This is an online journal for Mr. Lucero's English classes. Students should leave their responses to weekly prompts as comments. Their responses will be graded twice a month.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
English III Journal #1
What characteristics of Equiano’s autobiography distinguish it from Phyllis Wheatley’s poem? How does the message in his autobiography differ from that in Wheatley’s poem?
The characteristics that distinguish the autobiography from the poem is that the autobiography talks about the hardship of a slave, while the poem supports freedom in America and in a way relates that she had experienced slavery and that others may not ever experience that awful feeling of being ruled over. The autobiography explains in detail the pain that Equiano felt when he was ripped away from his family and his identity. Equiano explains the suffering of being away from his family knowing that he may never see them again and explains how slaves were offered up in auctions. Also he got to explain the way they got treated in the ships. Every detail seem realistic and painful. The poem written by Wheatley supports the revolution occurring in America. She supports the fight for freedom. Also, she states that other people may never feel what race has felt.The message in the autobiography differ from the poem because the autobiography is exposing the horrible struggle a slave faces when his/ her rights are taken away from them Also it describes the painful suffering they must go through to survive the pain and mistreatment of the white people. The poem practically just supports freedom and the fight for freedom America was trying to achieve. In a way the message can be similar because both authors wanted their race to be free and the suffering to stop. It was explained in different ways but both authors wanted the best for their race.
There are two main characteristics from Equiano’s autobiography that distinguish it from Phyllis Wheatley’s problem. The first is the personification of horror through slavery, Equiano goes into the details of the inhumane conditions that slaves had to persevere through this distinguishes it from Phyllis Wheatley’s characteristics of her poem because in her poem, she only touches on the main idea of slavery. For instance, when Equiano describes the traveling experience on the slave ship through intensive figurative language, Phyllis Wheatley broadly states the transportation of slaves from Africa, nothing more. The second, the characteristics of pro America versus anti American. Equiano clearly describes in the last paragraph in his autobiography his observation of hypocrisy between religion and Americans. He sees the Americans as nothing more but hypocrites and blinded by greed to the inhumane conditions that slaves in America struggle throughout their lives. Phyllis Wheatley’s poem is the complete opposite in regards to the ending being pro American due to a new nation being born.
The characteristics of Equiano's autobiography that distinguish it from Phyllis Wheatley's poem is the fact that he goes into full detail about the inhumane practices of slavery and it has a main core audience. In Phyllis Wheatley's poem it describes how people shouldn't endure those hardships but it appeals to a much broader audience. Having endured those hardships herself, she wants to spare others the pain she has known in her loss of freedom. The message differs in the way that it is projected. In Equiano's autobiography, he directly states the inhumane conditions and practices that occur with slavery and in Wheatly's poem, she indirectly talks about slavery. Equiano, has an extreme description of the inhumane practices such as the slaves being whipped for not eating. He thoroughly explains the greed of the white people in a sense that they only want the profit from the slaves and they treat them as a product, not a human being. In Phyllis whitney's poem she broadly depicts the harshness of slavery with some personal account, such as when she explains how she was taken from her homeland and separated from her parents, and what they had to endure without their daughter. Another way that the message differs, is that Equiano's autobiography merely explains the hardships of slave life to the christian people, and Phyllis' poem is for the Earl of dartmouth. I guess you could say both are trying to do something to further abolish slavery. Equiano is trying to explain to the christians that what is happening is ungodly and unchristian like. Also, Phyllis is addressing to the earl of Dartmouth about how people shouldn't endure what she went through because he has more power to actually make the abolition of slavery happen.
Mariana Ponce The characteristics from the autobiography of Equaino and the poem written by Phyllis Wheatley distinguish one another because Equianos' narrative is focusing more on a life of a slave and everything that tore him apart. He mentions being separated by his family and wanting to persuade Christians to do what's right. In contrast, the Wheatley's poem isn't talking about slavery, it's talking more about America and it's rights. Although she did draw comparisons about slavery, she was focusing more on freedom. The message in the autobiography differs from what the poem is trying to state because in the autobiography Equiano is describing his misery as a slave. He emphasizes the pain he suffered and what it was actually like to be whipped and tortured. The poem by Phyllis is a pro American poem that is recognizing the United States for the revolution. It wants us to continue to fight for what we believe in gaining our freedom.
Equiano's autobiography differs from Phyllis Wheatley's in a major way, mostly through the authors philosophical assumptions. Equiano is a family person. His family meant so much too him. It was all taken away and it deeply saddened him. He believed the worst thing about slavery was being ripped away from your loved ones. While Equiano addressed slavery to the slave owners, Phyllis Wheatley did not. She did not cover slavery in her poem (though it can be misinterpreted that way.) She covered liberty as an entire right for all humans. And her poem about liberty touched on slavery indirectly, which helped it connect to the white people she was also writing to. To add to this, Equiano's diction in his autobiography is much more varied than Phyllis Wheatley's poem, and for good reason. Phyllis Wheatley imparted her views to all Americans. Equiano specifically made his autobiography with the intention of the slave owners in mind. Most slave owners were well educated and would not take the words of an uneducated man's with any seriousness, let alone a slave's. Equiano wanted them to see past the color and understand how slavery hinders his people, and what the slave owners or other educated people in power could do to abolish it. It made them look differently and the power of his words were used for persuasion. Now Equiano's words aren't necessarily straight-forward, but his message is. His message is quite simply, slavery is wrong. It brings one of the worst horrors in life which is separation of family. It should be abolished. Phyllis Wheatley didn't use the colorful words Equiano used, but her message is not as to the point. Her message is indirect and implied to some extent. She is saying that everyone loves freedom, regardless of their color, and that everyone should be entitled to such.
Santiago Ayala
ReplyDeleteThe characteristics that distinguish the autobiography from the poem is that the autobiography talks about the hardship of a slave, while the poem supports freedom in America and in a way relates that she had experienced slavery and that others may not ever experience that awful feeling of being ruled over. The autobiography explains in detail the pain that Equiano felt when he was ripped away from his family and his identity. Equiano explains the suffering of being away from his family knowing that he may never see them again and explains how slaves were offered up in auctions. Also he got to explain the way they got treated in the ships. Every detail seem realistic and painful. The poem written by Wheatley supports the revolution occurring in America. She supports the fight for freedom. Also, she states that other people may never feel what race has felt.The message in the autobiography differ from the poem because the autobiography is exposing the horrible struggle a slave faces when his/ her rights are taken away from them Also it describes the painful suffering they must go through to survive the pain and mistreatment of the white people. The poem practically just supports freedom and the fight for freedom America was trying to achieve. In a way the message can be similar because both authors wanted their race to be free and the suffering to stop. It was explained in different ways but both authors wanted the best for their race.
Timothy Cornelius Perez
ReplyDeleteThere are two main characteristics from Equiano’s autobiography that distinguish it from Phyllis Wheatley’s problem. The first is the personification of horror through slavery, Equiano goes into the details of the inhumane conditions that slaves had to persevere through this distinguishes it from Phyllis Wheatley’s characteristics of her poem because in her poem, she only touches on the main idea of slavery. For instance, when Equiano describes the traveling experience on the slave ship through intensive figurative language, Phyllis Wheatley broadly states the transportation of slaves from Africa, nothing more. The second, the characteristics of pro America versus anti American. Equiano clearly describes in the last paragraph in his autobiography his observation of hypocrisy between religion and Americans. He sees the Americans as nothing more but hypocrites and blinded by greed to the inhumane conditions that slaves in America struggle throughout their lives. Phyllis Wheatley’s poem is the complete opposite in regards to the ending being pro American due to a new nation being born.
The characteristics of Equiano's autobiography that distinguish it from Phyllis Wheatley's poem is the fact that he goes into full detail about the inhumane practices of slavery and it has a main core audience. In Phyllis Wheatley's poem it describes how people shouldn't endure those hardships but it appeals to a much broader audience. Having endured those hardships herself, she wants to spare others the pain she has known in her loss of freedom. The message differs in the way that it is projected. In Equiano's autobiography, he directly states the inhumane conditions and practices that occur with slavery and in Wheatly's poem, she indirectly talks about slavery. Equiano, has an extreme description of the inhumane practices such as the slaves being whipped for not eating. He thoroughly explains the greed of the white people in a sense that they only want the profit from the slaves and they treat them as a product, not a human being. In Phyllis whitney's poem she broadly depicts the harshness of slavery with some personal account, such as when she explains how she was taken from her homeland and separated from her parents, and what they had to endure without their daughter. Another way that the message differs, is that Equiano's autobiography merely explains the hardships of slave life to the christian people, and Phyllis' poem is for the Earl of dartmouth. I guess you could say both are trying to do something to further abolish slavery. Equiano is trying to explain to the christians that what is happening is ungodly and unchristian like. Also, Phyllis is addressing to the earl of Dartmouth about how people shouldn't endure what she went through because he has more power to actually make the abolition of slavery happen.
ReplyDeleteMariana Ponce
ReplyDeleteThe characteristics from the autobiography of Equaino and the poem written by Phyllis Wheatley distinguish one another because Equianos' narrative is focusing more on a life of a slave and everything that tore him apart. He mentions being separated by his family and wanting to persuade Christians to do what's right. In contrast, the Wheatley's poem isn't talking about slavery, it's talking more about America and it's rights. Although she did draw comparisons about slavery, she was focusing more on freedom. The message in the autobiography differs from what the poem is trying to state because in the autobiography Equiano is describing his misery as a slave. He emphasizes the pain he suffered and what it was actually like to be whipped and tortured. The poem by Phyllis is a pro American poem that is recognizing the United States for the revolution. It wants us to continue to fight for what we believe in gaining our freedom.
Kamarri Williams
ReplyDeleteEquiano's autobiography differs from Phyllis Wheatley's in a major way, mostly through the authors philosophical assumptions. Equiano is a family person. His family meant so much too him. It was all taken away and it deeply saddened him. He believed the worst thing about slavery was being ripped away from your loved ones. While Equiano addressed slavery to the slave owners, Phyllis Wheatley did not. She did not cover slavery in her poem (though it can be misinterpreted that way.) She covered liberty as an entire right for all humans. And her poem about liberty touched on slavery indirectly, which helped it connect to the white people she was also writing to. To add to this, Equiano's diction in his autobiography is much more varied than Phyllis Wheatley's poem, and for good reason. Phyllis Wheatley imparted her views to all Americans. Equiano specifically made his autobiography with the intention of the slave owners in mind. Most slave owners were well educated and would not take the words of an uneducated man's with any seriousness, let alone a slave's. Equiano wanted them to see past the color and understand how slavery hinders his people, and what the slave owners or other educated people in power could do to abolish it. It made them look differently and the power of his words were used for persuasion.
Now Equiano's words aren't necessarily straight-forward, but his message is. His message is quite simply, slavery is wrong. It brings one of the worst horrors in life which is separation of family. It should be abolished. Phyllis Wheatley didn't use the colorful words Equiano used, but her message is not as to the point. Her message is indirect and implied to some extent. She is saying that everyone loves freedom, regardless of their color, and that everyone should be entitled to such.