The Stigma of Slavery

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how African-American writers Charles Johnson and Toni Morrisson explore the exploitation and dilemma of slavery with total expertise. The two writers create a clear picture of what it was like to be a slave and the indignities endured and the characters they create endure terrible hardships. It looks at how Johnson's Rutherford, and Morrisson's Sethe, overcome the stigma of slavery by accepting their past and trying to move beyond the boundaries society has set for them.

From the Paper:

"The notion of freedom is examined from the point of view of the ex-slave. Before Rutherford gets on the boat, he is not free. Rutherford learns what true freedom is from the Allmuseri. The Allmuseri were captured in Africa and were being shipped to the Americas to be sold as slaves. The Allmuseri are a proud people who prefer death to slavery, but they also have honor and act in a way that is above the social class Rutherford believes he belongs too. When the Allmuseri take over the ship and kill the sailors they feel ashamed."

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