In both “Discourse on the Logic of Language” by M. NourbeSe Phillip and “The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” by Frederick Douglass a common theme is language, words, and the hardship they caused for the African American Community. Although it affected both in different ways, their lives were changed by language and by the oppression that the African American community has faced.
Both authors showed the significance of words and how powerful they can be. In the poem, Phillip goes from one word to another by contorting the word a little to make the original word a completely new one. This dramatically emphasizes the power of not only the last word but the first word also. On example is when she turns the word land into language, and then from language into anguish. Just looking at these words they don’t appear to have any real connection, but she creates one with her poetry. In Douglass’ narrative he also puts an emphasis on words by explaining what a threat an educated black man was to the white slave owners. Slaves were not allowed to learn because if they had any sort of knowledge they would be more likely to escape. To prevent this, slave owners refused to even teach their slaves the alphabet. But, since Douglass was educated, a little by Mrs. Auld, and a little by the children from the town, he had the power to do what the slave owners feared.
Although Douglass eventually was able to free himself from the oppression of slavery, he was not always this fortunate. For the beginning years of his life he had no knowledge of language at all. He also had no one to teach him. He was not certain of who his father was, and he barely had any connection with his mother. In this way he is similar to Phillip because she too was without a mother. She speaks of being “tongue dumb” since she has no mother, or no “mother to tongue.” Her and Douglass were both missing this connection, but it affected them both in different ways. Her lack of a mother figure made her feel inferior, and “tongue dumb,” where as Douglass’ connection with his mom barely effected him. When the news that he lost his mother reached him, he felt no more than what he would have over the loss of a stranger.
Another connection I found, was the connection both stories made with a bigger picture. In Douglass’ narrative, although it was a biography, he continuously talks about the whole of the slave population and what the hardships they faced. In the poem, she talks about herself and her mother and father tongue, and then connects this with the anatomy of the tongue itself. It was interesting in both accounts how they connected their own stories to something greater than themselves.
Douglass’ narrative of his life through slavery, and Phillip’s poem on the impact of language both were extremely eye opening. Douglass’ account, being a first hand experience of the impact slavery, showed what the slaves had to endure it. Phillip’s poem left me wondering how extreme of an impact language has on everyones lives. Both similar in the emphasis they put on language, and how it changed their lives.
