Echoes of Frederick Douglass, an African American writer

Frederick Douglss' Narrative of the Life... is a crucial text to understand not only his life, but slavery, and the painful conditions in which a whole race lived for centuries. His book is not only a narrative, as the title puts it, but also an argument against slavery, written while most African Americans were unable to enjoy the equality and freedom preached by the American Declaration of Independence.

Most slaves were denied an education (together with an identity, clothing, food, fair treatment, and other basic human rights). Yet, they developed a body of oral literature, in which music and songs were a central part. At the end of chapter 2 of The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, he makes a reference to slaves' singing and its meaning.

The following activities are to be written down (or printed) and handed in on Wednesday, April 4th

Activity 2
Below you can read the lyrics of a worksong, originated in the Southern plantations, following the traditional "call-and-response" pattern typical of African culture, which the captured slaves brought with them ton America. One of them wpuld sing a line, and the rest would answer, collectively.
Write a short paragraph in which you give your own interpretation of this song, considering Frederick Douglass' explanation of what music and songs meant to slaves (this is one of those songs, actually).

I Wonder What’s the Matter

from Negro Work Songs and Calls

Leader: I wonder what the matter

Chorus: Oh – o, Lawd!

All: Well, I wonder what’s the matter with my long time here

Leader: Boys, I woke up early this mornin’.

Chorus: Hey, Lawd!

All: Boys, I woke up early this mornin’.

‘Bout the break of day

(The break of day. Hear it, hear it.

Leader: Well, the big bell sho was tonin’.

Chorus: Oh – o, Lawd!

All: Well, the big bell sho was tonin’.

Sho was. Good Lawd

Just a while fo’ day.

Judge right. Oh, yah! Everybody talk.

Leader: Well, the bully turn over in the bed a-grumblin’.

Chorus: Oh – o, Lawd.

All: Bully turn over in the bed a-grumblin’.

‘Bout that night so short.

Oh, Lawd.

Don’ hurt nobody.

Night so short.

Leader: Well, it look like it been one hour.

Chorus: Oh – o, Lawd.

All: Well, it look like it been one hour.

Oh, Lawd.

Pardner, since I lay down.

Oh, Lawd, since I lay down….

(Source: http://www.library.pitt.edu/voicesacrosstime/come-all-ye/ti/2006/Song%20Activities/0405PekarWhittakerWorkSongs.html

Activity 3

In the 20th century, an African American writer called Langston Hughes got his inspiration from the roots of these worksongs and spirituals, and recreated them in beautiful poems. Read the pone below, and in a short paragraph explain how his individual poem, written in the 20th century, recreates the songs of the period of slavery, in content, theme, style, language, etc.

Bound No’th Blues

Goin’ down the road, Lawd,
Goin’ down the road.
Down the road, Lawd,
Way,way down the road.
Got to find somebody
To help me carry this load.

Road’s in front o’ me,
Nothin’ to do but walk.
Road’s in front of me,
Walk…an’ walk…an’ walk.
I’d like to meet a good friend
To come along an’ talk.

Hates to be lonely,
Lawd, I hates to be sad.
Says I hates to be lonely,
Hates to be lonely an’ sad,
But ever friend you finds seems
Like they try to do you bad.

Road, road, road, O!
Road, road…road…road, road!
Road, road, road, O!
On the no’thern road.
These Mississippi towns ain’t
Fit fer a hoppin’ toad.

(Langston Hughes)

Anne Bradstreet: the feminine side of Colonial America

Between Old England and New England, in the midst of her domestic duties, Anne Bradstreet succeeds against the rudimentary conditions of colonial life at writing the verse that marks the beginning of American Poetry. Her strong puritan education together with her European past conform the background of her life and writing. Her lyric varies from everyday issues into deep spiritual meditations.“To my dear and loving husband” is her most famous poem, quoted in wedding ceremonies. Read this poem and note how Bradstreet presents the issue of love. What does she say to her husband? What does she say to women? Be ready to share your observations in class this Friday.

Puritan Beginnings

While some colonies in the south of what would later become the U.S.A. were founded after commercial enterprises, the north-eastern region known as New England was settled by a group of Puritans, called "the Pilgrims", or later called "the Pilgrim Fathers", who arrived on the Mayflower in 1620.

They founded Plymouth Plantation. The record of their experiment is carefully kept in William Bradford's Of Plymourth Plantation, a detailed account of the Pilgrims' first years in America.

The power of words

Why read literature?
Why teach literature?
Why study literature?

These questions have provoked a variety of answers in different times and places. Certainly they still prompt us to think and give our own answer, since we're here, together in this class.

We value literature, literary texts, books, because ...

* They shows us the world again, under a new light, so that we see it with renewed eyes.
* They may teach us what we want -or what we don't- want to be.
* They make us experience adventures, feelings, moments and whole lives that would be inaccessible to us in the "real" world.
* They may lead us to be better persons.
* They bring to us languages, cultures, authors, people and characters that we are not likely to meet otherwise.

Can you add your own reasons?
If you can't think of any others, "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" may help you. It was awarded the 2012 Oscar to the best animated movie, and it reflects many of the things we have been talking about. To watch it, click on the title on the right hand side of the screen.

Activity n° 1
After you watch the movie, write a list of the things books do for people, according to the director. Post it in the comments section below.