Mulatto: Slavery and Adroitly Ties Georges
The Effects of Slavery on Georges in "The Mulatto"
Victor Sejour 's "The Mulatto" (1837) is a short story about the biracial slave, Georges, who is unknowingly the son of his own master. Georges is a respectable man who shows loyalty and devotion to his master and family. As the story progresses, however, Georges is overcome by the evils associated with slavery. The respect he has for his master changes to a sense of pure hatred as he seeks revenge for his wife 's death. Ultimately, Georges ' evolution from a virtuous man to a revenge-seeking murderer makes Georges just as evil as his father-master. Georges is a victim of the evil and corruption caused by slavery, proving that slavery is so destructive in nature that it is impossible to remain virtuous while surrounded by it. [This writer provides author, title, date, a brief summary of the story and the part Georges plays in it. Writer then explains who George is, how he changes, and what he ultimately represents on the thematic level. A very strong introductory paragraph.] One of the first scenes with Georges shows him making a promise to his mother that he will not open a letter that she gives him, which contains the name of his father, until he is twenty- five- years-old. [This first sentence is weak because it does not indicate clearly the topic of this paragraph.] Georges does not break his promise to her, leaving the letter sealed until after he murders his father-master. This loyalty to his mother gives the reader a good indication of the type of person that Georges is before he is affected by slavery. Even though Georges "would have given ten years of his life to know the name of his father" (357) he remains faithful to his mother, as he "dared not violate the solemn oath" (357) [Excellent use of quotes.] he had made to her. Before he is introduced to the cruelness of slavery, Georges is depicted as a trustworthy man with good morals. [This paragraph would be more effective if the writer
Victor Sejour 's "The Mulatto" (1837) is a short story about the biracial slave, Georges, who is unknowingly the son of his own master. Georges is a respectable man who shows loyalty and devotion to his master and family. As the story progresses, however, Georges is overcome by the evils associated with slavery. The respect he has for his master changes to a sense of pure hatred as he seeks revenge for his wife 's death. Ultimately, Georges ' evolution from a virtuous man to a revenge-seeking murderer makes Georges just as evil as his father-master. Georges is a victim of the evil and corruption caused by slavery, proving that slavery is so destructive in nature that it is impossible to remain virtuous while surrounded by it. [This writer provides author, title, date, a brief summary of the story and the part Georges plays in it. Writer then explains who George is, how he changes, and what he ultimately represents on the thematic level. A very strong introductory paragraph.] One of the first scenes with Georges shows him making a promise to his mother that he will not open a letter that she gives him, which contains the name of his father, until he is twenty- five- years-old. [This first sentence is weak because it does not indicate clearly the topic of this paragraph.] Georges does not break his promise to her, leaving the letter sealed until after he murders his father-master. This loyalty to his mother gives the reader a good indication of the type of person that Georges is before he is affected by slavery. Even though Georges "would have given ten years of his life to know the name of his father" (357) he remains faithful to his mother, as he "dared not violate the solemn oath" (357) [Excellent use of quotes.] he had made to her. Before he is introduced to the cruelness of slavery, Georges is depicted as a trustworthy man with good morals. [This paragraph would be more effective if the writer
Cited: Sejour, Victor. “The Mulatto”. The Norton Anthology of African American Literature. Ed. Henry Louis Gates Jr. New York: Norton, 2004. 353. Print.