Slave Narratives and Moral Degradation

A detailed Summary of Slave Narratives and Moral Degradation

Slavery and the Moral Depravation of a Nation

Slavery is a well-known disgrace of the past. It is important to realize that this is true, not only for the injustices done unto the slaves, but for the negative effects on the slaveholders. When basic rights of freedom are denied in a society, no ethical principles will be upheld. The fact that this sinful treatment of other human beings was permitted had a morally crippling effect on the entire country. The power that slavery put in the hands of whites made them exploiting and cruel. Slavery corrupts the morals of everyone within its reach.

President Thomas Jefferson was noting just this, when he commented, "There must doubtless be an unhappy influence on the members of our people produced by the existence of slavery among us" (Jefferson). He pointed out that children of slavemasters grow up witnessing the abuse and cruelty that goes on, and incorporate it into their own personalities as adults. In this way, slavery is so dangerous. Younger generations, when forming their senses of right and wrong, are presented with examples of brutality that are widely deemed acceptable. And, once daily trained in this tyrannical manner, they become "stamped with odious peculiarities" (Jef

Such basic equality was certainly not experienced by William Wells Brown as a slave in the mid-19th century. After being sent to receive a beating by order of his master, Brown is able to trick another man into receiving it for him. Upon reflection of his malicious act, Brown states, "slavery makes its victims lying and mean; for which vices it afterwards reproaches them, and uses them as arguments to prove that they deserve no better fate" (Brown 255). The actions of the master not only influence his children's behavior, but that of his slaves. If a slave is never treated as anything more than an animal, why should he at all believe that more is expected of him and his behavior? It can be seen that without a moral code, all of society becomes offensive and bitter. Furthermore, it is a vicious cycle for the slaves. They act on the attitudes they have witnessed all around them, are reprimanded as lowly barbarians, and further seal their fate as second class citizens. This is due to the fact that slaves were acknowledged as men as far as the laws of the time. Many crimes, if committed by a black man, were punishable by death. This is an acknowledgement that black men have to take responsibility for their actions and decisions. However, although punished like men, they are still not treated like men. A double standard clearly exists here.

Harriet Jacobs, like Brown, asks her readers to reflect on the existence of this double standard in considering her actions under slavery. After admitting to having sacrificed her purity in the name of revenge, she asks for understanding: "the condition of a slave confuses all principles of morality, and in fact renders the practice of them impossible" (Jacobs 220). Jacobs lives in a society that refuses to protect her with laws or customs, and she should therefore be judged with different precepts in mind. If one cannot legally own their body, how can they be responsible for its actions? Jacobs tells of the sexual violations her master routinely practiced on her. Apparently, slavery not only confuses the morality of the slaves, but also those of the master who holds no respect for a woman's privacy. Just think, here in this one house, there is a mature, adult male harassing a young woman he considers property and privilege. Then, a mistress filled with jealousy and rage and acting on these emotions. And finally a young slave burdened by race and gender, anxious to

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Approximate Word count = 1632
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History