“The more my mind had become enlightened, the more difficult it was for me to consider myself an article of property” (Harriet Jacobs, “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl,” 612).
Choose ONE of the slave narratives we have read in this term, written by either a male or female author. Discuss the author’s journey to freedom and the ways in which they insisted on their own humanity and dignity even while enslaved. Use at least one of the articles by Barbara Bush, Brenda Stevenson, or G.K. Lewis to help you theorize the slave narrator’s resistance and practices of survival.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Title: The Journey to Freedom: Asserting Humanity and Dignity in Harriet Jacobs’ “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl”
Introduction:
Harriet Jacobs’ powerful narrative, “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl,” provides a firsthand account of the journey to freedom and the relentless pursuit of humanity and dignity amidst the horrors of slavery. Jacobs, a female author, defied the dehumanizing institution of slavery through her resistance and survival strategies. Drawing upon the insights of Barbara Bush, Brenda Stevenson, and G.K. Lewis, this essay will explore the ways in which Jacobs insisted on her own humanity and dignity while enslaved.
Insisting on Humanity and Dignity:
Harriet Jacobs’ narrative reveals her unwavering determination to assert her humanity and dignity throughout her enslavement. Despite being considered property, Jacobs refused to accept this status and actively pursued her liberation. Her resistance took various forms, including education, maintaining personal relationships, and ultimately escaping to freedom.
Education as Empowerment:
Jacobs understood that education was a crucial tool in challenging the dehumanizing nature of slavery. She seized every opportunity to learn, even if it meant facing severe consequences. By acquiring literacy skills, Jacobs gained agency and a means to articulate her experiences as a slave. Education allowed her to reclaim her voice and assert her humanity, effectively challenging the narrative that enslaved individuals were intellectually inferior.
Maintaining Personal Relationships:
Another aspect of Jacobs’ resistance was her insistence on maintaining personal relationships despite the oppressive conditions of slavery. She formed deep emotional connections with her family members and pursued intimate relationships, including a consensual romantic relationship with a white man. These relationships served as a source of emotional support, reinforcing her sense of self-worth and reminding her of her inherent humanity, even in the face of brutal dehumanization.
Escaping to Freedom:
Jacobs’ ultimate act of resistance was her daring escape from slavery. Recognizing that her situation was untenable, she devised a plan to flee and sought refuge in a small attic space for seven years. During this time, she endured extreme physical discomfort and isolation but remained steadfast in her pursuit of freedom. Her escape was a testament to her unwavering commitment to asserting her humanity and regaining control over her own life.
Theorizing Resistance and Survival:
Barbara Bush’s article emphasizes the significance of self-emancipation narratives like Jacobs’ in challenging dominant narratives about enslaved individuals. By sharing their stories, slave narrators reclaimed their agency and challenged the dehumanizing portrayals of enslaved individuals perpetuated by white society.
Brenda Stevenson’s work highlights the importance of community support in enabling survival and resistance among enslaved individuals. Jacobs’ connections with family members and other sympathetic individuals provided emotional strength and practical assistance during her escape.
G.K. Lewis’ analysis of slave narratives emphasizes the role of religion as a source of strength and resistance for enslaved individuals. Although not explicitly discussed in Jacobs’ narrative, it is likely that religious faith played a significant role in sustaining her throughout her enslavement and escape.
Conclusion:
Harriet Jacobs’ “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” exemplifies the unwavering spirit of resistance and the insistence on humanity and dignity among enslaved individuals. By asserting her agency through education, maintaining personal relationships, and ultimately escaping to freedom, Jacobs challenged the dehumanizing institution of slavery. Through the theoretical perspectives provided by Barbara Bush, Brenda Stevenson, and G.K. Lewis, we gain deeper insights into the multifaceted nature of Jacobs’ resistance and survival strategies. Her narrative continues to serve as a powerful testament to the indomitable human spirit in the face of oppression.
