African-American Literature Fredrick Douglas and Confessions of Nat Turner

African-American Literature

In literature the relationship between the text and paratext is used to introduce the reader to the subject and setting of novel. As the paratext, is utilized to inform and influence their minds before they have started reading the actual book. In African-American literature before the Civil War, this was a standard way publishers used to provide some kind of insights about what people were reading. To fully understand how this is taking place requires comparing the use of this technique in The Confession of Nate Turner to the Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass. Once this takes place, it will offer specific insights as to how the paratext is used to influence the readers.

The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglas

In the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas, Lloyd Garrison has written in the paratext. Inside, he discusses meeting Douglas in 1841 and how he came to see that the idea of slavery was wrong based upon his association with him. This helped him to change his views about: what this means to society and on the issue of the abolishing the practice. Once this occurred is when Garrison would become against slavery itself. Evidence of this can be seen with comments that he is making at the end of the prologue with him saying, "Be faithful, be vigilant, be untiring in your efforts to break every yoke and let the opposed go free. No compromise with slavery. No union with slaveholders." This is important, because it is showing how Garrison is taking a radical tone that is telling the reader about how the book is highlighting the immorality within society. Once this occurs, is when they will understand the subject matter and the underlying theme. This is the point that readers of the time would assume that the author is taking more of a radical view (based on the fact that the paratext is embracing this tone). (Douglas, 1845, pg. 10)

This is different from the views of Douglass, as he is trying to tell about the horrors of slavery from the actual events that he witnessed. A good example of this can be seen with him talking about how his father is white and his mother was a slave. As Douglass, never knew her and witnessed how this practice was common throughout the region that he grew up in. The reason why is because, this helped to allow the slave master have even greater amounts of control over their female slaves. Commenting about this practice Douglass observed, "The children of slave women shall in all cases follow the condition of their mothers. This is done to administer to their own lusts, make a gratification of their wicked desires profitable and pleasurable. For this cunning arrangement, the slaveholder sustains the double relation of master and father." (Douglas, 1845, pg. 18) This is significant, because it is showing the brutality that institution of slavery has created. When you compare this with the paratext, Douglass is taking a more graphic view of highlighting why slavery is wrong. Thus is different from the beliefs of Garrison, by showing how this tradition continues with no one questioning its legitimacy. As a result, the paratext is highlighting how the novel is taking anti-slavery theme to another level. What it does not tell you, is that it will show the reader (from vantage point of slave) how this practice is wrong.

The Confession of Nate Turner

In The Confession of Nate Turner, Thomas Gray is speaking for Nate Turner. He is slave who led the largest uprising in U.S. history. What happened was Turner published a pamphlet before his death that described: how and why the 1831 insurrection would occur in Virginia. As he was able to lead a group of slaves who: overpowered and gained control of South Hampton Country, Virginia. Once the uprising was over is when Turner would tell everything that happened with these events to his attorney (Thomas Gray). He would then take these conversations and distribute them as a pamphlet for the public to read.

In the literature, Gray is painting Turner as someone who knowingly violated the law and is unremorseful about the actions that they have engaged in. Where, he is seen as a fugitive slave who planned on murdering white people. Evidence of this can be seen with Gray writing, "Whilst everything upon the surface wore a calm and peaceful aspect. A gloomy fanatic was revolving in the recesses of his own dark, bewildered and overwrought schemes to indiscriminately massacre all of the whites." (Gray, 1856, pg. 338) This is significant, because it is showing how Gray is trying to make Turner out to be a criminal that is confessing to his crimes.