...COMPARING PHILLIS WHEATLEY AND LANGSTON HUGHES February 25, 2012 ANALYZING AND COMPARING PHILLIS WHEATLEY AND LANGSTON HUGHES Abstract: The aim of this text is to analyze two completely different poets (Phillis Wheatley and Langston Hughes) who lived in several times, however who shared constant theme in the analyzed works. Our intention is to indicate how society has not developed when it concerns the position of negroes: either as voters or persons. Through two selected poems and their analyses, it's supposed to indicate how the tones may change, however the theme remains the same. 1. Introduction Many things may inspire somebody to write down – be it poetry or prose. it has been like this since communication established itself, through generations and throughout time the writings have had a very important role. for some folks writing is also solely how to establish communication, as newspapers and magazines. For some others, it's an inner pleasure to share feelings and concepts, like in journals and theories. However, for others it is an instrument for additional definite purposes, like awareness regarding movements or a personal catharsis – Sylvia Plath’s poetry, for example. Therefore, the power of words helped mankind to change the globe. Bearing in mind this concept that literature may renew and reinforce a belief or an idea, the theme of the analysis supposed in this work comparing Phillis Wheatley’s...
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...American Lit. 1: Fri. 9-11:45am 25 March 2011 Phillis Wheatley an Ex-African Phillis Wheatley born in Gambia, Africa in 1753 was the first early African American slave poet. “A kidnapped African slave child, aged about seven years old” (Lauter 1297), she was brought to Boston where she was sold to John and Susanna Wheatley. Phillis Wheatley’s first name was not given to her at birth she acquired her name by the ship that carried her to America in which it was name “The Phillis”. Susanna Wheatley chose the young African slave, because of her “humble and modest demeanor and the interesting features of the little stranger” (Odell 9). Phillis soon after being adopted into the Wheatley family “experienced special, much-indulged comfort” (Lauter 1297). Phillis was treated quite differently from the other slaves that she lived with; it was if they accepted her as one of their own children. Phillis Wheatley was a very intelligent child and Mrs. Wheatley noticed this about her when they brought her home, for she “was frequently seen endeavoring to make letters upon the wall with a piece of chalk or charcoal” (Odell 10). Due to Phillis’s inquisitive and precocious nature, Mrs. Wheatley decided to take it upon herself to educate the young child, in teaching her how to read and write. Being “tutored by family members, she quickly learned English, Latin and the Bible” (Lauter 1297). Mrs. Wheatley was very amazed by the rapid progress young Phillis was making in grasping the material being taught...
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...Phillis Wheatley, a slave from Gambia, was the first black poet in America to publish numerous books and poems during the late 1700s. She was not treated as a slave as much as other slaves coming from Africa because her owners, the Wheatleys, took an immense interest in her being educated, (Andrew Spacey, Owlcation.com). Writings from the Latin, Greek and the Bible helped her learn to read and write. Her poems that would make her popular were influenced by famous poets- John Milton, Thomas Gray and Alexander Pope, (Jennifer Benka, Poets.Org). After releasing various poems, getting acknowledged by George Washington, and being nationally acclaimed all over the Colonies/ England, her poem, “On Being Brought From Africa to America,” brought mixed feelings on the attitude...
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...Women’s Roles Then and Now Kimberly Lane Dr. Ed. Yancey HUM-World Culture II November 24, 2011 Phillis Wheatley was purchased by Peter Gwinn as part of a cargo of slaves in a region his employer describes as “Sinagall,” most likely today’s Senegal. She was brought to Boston around seven years old to market of John Avery; there Mrs. Susanna Wheatley purchased the diminutive and sickly Phillis. When Phillis came to the Colonies, she did not speak any English, but she quickly learned to read and write Latin and English. John Wheatley, her master, said she was able to read the Bible fluently in sixteen months. Susanna Wheatley and her daughter Mary did not have a scholarly interest themselves but simply fostered Phillis’ interest in Alexander Pope, Milton, and Homer. Phyllis joined the Old South Meeting House in 1771, solidifying her Puritan faith. The Wheatley family took pride in their “experiment” and showed Phillis off to other prominent families in the Boston Area. Her role as a young woman in the family was complex. She had few domestic tasks, but was still the property of Mr. and Mrs. Wheatleys. She had privileges that other slaves seldom had, such as a lighted and heated room. Kenny Williams’ quotes friends of the family as saying that she “dined modestly apart from the rest of the company...where she could certainly expect neither to give nor receive offense.” Her role was unclear in the family and in society in general: “She inhabited a strange, ambiguous twilight...
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...Ivana Barac Professor Harold ENGL 2131 22 March 2016 Phillis Wheatley was an African slave that was brought to America in the mid to late 1700’s. Her new slave owners in Boston had an immensely unique relationship with her. They taught Wheatley how to read and write which eventually led her to become an influential poet. She has created many poems in her life regarding her outlook on slavery. In one particular poem, “On Being Brought from Africa to America”, Wheatley shows her positive and uplifting stance on slavery. CARRETTA, VINCENT. "Phillis Wheatley: Researching A Life." Historical Journal Of Massachusetts 43.2 (2015): 64-89. America: History and Life with Full Text. Web. 22 Mar. 2016. Vincent Carretta created an article to detail the life of Phillis Wheatley which ultimately assists readers in understanding why she was so uplifting in her poetry. He begins with a brief introduction on her early life and background. Shortly after discussing Wheatley’s early life, Carretta brings in a new perspective on her stating, “The literary quality and the political significance of her writings have been challenged since the eighteenth century” (Corretta 66). The statement he presents shows an interesting view when dealing with a poet who is so significant in literature. He later speaks of Wheatley’s husband and other trips she had taken away from Africa. The situations Carretta informs readers on brings insight on Wheatley’s life and how/why she became the type of woman...
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...talents were never discovered and lost due to slavery and the forced way of life they had to live in. These women were controlled and suffered in every aspect of punishment every day of their lives, including forced brutal labor and pregnancies. Walker collects a series of experiences from African Americans in order to support her argument. Walker presents strong evidence to her claim by describing Jean Toomer’s evaluation of the Reconstruction South, who was a poet in the early 1920’s. Toomer observed black women to be unique due to their spirituality, beauty, and power, even though they were sexually abused and forced to lose their lives. Women had no choice and basically lived in an enclosed box, no way out. By observing Toomer, Walker was able to understand how hard it was to be a woman at this scary unfortunate time. I agree with Walker’s feelings and felt that way as well reading this, an absolute devastation; and I could not imagine being an African American woman in that situation. These African American women could not fully express themselves and were held back from anything they wanted or could have due to society. Mothers and grandmothers at that time thought all of this would be better or be different tomorrow; little did they know, they were wrong. Walker uses Phillis Wheatly as an example to establish that African American women were not allowed to express their talents or did not have any time to improve on them. Essentially, they were controlled...
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...The American Revolution and “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” Thomas Jefferson first used the phrase, “all men are created equal,” in the Declaration of Independence which is something that has been criticized as an immortal declaration. It is also a popular phrase that is a popular theory prediction of the United States Revolutionary period with great continuing importance. The American Revolution would help lead to the national holiday of July 4th and the birth of a new nation that would be celebrated as a day that marked America’s independence. In the nineteenth century, many of the American communities celebrated Independence Day with a ceremonial reading of the Declaration of Independence, followed by a speech dedicated to the celebration of independence and the heritage of the American Revolution of its Founding Fathers. On July 5th, 1952, Frederick Douglass spoke to his black community about the meaning of the Fourth of July. His speech was not to praise the celebration of July 4th, but it was to inform the audience that freedom has not been applied to everyone like how America said it would be. There are connections between our Revolutionary Founder book and Frederick Douglass’ speech that show the struggle of African Americans fighting for freedom before and ongoing after the American Revolution. I chose Frederick Douglass’s document “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”, where he touches on the history of African Americans fighting for freedom and...
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...From the quote above, one can tell that the people who became the Pilgrims were very religious. That they had a higher hierarchy, a King, which is part of their culture. Another example, according to Gould is, Bradford and the colonist were so religious that they wanted to build a place for them, where could be free, that they even though it was a historical divine plan for their people. Showcasing how religion was in the roots of their culture, and it demonstrated on the way they lived, and treated each other. An additional example, from John Smith, “Virginia, New England, And the Summer Isles,” is “But now was all our provision spent, the sturgeon gone, all helps abandoned, each hour expecting the fury of the savages, when God the patron of all good endeavors, in that desperate extremity so changed the hearts of the savages, that they brought such plenty of their fruits, and provision” (Smith 60). Demonstrates how strong their faith in God was. And lastly, according to “The Poetry of Phillis Wheatley,” “Phillis was a deeply religious woman, and religious themes dominate her poetry.” You can see how religion was becoming stronger over time, how it was shaping colony’s culture....
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...March 14, 2014 Intro to Poetry 116w The Role of Race in Determining the Canonicity of Phillis Wheatley’s Works Over the years, the types of literary works considered to be part of the cannon have varied greatly but the criterion for selecting a canonical work seems to have stayed the same. According to American literary critic Northrop Frye, the canonicity of a work represents the admission of the work unto a “unified scheme” that is also “in accord with a permanent structure of ideas” (Hilton, 140). While poet Phillis Wheatley certainly focused upon the “permanent structure of ideas” that is most significant in our society- religion, freedom, integrity- she was fairly unsuccessful at achieving a canonical status for most if not all of her works. Wheatley’s achievements were undoubtedly impressive, yet much attention was paid to her race rather than her talent. While a canonical work by definition creates a powerful literary legacy, after her initial fame Phillis Wheatley was “no longer a revelation, unable to successfully commodify herself again, she died penniless and forgotten” (Flanzbaum, 79). Much of the controversy surrounding Wheatley’s work was brought on by accusations made by critics that she held a misguided racial identity, in which she identifies more with her white, privileged readers than her black peers. Even decades later, many critics of Wheatley’s work are still unable to see past skin color to see her work for what it truly is. It cannot be said for certain...
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...She Is Charlie The orange sun that kisses my caramel skin….. That cooool summer breeze that leaves my thick cocoa milky Oh yes cocoa butter sent lingering under your nose as I walk pass… Can you imagine the thought of these rich chocolate lips so soft and smooth as you indulge yourself in my mango sweet kisses… so sweet yet tangy with a hint of sour green apple? Can you imagine? Sirens jingle Alarm clock screams & you come to see that it was nothing but a fantasy Can you imagine me? ... Charlie B Nikki Giovanni Nikki Giovanni is a Poet, Writer, Activist, and Professor who Crowned by critics as the “Princess of Black Poetry” during the early 70s. She started her writing career in the in the 1960s when began her studies at Fisk University in Nashville Tennessee, The civil rights and black power movements inspired her early poetry that was collected in Black Feeling, Black Talk (1967), Black Judgment (1968), and Re: Creation (1970). Giovanni's writing has been heavily inspired by both African American activists and artists. “All eyez on U” Is a poem dedicated to the late great Tupac Amaru Shakur that illustrates the generational repetition of eliminating a race that is trying to empower and educate a nation. Giovanni believed that the 'superior race' created ways to eliminate education and reassured ignorance remained in the black community to increase chaos, self-destruction, and to silence those capable of great intellect. The speaker states...
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...a more radical movement starting in the 1960s. Before dissecting these stages in more details, it is mandatory to mention Phillis Wheatley. Even though she was a slave herself, the literature she produced differered greatly from the slave narratives. She wrote poetry in the lyrical form, very influenced by John Milton’s and Alexander Pope’s poetry and the Greek and Latin classics. Nevertheless, her apparent submission to the white literary tradition, as well as religion is questionable. In the first part of her poem On Being Brought from Africa to America, Wheatley seems to be grateful for the kindness whites have shown her and for presenting her Christianity. Still, towards the end, thanking whites for having brought her to America sneaks in the question of race and the acknowledgement of racism in America. Considering...
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...software and data-mining tools were at the top of CIOs’ technology spending list” (Baltzan, Hag, Phillips 87). It gives a few examples of how companies are using the software and tools to gain very valuable information. When Ben & Jerry’s is mentioned, people know the brand and immediately think of ice cream. “Ben & Jerry’s cuts through the din by using integrated query, reporting, and online analytical processing technology from BI software vendor Business Objectives” (Baltzan, Hag, Phillips 87). They use the technology to track each pint’s ingredients throughout its life. If there is a complaint made by a customer, they will track it back through ingredients, suppliers, or whatever caused the issue. They are extremely focused on quality of their products. “The BI tools let Ben & Jerry’s officials access, analyze, and act on customer information collected by the sales, finance, purchasing, and quality-assurance departments” (Baltzan, Hag, Phillis 87). They have gotten it down to a science. They can tell you what milk a customer prefers for the ice cream. In 2005, they tracked over 12,500 customer’s information and comments. The California Pizza Kitchen has 130 casual dining full-service restaurants throughout the many states and other countries. They are known for their premium pizza. People recognize the brand and are loyal customers. Before they used the BI, they tracked everything through spreadsheets. The spreadsheets were entirely too difficult and...
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...African American literature is surprising, captivating, and spirited. Once you start reading a story it is easy to get caught up in the tale being told. The descriptive nature of the works makes it easy to relate to them. Throughout my readings thus far in the class I have noticed some common themes that reoccur in many of the stories and poems. Of course slavery was a very common topic but there were others such as inequality between the races and sexes, injustice and resentment, the black identity, and a strong faith and religion. Even though the words can be separated in the end they all come back together. There were many narratives written by fugitive slaves before the Civil War and by former slaves in the postbellum era. These narratives document slave life from the perspective of first-hand experience. The stories they tell are dark and ugly. The authors like Douglas and Jacobs reveal the struggles, sorrows, aspirations, and triumphs of slaves in absorbingly personal story-telling. Harriet Jacobs’s Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl was the first autobiography by a formerly enslaved African American woman. In it she describes her experience of the sexual exploitation that made slavery especially oppressive for black women. She also recounts her life in slavery in the context of family relationships with her escape and her struggle to free her children. Fredrick Douglas who wrote Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglas, an American Slave, Written by Himself...
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...The envy grew so deep, it resulted in “deputized whites kill[ing] more than 300 African Americans. They looted and burned to the ground 40 square blocks of 1265 African American homes, including hospitals schools and churches and destroyed 150 business.…9000 African Americans were left homeless .” W.E.B. remained in the South for forty years after the Tulsa Oklahoma riot. Subsequently, the Great Depression, which further exasperated racial tensions, caused DuBois to rethink his differences with Booker. He now believed in black segregation and economic power over political gain. While teaching at Atlanta University, W.E.B. resigned from the NAACP over a dispute of the organizations refusal to change its focus in alignment with his. “DuBois [eventually] settled in Ghana and began work on the Encyclopedia Africana…Shortly thereafter, he joined the American Communist Party and became a citizen of Ghana, where he died at the age of...
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...The Phenomenal Natasha Trethewey Natasha Trethewey was perhaps one of the most influential and most talented minds that the world has ever known and encountered. She is a highly acclaimed writer, who is the daughter of a Canadian poet and professor, as well as, a social worker by the name of Gwendolyn Ann Turnbough. Her parents were big believers in the importance of having an education and reading. She was encouraged to be and do her very best in every endeavor, despite her living situation. She was a southern girl at heart and in mind. Her father was a strong motivator of hers to become a poet. She saw him work hard on poetry before the separation of her parents at the age...
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