SLAVE NARATIVE AND SLAVE WRITING

 DOUGLAUS NARRATIVE

•Time;

•writing and;

•History,

are important aspects in slave narratives

and slave writing

Why?
 

•Time was crucial in slaves lives. All the time belonged to their masters who determined slaves lives.

•Slaves had no time of their own except for break time and sleeping time they got.

•When Wendell says, ‘time has come’ it suggests with high tone an opportunity and the beginning of blacks’ struggle against white racism.

 

•History of blacks was crucial because it entails evidence of the inner nature (soul) and capacity (memories) of the Negro race (identity) well kept in their spirits, letters, diaries (memories)

•Telling of their history was considered to be both instrumental and political therefore crucial to both whites and blacks. 

 

Writing had significant impact in slaves

 lives as(David Blight, 4) observes,

 “…civilization itself was equated with

cultures that could write their history”

Telling stories of suffering and liberation

 on platforms was one thing, publishing

for a reading public was another thing.

Therefore, in writing, slaves (Fredrick)

 were not only seeking for audience but

 more importantly, authentification of

their history.