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African American Literature

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African American Literature
African American literature paper
Gerald Washington
ENG/301
4/22/2013
Julie Kares

African American literature paper
African American writing is outstandingly interesting, and very informative. All African American writers observe cultural dealing in related and diverse understandings. The three stories that I decided to talk about in this task is “To my old Master” by Jourdon Anderson, “My White Folks Treated us Good” by Marriah Hines, and “If we must die” by Claude McKay. In these stories they observed prejudice, discrimination, and inclusive behaviors throughout the years. The writers open the reader’s eyes to things that were going on in each writer’s life. We will see that each writer was going through the same thing being an African American in America. “My White Folks treated us good” by Marriah Hines (p.32). She talked about how her master took care of them by nourishing, the way he dressed them and how he did not hold them back from them developing. The women were right when she said it was exploitation of former slaves. She specified “Some unfortunate individuals practically have nothing to eat. Why, the way their owners treated them was disgraceful treated them like felines and canines” (Hines, p. 32). Hines made remarks about how her master did not permit them to work on Sundays because it was a day for rest. Hines made it clear how nice it was to work for the master that she worked for. She was treated with respect she was not beaten, raped or injured by her master. She told the readers the different between her master and other masters, how others so him as an African American lover. Her master was a religious person went to church and always encourage the slaves to go to church also but did not care if they did not. Even when the slaves were set free the slaves wanted to stay. “Most of us stayed right there and raised our own crops.” (p. 34). She concluded the way she was able to survive was because of her master. When the slaves became free

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