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Fyfe Dr. Adams 'Avowed Identity In The Underground Railroad'

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Elliot Fyfe Dr. Adams American Literature 4/16/24 Ascribed and avowed identity in The Underground Railroad and Selected Slave Narratives In the novel The Underground Railroad by Coleston Whitehead and also in the Slave Narrative from Sarah Gudger, the dialogue in both express the protagonists avowed identity as "less than" their white counterparts. Also throughout the novel, white people have expressed their ascribed identity towards black people, through their language and behavior towards black people. Looking at both the avowed identities of slaves, and the ascribed identities of white people, we can see the notion that black people are less than white people and the “norm” for the treatment of black people during the time. Different perspectives, like ascribed and avowed identities, in any …show more content…

Furthermore, another avowed identity is revealed in the Slave Narratives when Sarah says, “De rich white folks nebbah did no wok; dey had da’kies t’ do it foah dem.”(pg. 353). The 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary'. This quote also shows the avowed identities and perspectives that black people had regarding slavery by explaining that the black people seemed to be there just to do work for the white people. These quotes together and also separately offer a look into the perspectives of the slaves during the event, which is essential in forming the ideas of slavery in which we think about it today. Also, equally important in shaping the way we see events throughout history today are ascribed identities, which in this case are the people who are on the “giving end” of the ordeal. In the novel The Underground Railroad, ascribed identities, which are identities or a view that someone has upon someone else, particularly the view that black people were inherently less than whites are clearly expressed throughout the

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