Metaphor, Anecdote, and Repetition in Works of Douglass and Morrison Anonymous 11th Grade

Many relationships in life consist of a balancing act between people in opposing roles: submissive and dominant. Sometimes, like with a parent and their child, the dominant person is there to prevent the submissive one from making bad choices so they can become better individuals. These relationships, though occasionally beneficial, are often abused and misused. White slaveowners and slavery advocates accepted the idea that white people were supposed to be dominant to African-Americans, claiming they were trying to “help” them by enslaving them. This “help” was just an excuse for their racism. This superiority complex developed because the most read book, the Bible, says they are. It states, “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ” (Ephesians 6:5). These fallacies supported and justified their racism, prejudice, and cruelty towards the African-American race through the medium of slavery. However, many people, like Abolitionists, did not accept this idea. Many challenged it and often posed questions that challenged the legitimacy of this system, thus advocating equality between African-Americans and whites. Frederick Douglass and Toni Morrison, both...