Tag Archives: slavery

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Anti-Slavery Alphabet

At first glance, the Anti-Slavery Alphabet is definitely aesthetically pleasing and can intrigued children. The simplistic look to the Alphabet is what can draw children to the reading. For me, just by looking at it, I liked the way it looked. Children can be exposed to serious political topics in such a way that they can relate in a bit. The alphabet aspect to it brings it to entice the younger audience but the topic itself is a very strong serious topic.

As I was reading each line, I can tell this alphabet was intended for white children instead of all children. For the part of letter B, it states:

B is a Brother with a skin of somewhat darker hue, But in our Heavenly Father’s sight, He is as dear as you.

This is saying how that black slaves are just like the white in the eyes of God, which is showing equality to the younger audience. As the letters go on by, it gets a bit dark; for the letter D, it’s showing how a whip is used to punish the slaves who disobey or rest. While reading the letter H, I felt a bit uncomfortable because if this is meant for children, then this letter is definitely really dark:

H is the Hound his master trained, and called to scent the track of the unhappy Fugitive, and bring him trembling back.

The thing that struck me was “unhappy Fugitive,” because what fugitive would be happy. I feel like the use of the adjective was quite strange and really dark. As I kept reading more and more, it felt like the letters kept getting darker and darker.

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The Resisting Monkey: “Curious George”

In June Cummins’ article, The Resisting Monkey: “Curious George,” Slave Captivity Narratives, and the Postcolonial Condition, many interesting comparisons between George (the monkey) and slaves and children are made. Cummins states that the children’s book Curious George is actually a story about slavery and slaves relationships to their masters. Cummins compares George to slaves and the Man in the Yellow Hat to the masters. She also goes one step further, and states that George also represents children and the Man in the Yellow Hat also represents parents.

When I was younger, I grew up watching Curious George and I never once associated George with anything but a monkey that was taken from his home and brought to the city, where he encountered many adventures and caused mischief. Cummins, however, argues that even the title of Curious George is a pattern that reinforces the notion that there is deeper meaning behind the book than meets the eye. Cummins states that curiosity is George’s most notable trait and that George’s curiosity is a result of his deep desire to escape from the city and return home. George’s acts of mischief and trickery are compared to the acts of trickster slaves who also used their “intelligence and cunning to outwit their masters.” I think Cummins, here, makes a great comparison of the similarities of George and slaves. She points out how both the actions of George and slaves are a result of their confinement and lack of freedom, and not an unexplainable need to just cause trouble.

George can also be seen a representation of children, because both are childish and possess great amounts of curiosity. Children can easily relate to the character of George because of their shared mischievous and presence of adult figures in their lives, who try to teach them something. Both George and children have an imbalance of power relationship. For George, humans represent the more dominant and superior presence in his life, while for children, their parents represent the authority figure to them. George is much like a rambunctious child who does not always obey the superior figure in their life, instead they need to be disciplined and taught to listen.

I believe that Cummins makes many valid points of comparison between Curious George to slaves and children. Despite this, I also believe that children such as three and four year olds, should enjoy their innocence and watch t.v or read books for the pleasure of doing so. Of course, being raised to learn the importance of being kind, or understanding, or any moral is valuable and necessary. However, to learn about slavery and how George is comparable to a slave and the Man in the Yellow Hat can be seen as a slave’s master, is more than I could have comprehended as a young child. I do agree though with her statement that adults can take this book as an opportunity to better inform their children about the issues concerning discipline and control.

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THE ANTI SLAVERY ALPHABET- DONALD NG

It is really interesting how each alphabets resemble things that relate to slavery. What is more interesting that each letter resembles a different category within slavery. I feel that this book is entitled for kids whose parents are abolitionist (as discussed in class today). The reason why is because of the fact that a child whose parent that is not an abolitionist would think that this book is not relevant. This book is to spread the belief to families that are abolitionist and let their children know that it is wrong to enslave people. This book is from passionate abolitionist authors to make younger people feel that slavery is wrong and that it should end soon. The title and the first alphabet already gives the answer to who the author wants to express this to. For the age content I would believe that if would be for non adults because of the fact that the text would be hard for a very young children to understand. The last alphabet Z caught my attention as the author stated

    "Z is a Zealous man, sincere,
      Faithful, and just, and true;
    An earnest pleader for the slave--
      Will you not be so too?"

This message is to express that we are all not being faithful, we are no zealous, 
and we are not sincere. The author is appreciating the slaves for what they do.
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Analysis on The Star of Freedom


  After reading the poems from “The Star of Freedom book, I noticed that every poem/short story I’ve read has a theme that its shameful to be a colored slave, and that no good comes out of being colored. They feel that they aren’t deserving of  life in general which sparks a wave of emotions as I read these poems and short stories dealing with anti-slavery. They all have a very depressing, and upsetting tone to each piece that I have read, making it seem not only sad but also feeling like they are stepping foot in the day of what a slave had to go through. The poems are very detailed in terms of how they  are trapped, especially how the younger slaves weren’t able to act like normal children and play otherwise they will be punished because they aren’t deserving of that kind of freedom, nor do they know what freedom will ever feel like.

 

I personally think one of the sadness parts was the poem called “The Little Dead Slave” because even though its a very short poem, its very detailed in how the passing of this young boy makes his mother happy because she is content knowing that her own son won’t have to continue  going through the hardships and cruel reality of what it feels like to be a slave like herself.  She is content knowing he is better off in Gods hands because if he continued living as a slave, then he wouldn’t be deserving enough to get to heaven. I can only imagine how hard something like that must be for a parent at that time, but at least it gives us enough insight to feel the sadness as we read on into this book and that’s what makes me interested to know more about a certain poem/story is gives me a visual in my mind of how those tough times were like for people. It also makes me curious to know why the author remains anonymous, perhaps maybe they have a connection to something similar that they refuse to share but either way I enjoyed the book.

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Anti-Slavery ABCs

The Anti-Slavery Alphabet is a piece of literature written for children to explain the evils of slavery. It is important for the writer to convey the everyday experience of a slave, an experience that would move anyone into wanting to abolish the practice. I particularly appreciated the fact that the piece of literature was a poem. Because it was not a lengthy, wordy piece of text, I believe that it worked very well in explaining to children what slavery was and how it needed to be stopped. Furthermore, while its content was of a serious matter, the rhyme scheme made the poem fun to read, something that many children in our society today need present in a piece of literature in order to enjoy it.

What I found particularly interesting with the piece is the fact that the poet uses each letter of the alphabet to explain to readers what she’s trying to convey. Through this use, not only do children become aware of what slavery is, but also, learn the letters of the alphabet at the same time. While I’m not quite sure this was the poet’s intention, it can definitely be seen as a way to introduce the alphabet to beginning readers. She, as the saying goes, killed two birds with one stone.

I greatly enjoyed what each letter represented, but I greatly enjoyed what the “Y” stood for. It’s always been told to me that the youth of a particular time are the future of our country and all its endeavors. What is being mentioned with the “Y” is that the youth are an essential part of the war against slavery. They will be the ones who have the opportunity to change the evil practices that exist so that future generations do not have to experience them. As it was said in the poem, “And think not it can ever be too early to begin”, it surely is never too early for anyone to make a difference in the world.

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The Anti- Slavery Alphabet

“The Anti-Slavery Alphabet” by Merrihew and Thompson was first printed in 1847 during the anti-slavery movement in the United States. It was created as a children’s publication to teach children that slavery was wrong and should be abolished.

The goal of the piece was to create a way to help change the way children viewed slavery in order to help guide the path toward ultimately eliminating it. The publicists did a great job of targeting an audience specifically to children.  The children needed to be targeted in order to help put an end to slavery. By getting young people talking and thinking about the subject of slavery and how wrong it is then society can eventually begin to change.  The hope was that as the young grow and learn and see all the wrongdoing they can begin to put an end to slavery. Even though this publication might not have had the same impact that Uncle Tom’s Cabin had years later, it still would leave an impression on children at the time.

The perfect example of this method lies at the end of the alphabet.

“Z is a Zealous man, sincere,

Faithful, and just, and true;

An earnest pleader for the slave- Will you not be so too?”

After teaching the kids about the horrors of slavery they tell about someone brave fixing what is unjust and then demonstrating that a certain type of person needs to fix this travesty. Then they ask if the reader is that person. It is a terrific method used in order to help change the children’s view and make them realize that slavery needs to be ended.

By combining poetry and the alphabet the publication gauges the child’s attention so they are interested in reading the piece. This style makes the reading fun and easy for the children, at the same time plants the idea that slavery is wrong in their young minds, and that it needs abolished. Changing the minds of the younger generations assists in shifting society views and helps to move the United States towards the end of slavery.