America has developed a discriminative dominant ideology. This ideology, commonly defined to as Straight Christian White Able Bodied Male Property Holding (S.C.W.A.M.P) for short has been developed from interpretations from pre-enlightenment era science, the bible, and economic relations throughout history. The topic of women in slavery illustrates the effects of all aspects of the S.C.W.A.M.P ideology, but more specifically the notions of race and gender. The texts presented: Ar’n’t I a Woman? and Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl: Written by herself, outline the specific struggles women had in slavery and the roles their expectations, gender, and race had on their experience.
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl being written in the …show more content…
White lists the roles of women in slavery: Jezebel and Mammy. “On the one hand there was the woman obsessed with matters of the flesh, on the other was the asexual woman. One was carnal, the other maternal. One was at heart a slut, the other was deeply religious. One was a Jezebel, the other a Mammy.” (White, Ar’n’t I a Woman?, 47). White goes on to outline in detail the roles of each of these figures and the way they sought their freedom through the acts they performed in slavery. The Jezebel was offered time off of the field, and freedom in some cases, to mate as frequently as possible. In juxtaposition, the Mammy figure’s main objective was to place the welfare of the master and his children above her own needs and the needs of her fellow slaves. The Mammy did not do this for freedom. Like George Washington 's “Hercules” (Washington’s black chef who proved to be invaluable) by this point they were invaluable to their master; thought they were never offered freedom they were persuaded by higher status within their slavery. Though the portrayals of women in Ar’n’t I a Woman illustrate the demoralizing positions female slaves were forced into in slavery this portrayal of women starts to hint at the agency of women in slavery. Though the Jezebel and the Mammy were forced into the most demoralizing roles in Slavery fitting these roles outfitted them with the (albeit miniscule) ability to influence their
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl being written in the …show more content…
White lists the roles of women in slavery: Jezebel and Mammy. “On the one hand there was the woman obsessed with matters of the flesh, on the other was the asexual woman. One was carnal, the other maternal. One was at heart a slut, the other was deeply religious. One was a Jezebel, the other a Mammy.” (White, Ar’n’t I a Woman?, 47). White goes on to outline in detail the roles of each of these figures and the way they sought their freedom through the acts they performed in slavery. The Jezebel was offered time off of the field, and freedom in some cases, to mate as frequently as possible. In juxtaposition, the Mammy figure’s main objective was to place the welfare of the master and his children above her own needs and the needs of her fellow slaves. The Mammy did not do this for freedom. Like George Washington 's “Hercules” (Washington’s black chef who proved to be invaluable) by this point they were invaluable to their master; thought they were never offered freedom they were persuaded by higher status within their slavery. Though the portrayals of women in Ar’n’t I a Woman illustrate the demoralizing positions female slaves were forced into in slavery this portrayal of women starts to hint at the agency of women in slavery. Though the Jezebel and the Mammy were forced into the most demoralizing roles in Slavery fitting these roles outfitted them with the (albeit miniscule) ability to influence their