Author Archives: rbartsc1

Question #5: What would you do in Blatchford’s position? I think this question might be the most difficult to answer of the bunch. Perhaps it is not for some people, but I, personally, was struck–still am–by how I might truthfully answer it. In case anyone read this section at the beginning of spring break andContinue reading “Class Discussion, 3/30”

This book has a fairly large and interesting cast of characters. We have the Garies and their children, the Ellis’ and their children, the Stevens and their children, and a whole host of other characters that are either friends, associates, or business partners with one or more of the families listed above. There’s nothing wrongContinue reading “The Garies and Their Friends”

Discussion Question #1 So, I’m fairly certain that Mr. Stevens, through the letters, has found out that Aunt Tabitha was the disowned daughter of the late Mr. Garie (the one Uncle John speaks about in chapter 9), and he’s obviously pissed that he missed out on whatever inheritance he might’ve gained from her death hadContinue reading “Class Discussion, 3/18”

Discussion Question #3 Today, people that are “other” or “different” are praised. But “being different” today is very much an oxymoron because there are so many others who are “different.” Being eccentric or free spirited just takes you out of one crowd and puts you in another. You’re never so different that you’re alone–which isContinue reading “Class Discussion Post, 3/16”

As a reader of books and a writer of stories, one would think that I always hope for a happy ending. After all, if you’ve read (or written) hundreds of pages of book and have gotten to know and have become invested in the characters’ story, then you’ll want a happy conclusion, right? The aboveContinue reading “The Curse of Caste or The Slave Bride by Julia C. Collins (part 2)”

There are many things one can write concerning The Curse of Caste, but what I find the most interesting is the problem that is highlighted by the title itself. One can easily pick out the problems that are caused for those that suffer on the lower side of the caste system: they are more likelyContinue reading “The Curse of Caste or The Slave Bride by Julia Collins”

I know we were only given a small section of the novel to read, but even still there is a lot to unpack. First , there was the line of text that seemed to contradict what Harriet Jacobs wrote in Incidents. Brown recognizes the lack of a “safeguard” placed around a female slave’s virtue inContinue reading “Clotel; or, The President’s Daughter”

I mentioned in my introduction blog that I work at the restaurant Cracker Barrel. It’s a wonderful place to work, and I consider my co-workers family. However–and I don’t mean for this to be a blow against Cracker Barrel–it is a restaurant. “Okay, Rachel, it’s a restaurant, so what?” Well, I don’t know how manyContinue reading “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs”

I love music. I don’t think I could get through my day to day without it. Music is how I fill the silence, how I lift my mood, and how I protect myself from the awkward and negative things around me. Listening to music has the power to influence my mood with its tone andContinue reading “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass”

Slavery is a bothering topic. No one wants to experience that churning sickness in her stomach. No one wants to see dark skin marred by bloody tracks in her mind’s eye. No one wants to imagine screams and wailing. And definitely no one wants to put themselves in a former slave’s shoes–to feel the gravityContinue reading “David Walker’s Appeal”