On Being Brought from Africa to America - Assignment Example

Major Essay Assignment: Literary Comparison and Analysis The similarity in themes presented through various form of literature shows commonness among most authors and poets in relation to their thinking. For this case, the essay analyzes three main texts: "On Being Brought from Africa to America" by Phillis Wheatley, "Calvary Crossing a Ford” by Walt Whitman and the autobiography by Benjamin Franklin. Arguably, these texts span over more than a century in the timeframes of their publication. Despite this, it is evident that these texts relay a form of similarity in information. Although set at a time when racial prejudice was at its height, all three texts discuss the aspect of racial equality, directly and indirectly. Primarily, "On Being Brought from Africa to America" is one of the most exceptional poems ever written. The main reason this is so is because, it was written by a woman, who was black during the 18th century. The odds were all against an African girl who had developed a passion of poetry so deep that she became the first African American female poet. Before she started writing poems, Africans were seen as slaves who were so ignorant that they would not be taught how to read or write. However, Phillis Wheatley beat all odds showing that all races are equal. Getting deeper into the poem, one can see that she calls for racial equality. Although her poem is not based on the concept of slavery as such, it is based on the aspect of religion. In the poem, Wheatley discusses her journey from Africa to America. However, she states that it only through mercy that she was able to leave Africa and head for this new land to get the enlightenment of the one true God. She argues that learning about the savior and the one God was an exceptional process for her and she would not trade it for anything. Besides showing the fact that Africans could be taught as well, and learn how to read and write, Phillis also called for the treatment of her people in a similar manner as the other races. For instance, she says "Remember, Christians, Negros, black as Cain, May be refin’d, and join th’ angelic train." In this statement, Wheatley argues that the Africans as well could be taught and they could learn. They were not a lost cause, as they would argue, and the color of their skin was not a signal that they were a "diabolic die." Wheatley thus expresses the need for the treatment of all races as equal throughout the story, although she does not explore the concept of slavery. As such, it is evident that one of the things that Wheatley advocated for was racial equality, not in relation to freedom, but rather in terms of education and enlightenment. "Cavalry Crossing a Ford" explores the concept from a different perspective. The poem discusses the civil war. Arguably, the civil war was partly a quest for equal treatment of the African Americans and a call by some of the northern states to abolish slavery in the south. However, Walt Whitman does not discuss this issue. The poem gives the narration from several perspectives in which the characters display a different point of view. However, the description of the characters shows the concept of racial equality. Arguably, the poet describes some of the soldiers as "brown-faced" while others have been described as "Snowy white." The aspect of color description throughout the story indicates the poet’s perspective on race. For instance, Walt Whitman shows the concept of racial equality in this line of the poem: " Behold the brown-faced men—each group, each person, a picture—the negligent rest on the saddles; some emerge on the opposite bank—others are just entering the ford—while, Scarlet, and blue, and snowy white." This part of the poem indicates that a battle between the brown-faced men and the whites who arrived at the bank had equal power to fight and engage in military combat. In addition, the fact that they were all drinking for the same river insinuates that they were fighting for the same side, and if the brown-faced men and the white men would fight together in war, they must be treated as equals outside the war zone. The concept of racial equality here has not been emphasized but has been merely stated. Regardless, exploring the deeper meaning of the poem and avoiding the superficial relevance, one can see that the poet advocates for racial equality to some extent as well. The concept of racial equality has been an instrumental part of Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography. Benjamin Franklin was one of the few white men in his age that did not advocate for slavery and treatment of Africans as animals. He understood that they are humans. Although the autobiography does not explore the concept of slavery in depth, Benjamin Franklin is noted to have been supporting the blacks whereas no one else understood why he was doing so. For instance, the governor once questioned Benjamin Franklin why he always sided with the "Quakers". He also explores the concept of a government for the blacks in which he argues that he thought of the African Americans as equals who had much lower levels of enlightenment that the white folks. Benjamin Franklin argued that one of his friends asked him, "Franklin, why do you continue to side with these damnd Quakers? Had not you better sell them? The proprietor would give you a good price." However, Benjamin Franklin being one of the people who advocated for individual enlightenment argued that the governor had not blacked them enough, and as such he would not sell them yet until they had realized a few of their rights. Although Benjamin Franklin was a slave owner, he was unlike any other, avoiding mistreating his slaves and encouraging them more as opposed to whipping them mercilessly as was the case at the time. Benjamin Franklin also explored the topics and thoughts of people who were standing for the blacks, such as Sancho Panza who had joked about the idea of blackening the assembly more. The question of racial equality has been persistent ever since civilization began and persists to date. Although most of the racial discrimination has been reduced marginally, it is also evident that some traces of racial inequality are inevitable. Poets and authors are a key source of enlightenment in the contemporary society. Such poets and authors played an instrumental role towards facilitating the racial equality atmosphere that we currently enjoy. As such, such works played an instrumental role towards the fleeing of slaves and the attainment of a society that is fair to all races and genders. Works Cited Eliot, Charles. "Benjamin Franklin His Autobiography 1706-1757." American History, 1994-2012. Web. June 20, 2015. Whitman, Walt. "Cavalry Crossing a Ford." Bartleby, 1993–2015. Web. June 20, 2015. Wheatley, Phillis. On Being Brought from Africa to America. Poets, 2015. Web. June 20, 2015. < http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/being-brought-africa-america> Read More