Destruction of the Myth of Any “Good” in Slavery Slavery in the Antebellum US was a corrupt institution that tarnished nearly every aspect of life for every American before the war and the effects of which are still affecting American society, even in the 21st century. These effects include, but are not limited to: the myths that prevail, even today, of the “good” slaveholders and the “good”white southerners who were poor or did not own slaves. The meaning of “good” in this context is that these white southerners were more likely to treat slaves and other non-white people like humans. Obviously, treating people as humans when they were enslaved would have meant the freeing of every slave and an active career in abolitionism. None of the myths
…show more content…
In chapter 7 of Douglass’ first slave narrative, he depicts his mistress’ descent into slavery. Douglass first explains how she treated him “as she supposed one human being ought to treat another” (Douglass 30). She went about teaching him to read and write until her husband told her it was wrong to do so. From then on, she took it upon herself to prevent Douglass from obtaining literacy in any way possible, fearing the newspaper more than anything. Douglass describes her coming at him “with a face made all up of fury” to snatch the newspaper away from Douglass (Douglass 30). Douglass’ mistress needed only the slightest nudge, like an order not to teach Douglass to read or write, to begin to see him as less human and begin to find excuses for violence and rage against him. Even simple proximity to a newspaper could ignite this anger. Literacy represented freedom for Douglass, but its prevention provided power for his mistress. Slavery is an all-corrupting institution, and that was made extremely visible by Douglass’ depiction of his mistress as the power of slavery allowed her to be cruel without consequence. Douglass’ narrative does more than show the inaccuracy of the myth of “good slaveholders,” it shows how slavery made the best people into cruel, violent people who used any reason to show their hate and power over their
In chapter 7 of Douglass’ first slave narrative, he depicts his mistress’ descent into slavery. Douglass first explains how she treated him “as she supposed one human being ought to treat another” (Douglass 30). She went about teaching him to read and write until her husband told her it was wrong to do so. From then on, she took it upon herself to prevent Douglass from obtaining literacy in any way possible, fearing the newspaper more than anything. Douglass describes her coming at him “with a face made all up of fury” to snatch the newspaper away from Douglass (Douglass 30). Douglass’ mistress needed only the slightest nudge, like an order not to teach Douglass to read or write, to begin to see him as less human and begin to find excuses for violence and rage against him. Even simple proximity to a newspaper could ignite this anger. Literacy represented freedom for Douglass, but its prevention provided power for his mistress. Slavery is an all-corrupting institution, and that was made extremely visible by Douglass’ depiction of his mistress as the power of slavery allowed her to be cruel without consequence. Douglass’ narrative does more than show the inaccuracy of the myth of “good slaveholders,” it shows how slavery made the best people into cruel, violent people who used any reason to show their hate and power over their