What hatred will Do
Of all the atrocities, man has endured; none has caused more misery and destruction to the soul than human bondage, also identified as slavery. It is illustrated in Louisa May Alcott's story: "My Contraband," originally published "The Brothers." The Civil War was fought over slavery. It pitted brother against brother, but this did not kill these brothers, it was the deep and festering hatred they had for each other that sent them to their early graves. The story these individuals create is complex and depressing; the main character, Robert is a contraband (a slave who has come to the North to seek freedom). Instead of finding freedom, he finds his half brother Ned and his wife Lucy. After the death of his master, Robert arrives from the South to freedom in the North to work in a hospital caring for wounded men of the war. His assignment is to help Miss Dane, a nurse, tend to a dying Rebel.Miss Dane appears to be the narrator in the story She is aware of Robert's troubled existence and observes despair from the moment their encounter. Upon their first meeting, she sensed sadness from deep within him she remarked, "I had seen colored people in what they call "the black sulks" when,
The Brothers or My Contraband Louisa May Scott Miss Dane and the Doctor helped Robert start over. He enlisted in the 54th Regiment. He fought bravely taking risks, which pointed to his desire to die and join Lucy. Miss Dane received a letter stating, "I'll fight fer yer till I'm killed, which I hope will be fore long" (538). He was sent to fight at Fort Wagner. While there he spotted Ned "He was the fust up" (540) Ned shouted "Bob" (540). Robert shouted "Marster Ned" (540). He ran towards Ned who stabbed him with a sword in return Robert's fellow soldier did the same to Ned. Robert's story brought out the compassion in Miss Dane. She was able to understand and feel some of the hatred Robert felt for Ned, as a human being she was aware that she must make every effort to keep Ned alive regardless of her feelings towards him. She appealed to Robert's inner yearning, the glimmer of hoe that Lucy may still be alive. He questioned her "Do you believe. If I let Master Ned live, the Lord will give me back my Lucy (536). She replied, "As surely as there is a Lord you will find her here or in the beautiful hereafter, where there is no black or white, no master and no slave (536). This small amount of hope was what was needed to keep Ned alive, shortly. For seven days, Miss Dane nursed the Rebel and for these seven days, he did regain consciousness. At times his presence could not be felt, until in his feverish state he begins to ramble on. At times his rambling would be incoherent other times she would be able to understand what he was saying. On this night the Doctor is skeptical about his survival he instructs her to "Give him water as long as he can drink, and if he drops into a natural sleep, it may save him...Nothing but sleep or a miracle will keep him now..." (531). At that moment the Rebel called out for "Lucy" (531). Miss Dane felt "some new terror seemed to have gifted him with momentary strength" (531). She went to his side exclaiming, "Yes, here's Lucy" (531) this agit
Some common words found in the essay are:
Miss Dane, Sit Missus, Civil War, Robert Lucy, Fort Wagner, Who's Lucy, Ned Robert, Lucy Hatred, Robert Ned, Lord Lucy, miss dane, 531 miss dane, human bondage, able understand, life rebels, ned live, seven days, 531 miss, lucy 531, lucy miss dane, miss dane appears, fort wagner, lucy miss,
Approximate Word count = 1342
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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