Surname

Identifying Passages

1. “It was only now and then that we were able to study, through the medium of his recollection, the simple but intensely human inner life of slavery.”

This is a story called “Dave’s Neckliss.” It was written by Charles Chesnutt and it is categorized as a short fiction story. The story is about how a person becomes negatively influenced by wrong doings, cheating, carelessness and the cruelty of slavery. The man becomes hardened by these conditions and after release, he ends to be a burden to the society. It is purposed to educate the readers and entertain them. It also informs the readers about some of the effects of slavery. This story is a good source of American history.

2. “I dunno,” he said, with a bewildered look. “Summat to make her live, I think,—like you. Whiskey ull do it, in a way.”

This quote has been derived from page eight of the novel called “Life in the Iron Mills.” This is classified as a novel of a non-fiction story. The aim of the author is disclose the exploitation of workers in factories. This piece of work is of high quality and the readers become enlightened by the issues discussed in the book. The author asserts that the employers did not value the workers at all and they left their staff exposed to all sorts of risks. The story should be a symbol of showing the costs of development in the modern world.

3. “It was a strange sight to see these black men rallying around the Stars and Stripes, when white men were trampling them under foot and riddling them with bullets”

This quote is from chapter one of a book called “Iola Leroy shadows uplifted.” The author is Harper, Frances Ellen Watkins. This book is a fictional short story. The lady known as Lola is married and is sent away to be educated but due to racism, she is sold into slavery. She is later freed and together with her brother, she fights racial discrimination. This story addresses issues of gender, race, class and politics of the United States. This book is education especially to the Americans, and demonstrates how the African Americans have developed themselves since slavery.

4. “Co’se, I know all about dat. . . en it sorter made cole chills run up my bock; but w’en I see dat man take aim. . . I des disremembered all ‘bout freedom en lammed aloose.”

The title of this book is called “Uncle Remus: His songs and his sayings.” It is subtitled “The folklore of the old plantation.” This book has been written by Joel Chandler Harris. The genre of this book is folklore. These songs, poems and sense of humor have a theme of racism towards black Americans. This story teaches the people about history of the slavery era. People are able to understand the changes that have taken place since the earlier years of slavery.

5. “The conditions were all favorable to story telling. There was an autumnal languor in the air, and a dreamy haze softened the dark green of the distant pines and the deep blue of the southern sky.”

These lines are part of the story called “The conjure woman,” by Charles Chesnutt. This is a short fiction story. This passage reflects and discusses issues of racial social identification. The author discusses about racism and discrimination among the social classes. This book is a collection of stories with a setting in North Carolina. Uncle Julius, who is a freed slave, hosts a white couple from the Northern part with fascinating stories of life in the antebellum plantation. Julius’s stories include extraordinary elements such as haunting, conjuring and transfiguration. These are important parts of a folk tale.

6. “Some of the facts in this strange story—circumstances of which [he] was ignorant, though he had the main facts correct—I learned afterwards from other sources, but I have woven them all together here in orderly sequence.”  

These lines are from a story called “The dumb witness,” by Charles Chesnutt. This story is a fictional short story that reflects on racism. The narrator says that a black man wanted to buy food but the shopkeeper does not want to attend to him because he is black. The story continues to talk about the challenges experienced by the Black Americans during the slavery era. It is a near representation of the current change where ideally there is no more discrimination towards the black race in America. The law respects everyone as equal.

7.  “His head rested against the old man’s arm, and he was gazing with an expression of the most intense interest into the rough, weather-beaten face, that beamed so kindly upon him.”

This quote is found in a book called “Spoken soul: The story of Black English.” It is by John R. Rickford and Russell John Rickford. This book is a captivating well-written history of Black Americans. It does not only enlighten and inform educators, but also all those who read it. It is a very useful asset to those who value and question language. This book discusses the relationship between language and identity.

8. “Dey could hear sump’n moanin’ en groanin’ ‘bout de kitchen in de night-time, en we’en de win’ would blow dey could hear sump’n a-hollerin’ en sweekin’ lack it wuz in great pain en sufferin.”

This quote is from a short story called “Po’ Sandy”. The writer of this book is known as Charles Waddell Chesnutt. He talks of a story of a man who cannot stabilize his relationship with his wife since he has been taken away because he is a slave and the wife is a conjurer. This shows how hard it was for the black American to have a good social life due to their enslavement. Families wee separated hence causing despair.

9. “But what right has public opinion to interfere with our marriage relations? Why should we yield to its behests?”

These lines are from the book of Frances Ellen Watkins called “Iola Leroy shadows uplifted” The woman called Lola is kidnapped and sold to slavery but reunites with her family later. She faces a lot of racial segregation. This book reflects on how deep racism and segregation was in the 19^th century. It also talks about slavery and the restrictions imposed on the black Americans. It is a good source of history.

10. “Was it not his right to live as they,—a pure life, a good, truehearted life, full of beauty and kind words? He only wanted to know how to use the strength within him.”

These lines belong to a book called “Provisions: a reader from 19^th century American women” by Judith Fetterley. This book discusses the kind of life lived by the African American women in the 19^th century. The women were considered inferior and faced discrimination. The writer of this book wrote as one of the few women who could write. It is an important book because it teaches or informs readers about the place of women in the 19^th century.