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Father Comes Home From The Wars By Suzan Lori Parks

2622 Words11 Pages

In “Father Comes Home from the Wars,” Suzan-Lori Parks thoroughly examines the dehumanising effects of enslavement that systematically strips away the identities of the enslaved, rendering them devoid of autonomy, agency and dignity within the oppressive system of slavery. This is conveyed through the interactions between the Colonel and Hero, where the Colonel interrogates Hero about his worth. The Colonel’s question “how much did I pay for you?” serves as a reflection of the Colonel asserting his power and control over Hero, thereby reducing him to a mere commodity to be bought and sold. This ultimately underscores the transactional nature of slavery, reflecting a system that prioritises the economic benefits and profits derived from the …show more content…

By being denied their basic rights for privacy and being subjected to constant scrutiny and invasion, their status as a property of their enslaver is reinforced. The Colonel’s confession “I knew you did, but I didn’t whip you for it” exposes the power dynamics ingrained within the master-slave relationship. Though he is aware of Hero’s act of defiance, he refrains from administering punishment, reinforcing his authority over those deemed inferior to him. This display of leniency is not merely an act of mercy but rather a calculated assertion of domination, drawing attention to the Colonel’s ability to meet out consequences at his discretion. By doing this, he instils a sense of indebtedness and obedience in Hero. Through this, Suzan-Lori Parks foregrounds the power dynamics inherent in a master-slave relationship, and how it is utilised to not only maintain dominance over the enslaved but also perpetuate the systems of oppression that keep them chained to lower positions in society. Parks depicts the mechanisms by which enslavers enforce submission and sheds light on the ways in which power is wielded to reinforce hierarchies and marginalise the

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