Jazlyn Jones
November 5, 2015
Engl 223 In the story A Looking Glass for the White Man, William Apess speaks on racism and its effects on the people through the spiritual perception. He applies Biblical teaching and uses historical information to guide his argument. William Apess argues that Christians are not expected to discriminate amongst races because they will be performing an act of hypocrisy. Throughout the story Apes argues on the inequality and the misperception of Christians. He creates several arguments that are supported and are based on assumptions from the community. In the story, he repeatedly uses the color of their skin to describe people which are arbitrary. He stated “I would ask you if you would like to disenfranchised …show more content…
As you read the title “A Looking Glass for the White Man,” it reveals a deeper insight on the text because can be related to how William Apess uses the title to view the way Indians see white hypocrisy. Apess stated “Is it not because there reigns in the breast of many who are leaders, a most unrighteous, unbecoming, and impure black principle, and as corrupt and unholy as it can be while these very same unfeeling, self-esteemed characters pretend to take the skin as a pretext to keep us from our unalienable and lawful rights?” (Apess 1859). Using the words, impure black principle, corrupt and unholy shows how hypocritical the white Christians were. Referring to the impure black principle empathizes with them being corrupt on the inside and how they portray to be lovers of people and Christ, but they are hypocrites which establishes the reason why Apess expresses that the whites are unholy. The characteristics of being a Christian are defined as honest and loving. The white Christians showed how corrupt their minds were due to their actions being contrary to their words causing a
November 5, 2015
Engl 223 In the story A Looking Glass for the White Man, William Apess speaks on racism and its effects on the people through the spiritual perception. He applies Biblical teaching and uses historical information to guide his argument. William Apess argues that Christians are not expected to discriminate amongst races because they will be performing an act of hypocrisy. Throughout the story Apes argues on the inequality and the misperception of Christians. He creates several arguments that are supported and are based on assumptions from the community. In the story, he repeatedly uses the color of their skin to describe people which are arbitrary. He stated “I would ask you if you would like to disenfranchised …show more content…
As you read the title “A Looking Glass for the White Man,” it reveals a deeper insight on the text because can be related to how William Apess uses the title to view the way Indians see white hypocrisy. Apess stated “Is it not because there reigns in the breast of many who are leaders, a most unrighteous, unbecoming, and impure black principle, and as corrupt and unholy as it can be while these very same unfeeling, self-esteemed characters pretend to take the skin as a pretext to keep us from our unalienable and lawful rights?” (Apess 1859). Using the words, impure black principle, corrupt and unholy shows how hypocritical the white Christians were. Referring to the impure black principle empathizes with them being corrupt on the inside and how they portray to be lovers of people and Christ, but they are hypocrites which establishes the reason why Apess expresses that the whites are unholy. The characteristics of being a Christian are defined as honest and loving. The white Christians showed how corrupt their minds were due to their actions being contrary to their words causing a