This comment was written by Ashley on 27 Oct 2016.
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Caitlin's Praxis JournalMain MenuEthnic Studies 250B Praxis JournalPraxis Journal for Ethnic Studies 250B, American Slave NarrativesPraxis Journal Entry 1 -- 8/29/16Analyzing two passages from the NarrativePraxis Journal Entry 2 -- 9/5/16Frederick Douglass -- Literacy as RebellionPraxis Journal Entry 3 -- 9/11/16Praxis Journal Entry 4 -- 9/20/16Praxis Journal Entry 5 -- 9/25/16Analyzing a passage from the reader and the filmPraxis Journal Entry 6 -- 10/9/16Praxis Journal Entry 7 -- 10/17/16Praxis Journal Entry 8 -- 10/24/16Praxis Journal Entry 9 -- 10/31/16Praxis Journal Entry 11 -- 11/20/16Caitlin Downey521f243cb92cfaab1942063a8e5df11231bf5acc
"If a slave was depressed, insubordinate, or acted out it was the fault of the slave, not the system."
12016-10-27T02:39:21-07:00Anonymous107151plain2016-10-27T02:39:22-07:00AshleyThis point is pretty crucial, I think, to any meaningful understanding of how slavery worked and of the motivations behind what truly was a very brutal insurrection. The point you make here is a subtle and thoughtful one -- for whites, if Turner is a "fanatic," then his mind is distorted and his actions are not a reflection of slavery. This helps to suppress the realization of the brutality that is not just a byproduct but actually integral to slavery. A subjugated person who refuses to comply must be internally flawed because to recognize that slavery might engender this reaction (and out of rational, careful consideration rather than irrational insubordination) would mean acknowledging the depth of slavery's cruelty.
Baker's version of the "Confessions" really makes this point and Jacobs's narrative explores the inner workings of the psychology within relationships between masters and slaves.