Today 's society is largely naive about what slavery was and Celia, A Slave plays a critical role in educating the reader about this ancient practice through Melton McLaurin’s account of the extreme hardships a female slave, Celia, had to endure. The true story is set in Callaway County, Missouri, and focuses mainly on the issues that surrounded Celia’s degradation and final demise. Pressed hard by her master’s constant sexual exploitation, Celia accidentally murdered him; a crime that set the ground for her trial amidst the political turbulence that defined the South then and resulted in her anticipated execution. Notably, McLaurin’s main interest was not only to write about the sufferings of Celia, but to employ her story as a factual representation
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McLaurin speculates that the master brought her in not just as a slave, but a substitute for his wife who had died. “A healthy sixty years of age, Newsom needed more than a hostess…he required a sexual partner” (21). However, he did not want to portray Celia as a sex slave since such a move could be potentially scandalous. To cover up his intentions, Newsom made Celia his household cook and granted her some privileges, including having her own cabin close to the family house. Traditionally, slaves were confined in small quarters with little privacy; therefore, the treatments that Celia received demonstrated the unique position she occupied at the farm. Newsom needed to keep her away from the other slaves to pave the way for his frequent nighttime …show more content…
He succeeds in examining the culture and history of the society, represented by Newsom, which found slavery permissible and sought to perpetuate the injustices that were associated with it. Slave women were not only meant to do the work that they were assigned but were also to gratify the unabated sexual needs of their owners. The life of Celia demonstrates how challenging it was for them to make decisions concerning their lives, especially given that they were considered as properties. Nonetheless, the book is educative, and the reader does not fail to hear the author’s constant plea for tolerance in the society. The few shortcomings notwithstanding I am convinced that McLaurin has largely succeeded in expressing the state of things at that time and today’s society can learn a lot about America’s history from this
McLaurin speculates that the master brought her in not just as a slave, but a substitute for his wife who had died. “A healthy sixty years of age, Newsom needed more than a hostess…he required a sexual partner” (21). However, he did not want to portray Celia as a sex slave since such a move could be potentially scandalous. To cover up his intentions, Newsom made Celia his household cook and granted her some privileges, including having her own cabin close to the family house. Traditionally, slaves were confined in small quarters with little privacy; therefore, the treatments that Celia received demonstrated the unique position she occupied at the farm. Newsom needed to keep her away from the other slaves to pave the way for his frequent nighttime …show more content…
He succeeds in examining the culture and history of the society, represented by Newsom, which found slavery permissible and sought to perpetuate the injustices that were associated with it. Slave women were not only meant to do the work that they were assigned but were also to gratify the unabated sexual needs of their owners. The life of Celia demonstrates how challenging it was for them to make decisions concerning their lives, especially given that they were considered as properties. Nonetheless, the book is educative, and the reader does not fail to hear the author’s constant plea for tolerance in the society. The few shortcomings notwithstanding I am convinced that McLaurin has largely succeeded in expressing the state of things at that time and today’s society can learn a lot about America’s history from this