Self & Society: British Lit @Hood College

I'm a bit confused about specifically two things in this reading. The first is when Behn says, "I ought to tell you that Christians never buy any slaves but they give 'em some name of their own..." (2205). How exactly does that work? Unless I'm reading this wrong, this reads as if Christians are super in denial about slavery. The second thing that confuses me is at the bottom of 2205, where we're told that the slaves that Oroonoko comes across are the very same slaves he sold into slavery, yet here they are throwing themselves at his feet? Why would they do this? I do have to say that calling Oroonoko Caesar is basically foreshadowing of when the slaves betray him later on in the story and his fate of death. Also, the ending of this story is giving me some serious vibes of Braveheart , what with the disembowelment, draw and quartering, and the refusal to live in under the rule of another. .gif from Braveheart (http://media1.giphy.com/media/m12GiqBQywgbS...

While reading the second half of "Oronoko," I admit that I had trouble following the story at times. However, I feel that despite that problem, I was able to understand the main points that the author is trying to get across. The idea of a noble man and his wife, expecting a child, constantly tormented by the idea of being in servitude is upsetting, to say the least. Especially with the heartbreaking end to which Oroonoko and his wife are met. I understand that the author is trying to convey the brutality of slave masters, which I feel she did pretty well, but I found myself lost and sometimes troubled by the way she seemed to often objectify Oroonoko, making him seem like a valuable commodity that would be even more valuable if he was free. I wonder what points were supposed to really resonate with white women.

"Oroonoko kills Imoinda" from the program of a 1776 performance of the stage adaptation by Thomas Southerne. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_savage       It is interesting to not that Trefry only takes serious interest in Oroonoko after learning he spoke English and noted his physical appearance (already summarized as "only issue is his color"). Only when he learns of Oroonoko's status as royalty does Trefry express genuine sympathy and indignation at Oroonoko's enslavement (page 2204).      As good as the intention behind the writing is, this means of generating sympathy is problematic. It places the emphasis of value on ways an individual is "more like a white person" rather than emphasizing the humanity of Africans as a whole. It is easy to see the progression from "this individual who has learned European languages and has facial features that do not look like the stereotype is worthy" to the situation which caused the horror...

What makes certain lines from a text jump off the page and fill you with interest and curiosity? Why do some passages carry more meaning and significance than others? For example, Satan in Milton's Paradise Lost tells us: Here at least We shall be free; th' Almighty hath not built Here for his envy, will not drive us hence: Here we may reign secure, and in my choyce To reign is worth ambition though in Hell: Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heav'n. (Book I, ll. 258-263) This phrase, "better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven," has caught on - it's almost a proverb. And it's come to represent Satan's character more so than any other line from this massive and miraculous poem. Plus, it just sounds awesome. In short: there's a lot to discuss about this passage, isn't there? Book and tablet photo by Engin_Akyurt on Pixabay.com On days that we don't have paragraphs due, we'll have what I call Quotes and Questions. Yo...

A paragraph is an elusive thing: it seems like something really obvious, something we have known how to write since elementary school. But how do you define a paragraph? How can you tell a good paragraph from a lackluster one? And how do you write the kind of paragraphs that make it easier to communicate your ideas to your reader? Simply put, a paragraph is a group of sentences that develop a single idea. That’s it. The correct length for a paragraph is however many sentences are required to introduce the idea of the paragraph, explain that idea, provide any necessary examples or evidence, explain that evidence, wrap up your idea, and (sometimes) transition into your next idea. However, you have to stick to a single idea! If you can’t write a clear, well-developed paragraph, you can’t write a good paper, a clear memo, a convincing email, or an enticing cover letter. Those who master the paragraph are ready to take on the world! Home Office photo by Free-Photos on Pixabay.com...