Narrative of the Life of a Slave tells us, in a way never told before, that human suffering is never justifiable, even when it is inflicted on someone or something different than what is the norm of society. The human suffering the slaves endured just because of the color of their skin was horrendous. To read such sad stories of families being torn apart was so sad. To read about all the vicious acts imposed upon innocent people truly changes a person. I read this book many years ago in high school, but not with the same knowledge and insight I have gained over the years. This book touched me in ways I never expected. I couldn't help but picture myself at that time; have to decide weather to own slaves or what to do if i was born into slavery myself. I don't think that I have enough personal strength to persevere like the character's in this story did. And to know that it's a true story makes it all the more moving.
"She stands-she sits-she staggers-she falls-she groans-she dies-and there are none of her children or grandchildren present, to wipe from her wrinkled brow the cold sweat of death, or to place beneath the sod her fallen remains. Will not a righteous God visit for these things?" This quote perfectly describes what the narration is saying about human suffering. This old grandmother has lived her life as a slave, whose sole purpose was to raise children. She literally gave her life to her children, including raising her own master, and in the end it meant nothing; because she was a slave!
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Okay, according to others (from another person's point of view) when IS human suffering justifiable?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the societal norm in Douglass's Narrative? How is it defined?
Tell us more about the passage. Really get into it and tell us exactly what it is saying about human suffering.
I feel that human suffering is never justifiable. However, there are times when there may be no other option; such as the death penalty. When a person has caused human suffering to another there maybe no other choice than to kill that harmful person. And there is really no greater human suffering than death.
ReplyDeleteThe societal norm in Douglass's Narrative seems to be that degrading and dehumanizing a person based on the color of their skin is ok. Society tells everyone, even the slaves themselves, that black people are of a lower life-form; that it is expected of them to be worked to death or even killed just because of a color.
-That's all I have for now.