Literary Comparison
Authors may sometimes come up with similar works. The similarity of literary works is based on the use of different literature features. For example, similar themes may be developed in different works of literature. Also, other devices may be used in different works. However, literary works cannot be entirely similar. Differences occur between works of different authors. For example, the setting and plot may be different for works with similar themes. Also, themes may be different between works with a similar plot and setting. Several similarities and differences are evident in “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” by himself, Ta-Nehisi Coates’ “Between the World, and Me” and “Citizen an American Lyric” By Claudia Rankine. The main comparison between the texts is based on the themes developed by the different authors. Themes of racism, slavery, and discrimination form a larger part of the three works with the difference coming up in the way each author develops the themes.
Racism forms a large part of the three works. The setting of the works is in an American environment where racial lines are drawn between whites and blacks. Blacks in the context comprise of Americans of African origin that history has it that they descend from the African slaves who had been brought into America during the slavery period. The three authors appear to have faced the negative side of racism and have a word of caution for the audience. Racism is developed in a way to prepare the audience for what to expect in America. Generally, racism is viewed as a vice that creates unhealthy lanes for whites and blacks with the whites commanding superiority at the expense of the blacks.
In “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass”, racism is developed from a first-person narrative with the narrator having grown as a slave’s child. America is viewed as a place of suffering from the black slaves facing a real hell in the hands of harsh white masters[1]. The narrator recalls not having seen any sign of humanity in the masters. Slavery was a way of causing suffering to the slaves for the benefit of the whites. The narrator is pissed off by any mention of racial equality and believes that racism still exists. Besides, the narrator hates everything associated with racism and believes that even Christianity is built on hypocrisy: “I… hate the corrupt, slaveholding, women-whipping, cradle-plundering, partial and hypocritical Christianity of the land…” Douglass. Similarly, Ta-Nehisi holds a similar position towards the racial injustices in the US.
Racism appears severally in “Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi. The narrative in Ta-Nehisi’s work is done to a male child about the racial injustices in the US[2]. The author happens to have been a victim of police brutality and believes that the brutality was based on the fact that he was black. According to the author, being black in the United States is similar to crime. Besides, the author believes that America grows through oppression in racial terms and that everyone leaves for themselves in the US. The determination to find a heaven in the United is similar to a dream according to the author: “I would not have you descend into your dream…be a conscious citizen of this terrible and beautiful world…,” Ta-Nehisi. Generally, Ta-Nehisi holds the belief that racism is to blame for the suffering of blacks in the US. Similarly, “Citizen an American” presents a disheartening reality of racism in the United States: “Perhaps this is how racism feels no matter the context…the rules everyone else gets to play by no longer apply to you…,” Rankine. Therefore, the presentation of the theme of racism is similar in the three texts.
Slavery grows as a result of racism according to “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” by himself, Ta-Nehisi Coates’ “Between the World and Me” and “Citizen an American Lyric” By Claudia Rankine. The idea behind slavery is that one race believes that the other should be treated as inferior. Superior races use the excuse of regulating the inferior races to exploit the cheap labor available through slavery. The three authors have shown the relationship between slavery and racism. Also, the tone of the authors shows that the relationship is not admirable. Besides, slavery is the formalized form of racism with the masters being allowed by the law to exploit their fellow humans.
Frederick Douglass recalls the dehumanizing nature of slavery. The fact that slavery was combined with hatred emanating from racism made things worse for the slaves. Douglass was a child when he was initiated into slavery. According to Frederick Douglass, slavery would not have been evil if the masters had a little touch of humanity in them. Besides, Frederick Douglass recalls the racisms songs sang during slavery times. The dehumanizing nature of slavery moves the author into hating slavery and racism in equal measure: “The hearing of those wild notes always depressed my spirit…Those songs still follow me, to deepen my hatred of slavery…,”Douglass. Similarly, Ta-Henisi insists on the origin of racism being slavery. The current state of affairs is associated with the history of slavery. Ta-Henisi believes that racism is the twisted form of slavery and that only policies changed: “… today, Black life is cheap, but in America, black bodies are a natural resource of incomparable value,” Ta-Nehisi. However, Claudia Rankine, in “American a Citizen Lyric,” holds a different perspective on slavery and racism. Rankine believes that racism gives way for mental slavery[3]. The blacks are not allowed to be ambitious and are, therefore living in slavery.
Discrimination is another theme that is shared by the three works. Discrimination happens when opportunities are availed to certain individuals at the expense of others. Racism is a form of discrimination since opportunities are availed for one race. White supremacy limits the opportunities of blacks. Besides, slavery was based on the exploitation of Africans to create opportunities for whites. The authors hold to the belief that discrimination is worse in the present days because the offenders hide their intentions. Also, the present discrimination is different from the original form of slavery that was regulated by policies. The perspectives on slavery and discrimination appear similarly in the three texts.
Although the development of the theme of discrimination is different in the three texts, the main objective is to portray discrimination as a form of slavery. In Frederick Douglass’ case, discrimination bothers both the slave and the slaveholder. For example, the move by the slaveholders to place Frederick Douglass in control of other slaves showed that the whites did not want to see the sufferings of their subjects. Besides, holding a high position in a system that supports inequality does not give satisfaction. Frederick Douglass admits to having difficulties speaking to the whites. Also, Frederick Douglass believed that the whites were determined to break him by placing him in a position to see his fellow blacks suffering: “Mr. Covey succeeded in breaking me…I was broken in body, soul, and spirit. My natural elasticity was crushed…” Douglass. On the other side, Ta-Nehisi believes that discrimination has gotten to a level where blacks are not allowed to make mistakes: “One must be without error out here… Make no mistakes… But you are human…,” Ta-Nehisi. The perception leaves blacks in a complicated state while attempting to survive among the whites.
Similarly, Claudia Rankine believes that discrimination has taken a toll on everything. Besides, discrimination appears to be evident in everyday life with communication with the whites showing the intensity of the vice: “Perhaps the most insidious and least understood form of segregation is that of the word,” Rankine. Generally, the theme of discrimination is developed throughout the three texts.
In sum, several similarities and differences are evident in “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” by Himself, Ta-Nehisi Coates’ “Between the World and Me” and “Citizen an American Lyric” By Claudia Rankine. Themes of racism, slavery, and discrimination form a larger part of the three works with the difference coming up in the way each author develops the themes. Generally, the authors are interested in bringing to light the experiences of blacks in the United States.
Bibliography
Coates, Ta-Nehisi. Between the world and me. Text publishing, 2015.
Douglass, Frederick, and Harriet A. Jacobs. Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, an American slave. Random House Digital, Inc., 2000.
Rankine, Claudia. Citizen: an American lyric. Graywolf Press, 2014.
[1]Douglass, Frederick, and Harriet A. Jacobs. Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, an American slave. Random House digital, Inc., 2000.
[2] Coates, Ta-Nehisi. Between the world and me. Text publishing, 2015.
[3] Rankine, Claudia. Citizen: an American lyric. Graywolf Press, 2014.