The Wife of His Youth

In The Wife of His Youth Chesnutt addresses a theme that was often emitted in other literature of the time: racism amongst African Americans. Through his main character, Mr. Ryder, Chesnutt is able to portray the idea that even some African Americans were discriminatory against their own dark-skinned people. We come to know Mr. Ryder as a light-skinned member of the Blue Veins; one whom held a somewhat prominent spot in society. The Blue Veins was a society for African Americans who's skin tone was light enough that the blue of their veins shown through. Even through the formation of this society, it is exhibited that African Americans, those who had faced years of discrimination due to the darkness of their skin, now placed the same value on the lightness of their skin tone as their Caucasian counterparts. Only the elite, referring to those who had light skin, were permitted to join the society.
Mr. Ryder is faced with his own challenge, however, when "the wife from his youth," a homely dark skinned slave, reappears and challenges him to decide between her, and embarrassment amonst the Blue Veins or his high-end society. Ryder, whom had previously been a slave himself, even found himself questioning her acceptance. This woman who he had once loved was now so very different solely because she was not "blessed" with lighter skin coloring. Is this not the same excuse the white man had taunted African Americans with for decades? Mr. Ryder, who now just happened to be fortunate enough to be free and of high status had assumed the same arrogance that was possessed by the white men.
I see this as one of the largest ironies imaginable in all of literature. Chesnutt takes this previously enslaved man and turns him into the same type of monster that had, at one time, been responsible for his own misery. He takes his protagonist and challenges him to look deep into his soul, not only as his skin, which just happens to be light enough to where one could see the blue of his veins.

Huck Finn

One of the key elements in Twain's Huckleberry Finn is diction, and more importantly, dialect. The dialect not only reflects the southern jargin of the time but it is also used to reflect Huck's ignorance in various situations. As I read, I also began to view Huck's ignorance as mirroring American ignorance. I also believe this is exactly the thoughts Twain hoped to ignite in his audience. Through the dialect, Twain is able to portray Huck as an uninformed, relatively close-minded, individual (at least at the begining of the novel) who is not nearly educated enough about particular situations, especially slavery, to cast the harsh judgements he often tends to favor. I see this view of Huck paralleling the view Twain seems to believe is held by most southern citizens. It can be inferred by the reader that Huck's ignorance is age, and background, inflicted, while the ignorance of the southerners was more of a chosen way of life.

Dialect also holds a vital role in relation to Jim. The transpirings between Huck and Jim are of utmost importance in the novel. Through their conversations, we are able to share in Huck's epitome that Jim is as much of a human being as he is. As the reader, we are able to witness Huck's realitization that Jim laughs, loves, and hurts just as much as any individual with white skin. I also perceive this as another underlying message in Twain's text. I can practically hear him urging his readers to follow in Huck's "morally right" conclusion about slavery. Even though Huck Finn is written after the legalized end of slavery, Twain is more than aware that the desire for slaves is still very much alive in the minds of white southerners. There is no doubt that his strong and unique usage of dialect is all part of Twain's attempt to persuade his readers to open their minds to a new way of life.

In “After Great Pain, a formal feeling comes –” Dickinson is once again focusing on one of her most popular topics; war. I was very intrigued by the first stanza of the poem; because, I honestly feel that the words comprised here truly capture the after math of war. The introduction powerfully grasps the reader. “After great pain” leaves the reader wanting to know just what occurs after such immense hurt. The diction used in the following lines continues to form this vision of the horrendous affects of war. Words such as “nerves,” “tombs,” and “contentment” arouse strong feelings of uncertainty, and most importantly, uneasiness, in the reader. As I read I found myself hesitating and becoming nervous about the text I was going to read. By using such strong wording, Dickinson entrances her audience with this “formal feeling” she refers to in her title line. I see her as almost painting a picture of a baron battlefield without describing the scenery. As opposed to referencing dead bodies or bullet shells, she details “the nerves [that] sit ceremonious, like tombs –” and “the stiff heart.” As I read this poem, I formed a vision in my head of a battlefield littered with bodies and haunted by a deep fog. I could even almost smell the gun powder and hear the moans of the wounded. When a poet can portray such a vivid image without so much as describing the first visual, not emotional, scene, they have truly mastered the utmost skill of their art. I also find this amusing considering that a large majority of people consider Dickinson this emotionless hobbit that stowed away in her attic. She, in fact, was full of emotions and this is just one of her finest examples of the severity of the emotions that did consumer her.

Whitman

In opposition to his predecessors, Walt Whitman offered his audience a very unique outlook on the War. Whitman was a poet over everything else and I feel that this is evident in his writing; however, I also believe Mark Neely’s claim that Whitman viewed the war solely as an advance of the Union cause. Whitman hardly speaks of slavery as an institution in his poetry so it is often left to question just how he does feel about it. Although he was not necessarily opposed to slavery itself, the Fugitive Slave Act did infuriate him. However, it was not because of what it stated but rather how it was to be regulated. He felt that something of that manner should not be left to the states, but rather the nation as a whole. Whitman believed that if such a task were placed as the responsibility of the states then it would not receive equal enforcement. Since he was never overly vocal with his thoughts on slavery, it is left for assumption that Whitman was not excessively opposed to it. With this in mind, it makes perfect sense that he didn’t perceive the Civil War as a “war of liberation” but rather a “war for the Union.” The Emancipation Proclamation was also not favored or largely discussed in Whitman’s work and I accredit this lack of discussion to the document’s relation to Northern propaganda. The Emancipation only affected slaves in states that had not remained loyal to the Union and it was also seen as a tool to hopefully enhance the Union cause in the eyes of European nations. In accordance with Neely, I was also under the impression that Whitman was not too fond of Lincoln. Lincoln made many ‘exceptions’ to the Emancipation and he was more than willing to compromise with the states. I observe Whitman to be someone who approves of a strong, steadfast character; thus, I don’t see him highly favoring Mr. Lincoln. Neely even goes as far as to say that Whitman considered him a “mystical nationalist.” This is complementary to my theory that Whitman saw Lincoln as trying to save something that didn’t need saving.
Although they shared similar subjects of their works, Timrod, Horton, and Whitman all offered very differing opinions of slavery, the war, nationalism, etc. Timrod’s works gives his readers a hint of southern nostalgia as he speaks of cotton and all of the other great aspects of the South. In my opinion, he seems to lack a certain passion possessed by the other two; at least a passion for the war. His concentration seems to be more or less focused on the South and all of the beauties he foresees getting destroyed. Horton, on the other hand, makes up for the passion that Timrod seemed to lack. An African American himself, Horton portrayed immense pain, turmoil, and brutality through his work; emotions that often evoked a variety of emotions in the reader. I could almost feel the hurt flow from his fingertips to the page and then back to me as a result of him composing with such elegance and fervor. Whitman possesses characteristics of both of his fellow poets; however, he also highly contradicts each of his counterparts as well. While he presents Timrod’s devotion to the south, he most certainly writes with Horton’s passion. I believe this is probably why Whitman is honestly one of my favorite poets, not only of his era, but of all time.
Furthermore, Whitman’s “Beat! Beat! Drums!” epitomizes his stance on the war. I see the drum-beating representing the war, or the idea of the war, itself. It tells how it spreads everywhere, and how no one is immune to its affects. The bridegroom, the farmer, the city traffic, the sleeping people, the talking people, the singers, the lawyers, and everyone from every occupation and every background is affected by this “noise.” “Burst like a ruthless force,” says Whitman in detailing the sheer strength of the sound of the drums, or what the reader could assume was the vigor of the war. He continues to use terms such as “no happiness,” “so fierce,” “mind not the timid,” to truly enlighten his audience on the plights associated with this war that he has undoubtedly deemed as unnecessary. Whitman uses this selection to share his beliefs on the lack of a proper motif for the war and how gruesome it could be. He also leads the reader to question “for what?” in regard to why such atrocities occurred.