Slavery and Social Death by Orlando Patterson brings up very important ideas that contribute to the construct of slavery and social death. This comparative study makes the reader question all parts of slavery, especially the social and psychological aspects of the master and slave dynamic. Throughout the introduction and first chapter, Patterson focuses on the power dynamic and the idea of a slave as one’s property. Patterson argues ultimately, that slavery is not merely an extreme case of a power relationship, but one that leads to, and requires, a particular type of death for the slave.
Patterson’s fundamental argument is power dynamics are central to all human relationships, and slavery is the most extreme example of power at play. He contends, …show more content…
The master wanted the slave to be so distant that “without the master the slave does not exist, and he is socializable only through his master” (Patterson 4). To achieve this Patterson argues that the masters had to ensure that slaves experienced natal alienation. Through natal alienation slaves are denied all interactions and connections that would give them a sense of self. The masters used the “symbolism of naming, of clothing, of hairstyle, of language and body marks” to remove them from anything that would relate them to their past. (Patterson 8) They were alienated from all rights so that the slave “ceased to belong in his own right to any legitimate social order” (Patterson 5). They ceased to belong to any social order at birth because of the phenomena of natal alienation, which signifies loss of all ties birth, and most slaves at birth were separated from their parents to prevent them from having any connection. Since the slaves have no control over their social status, they can’t contribute to society in any way because they are only an extension of their master. Once the slave is fully alienated from society and is not able to contribute to of any symbols in society Patterson considers the slave socially dead. Although Patterson argues this point, he fails to recognize the symbols slaves …show more content…
Although they may not receive credit for their contributions, they still made an impact on society and on the symbols of religion within the United States. Albert Raboteau makes this point strongly in his text, Slave Religion. In the text, Raboteau uses Melville Herskovits’ argument that since slaves were mostly brought from the western regions of Africa, tribes had very similar cultures, so even if they were separated they could still relate back to each other in certain ways. This was possible because the masters could not oversee the slaves at all times of the day. Although the master’s made their slaves turn to Christianity the slaves adapted to it in their own way and kept old beliefs and traditions and incorporated them into how they worshiped. This stance was true because “Throughout New World Negro cultures the strongest Africanisms are to be found in religion.” (Raboteau 48) Shouting, dancing, and the call and response way of singing are all Africanisms that have survived through religion. To further this point, Raboteau utilizes a work entitled Methodist Error of Friendly Advice to Those Methodists Who Indulge in Extravagant Religious Emotions and Bodily Exercises, where Joh Watson writes, “With every word so sung, they have a sinking of one or other leg of the body alternately; producing an
Patterson’s fundamental argument is power dynamics are central to all human relationships, and slavery is the most extreme example of power at play. He contends, …show more content…
The master wanted the slave to be so distant that “without the master the slave does not exist, and he is socializable only through his master” (Patterson 4). To achieve this Patterson argues that the masters had to ensure that slaves experienced natal alienation. Through natal alienation slaves are denied all interactions and connections that would give them a sense of self. The masters used the “symbolism of naming, of clothing, of hairstyle, of language and body marks” to remove them from anything that would relate them to their past. (Patterson 8) They were alienated from all rights so that the slave “ceased to belong in his own right to any legitimate social order” (Patterson 5). They ceased to belong to any social order at birth because of the phenomena of natal alienation, which signifies loss of all ties birth, and most slaves at birth were separated from their parents to prevent them from having any connection. Since the slaves have no control over their social status, they can’t contribute to society in any way because they are only an extension of their master. Once the slave is fully alienated from society and is not able to contribute to of any symbols in society Patterson considers the slave socially dead. Although Patterson argues this point, he fails to recognize the symbols slaves …show more content…
Although they may not receive credit for their contributions, they still made an impact on society and on the symbols of religion within the United States. Albert Raboteau makes this point strongly in his text, Slave Religion. In the text, Raboteau uses Melville Herskovits’ argument that since slaves were mostly brought from the western regions of Africa, tribes had very similar cultures, so even if they were separated they could still relate back to each other in certain ways. This was possible because the masters could not oversee the slaves at all times of the day. Although the master’s made their slaves turn to Christianity the slaves adapted to it in their own way and kept old beliefs and traditions and incorporated them into how they worshiped. This stance was true because “Throughout New World Negro cultures the strongest Africanisms are to be found in religion.” (Raboteau 48) Shouting, dancing, and the call and response way of singing are all Africanisms that have survived through religion. To further this point, Raboteau utilizes a work entitled Methodist Error of Friendly Advice to Those Methodists Who Indulge in Extravagant Religious Emotions and Bodily Exercises, where Joh Watson writes, “With every word so sung, they have a sinking of one or other leg of the body alternately; producing an