Journal 1
- When reading the text from both authors, it can be construed that the language used by Boudinot is much more cordial toward the white rather than the disparaging remarks shown in Apess’ reading. Boudinot characterizes the natives as wrongdoers while comparing the whites if they were gods. “They hang upon your mercy as to a garment. Will you push them from you, or will you save them?” This statement is a clear connection between Boudinot’s merciful attitude toward whites and his desire to depict them as gods. The author here also is considering whites as the saviors of this race as well as portraying the idea of religion (Christianism). Thus, no matter how much work the native would do to get saved, only god (white) would be able to
…show more content…
In Apess’ reading “for he has made fifteen colored people to one white, and placed them here upon this earth” and “if each skin had its national crimes written upon it, which skin do you think would have the greatest?” shows us the complete opposite of what Boudinot stated. Here he clearly denounces the whites for not professing Christianity or its teachings. All in all, Boudinot praised whites while Apess condemned them. Being highly educated as he was, Boudinot knew how to better appeal to the whites. Having said that, Boudinot addressed the whites in a way that they were used to. Boudinot want it his point of view to be made very clear: white people were the only saviors. The natives needed support at that time. Using such language led the whites to raise the monetary support the natives needed. The strategy here was to “[…] catch more bees with honey than with vinegar”. Unlike Boudinot, Apess does not use disparaging remarks towards the natives. He portrays the natives as the people who were in need of help and the white could potentially be