comparison

In response to Catherine R.’s blog. When I first read “The Wife of His Youth” and “Learning to Read,” I thought that they had nothing in common. After I had read  “The Wife of His Youth” and “Learning to Read,” I had the same though process. I thought that they were very good personifications of what life would have been like immediately after the war. Such as taking advantage of education or trying to be connected with love ones once again; but I did not see the overall picture. However, after thinking about the characters of both pieces, I had an Aha! Moment when I realized that they have more in common than I originally had thought. The “Aha! Moment!” is important to readers because it makes us think about the point the writers are trying to convey to their readers. Charles W. Chesnutt does not write a beautiful short fiction story to show us his writing style; as soon as I realized this, I was able to understand why Chesnutt and Harper wrote about the reconstruction era from the “black” point of view.

Both works tell the stories of slave women who had a goal that they wanted to accomplish. Even when others commented on their age or the low likelihood that they would accomplish their goal, they both continued to press on and eventually reach their desired goals. Chloe from “Learning to Read” wants to learn to read, especially so that she can read the Bible. “Folks just shook their heads” and told her that she was “too late,” but she didn’t give up until she was able to read the Bible and hymns. Another ‘goal’ that she was able to accomplish was the sense of independence that she felt after she had learned to read and procured a house of her own. I disagree with Catherine on this partially. I believe that both of the women wanted to have a sense of independence and self-reliance. This is clear in “Learning to Read,” when Aunt Chloe says “and I felt as independent as the queen upon her throne.” Similarly, we see this in “The Wife of His Youth” not through the old woman but through Mr. Ryder. I believe that independence was a huge part in the emancipation of slaves. For the first time in their lives slaves were counted as a whole person. Not two thirds as previously. Independence was a way for slaves to live by their own social standards and own values instead of being obedient to the white supremacy of the country. I believe that Mr. Ryder feels liberated by emancipation and is why he was content for being alone and independent for so long. It is not until he sees Miss Dixon that he even considers marriage again.

The Chloe character of “The Wife of His Youth” is ‘Liza Jane. ‘Liza is a freed slave woman who has been searching for her husband for twenty-five years. She comes to Mr. Ryder, who she has been told knows most everyone in the area, to ask if he has heard of her husband, Sam Taylor. Mr. Ryder responds by reminding her that her husband my have died or she might not even recognize him because of the large amount of time that has passed since they’ve last seen one another. ‘Liza is still convinced that neither of these is true, and she is determined to find him. While the story does not say so explicitly at this point, it is implied that Mr. Ryder is the husband that she has been searching for, and this is confirmed at the very end of the story. I think that this is an interesting point of view. I had not thought about the similarities that the freed slave woman “Liza” and Chloe may have had. I think that this is an interesting find between the two readings because I think that this shows the changes that the war had taken on emancipation of slaves. Physically, I believe that the women described in the story are the same and emotionally I believe that they each have a desire to be filled, but this is where they differ. Chloe believes that knowledge will set her free “knowledge didn’t agree with slavery” and Liza believes that knowing about her husband will set her free. Although Liza does not recognize Mr. Ryder as her husband, I think it is important that the reader sees this because it shows that they war signified the end of one chapter and beginning of another. For Mr. Ryder, being associated with the Blue Vein society, and becoming a respectable member of society was the beginning of the next chapter and for Liza finding her husband was the end of her chapter.

Both of these stories are examples of the strong determination that many African Americans, slaves and free alike, were required to have during this time period. Strength and perseverance are the perfect words to describe reconstruction era. Especially for African Americans; both women show extreme determination to find and fulfill what slavery limited them. Although it was difficult (learning to read at an old age, and finding her husband) both women persevered and found what they were looking for. Even though these works did not appear to be similar, a closer look revealed that the woman character from each displayed a quiet determination that can be admired even today. All in all, I believe these works show us that even though the reconstruction period is thought of, historically, sad and negative, some happy endings were able to come out of a difficult period of history.

Catherine's response is in black and italicized and my response is in red.  

Justice: To Each Its Own

             The idea of what constitutes justness played a major role in the events leading up to the Civil War. All people living in the United States saw what was fair and just differently depending on if the state was considered free or a slave state. With two majorly conflicting viewpoints it was inevitable for a major clash to occur, but it is interesting to see how “justness” is used to defend both a Northerner and Southerners’ viewpoint. In John Brown’s final speech he states “Now, if it is deemed necessary that I should forfeit my life for the furtherance of the ends of justice, and mingle my blood further with the blood of my children and with the blood of millions in this slave country whose rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments, I say let it be done.” I believe that in this time period this was a very bold statement. Essentially, in Brown’s last words he does not apologize for the many lives he and his followers took at Harper’s Ferry, but see it as an opportunity to further continue the abolitionist cause and bring freedom and justice to all enslaved peoples. His statement is also strange, because his attack on Harper’s Ferry is considered to be one of the most heinous crimes and greatest battles of bloodshed leading up to the war and yet he has absolutely no remorse. He defends his actions by stating that he did not kill out of malice or evil temptations but it was from the justness and fairness that he believes God intends all Americans to have.

            In contrast, Jefferson Davis, defends the succession of the confederate states from the Northern states as fair and just because they were encroaching on the rights of southerners and the government was no longer looking out for their best interest. “The declared purposes of the compact of Union from which we have withdrawn were to establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, to provide for the common defense, to promote the general welfare and to secure the blessing of liberty for ourselves and our prosperity; and when in the judgment of the sovereign States now compromising this Confederacy it had perverted from the purposes for which it was ordained […] it should cease to exist.” In this speech I believe that a Southerner would greatly agree with Davis. The government is set two enforce the laws and customs of the states; however they felt as though the government was hurting them because they were trying to eliminate the southern livelihood, which was based upon the slaves working the plantations. Second, Davis defends the succession because by staying “united” would not establish justice for the plantation owners or promote the general welfare, as they would be out of the job. Overall, it is interesting how justice is a term that can be so socially formed. Additionally, it is interesting that one of the main contributing factors to the Civil War were fighting for justice and the interest of different states.