Clotel Rhetorical Analysis

A main argument presented in the novel Clotel relates to the idea of black men resisting being fully controlled by their slave masters. Which is done by demonstrating the resistance in ways that allow male slaves to obtain some aspect of manhood. William Wells Brown underlines black men and their resistance to fully comply to slavery by use of male characters acting in ways that coincide with going against slavery in slight ways. Brown utilizes black male characters being resistant in order to highlight the way in which slavery created a large barrier for men to reach the constructs that define manhood. Brown’s character Sam displays a slave presenting resistance by having higher intellect and skill set than slavery claimed was capable. Sam shows ability to outsmart or use words in order to demonstrate rebellion. He is told to sing a song after the death of Mr. Peck and he sings, “Old master has died, and lying in his grave, And our blood will awhile …show more content…
149). Which in the song Sam reveals anger and the dislike he truly feels towards his master. The song reflects how he experiences relief that stems from the death of his master. Then states the belief of his master being cursed to hell as all “slaveholders go” (Pg. 149). Paul Gilmore makes the claim that Brown is showing Sam in this complex way in order to use the task he was told to do in order to demonstrate resistance to slavery by reason that Sam has the cognitive ability to do just that. Gilmore states, “Brown redeploys the standard conceits of the minstrel show slaves singing and dancing on the plantation to uncover its anti- slavery possibilities” elaborating upon the complications presented when the belief is present that an entire group of people are less than. This shapes the idea that an entire group of people can not all be stereotyped as less than white people. Owing to