The Role Of Self Identity In Stamp Paid's Beloved

When asked to ponder slavery, students reveal that that they consider it a phase of the past. Although slavery was included in a relatively large portion of United States history, our society has moved on. These students remember slavery in its textbook form: the act of controlling others through punishments and strenuous labor without any form of payment. However, what students tend to overlook is that slavery went beyond the superficial understanding and tampered with not only slaves subjected to inhumane treatment, but also with society’s peace of mind. In fact, slavery still haunts our society, as exemplified through African Americans’ tarnished sense of identity, the unwilling acknowledgement of the past to understand the present, and
Prior to the abolishment of slavery, slaves were deprived of the right to vote, to own property, and most importantly, the freedom of choice.When slaves were finally free, they had to ask themselves, “Who am I? What is my purpose in the world?” While some slaves were at a loss for words, there were several African Americans who knew where their destinies lie. In Beloved, a character known as Stamp Paid explains the concept of African Americans using their knowledge in order to get ahead. However, he reveals that, in addition to “having to use their head to get ahead, they had the weight of the whole race sitting there. [They] needed two heads for that,” (Morrison 234). In other words, African Americans who had the fortune of being educated were pressured to do well because they were representing an entire race; anything that they did was monitored by white Americans, who were waiting to see them fail. In the eyes of white Americans, African Americans were considered as subhumans who encroached the United States. Although many people today believe that this type of mindset had ceased as the years progressed, in many ways it has not: African Americans still have to undertake as much pressure in order to prove themselves, in addition to their race, as “worthy.” In the land of opportunity, it is impossible
Whether or not slavery apologists agree, white Americans attributed to many negative events that occurred in the lives of slaves. In Beloved, Denver reminisces an argument between Sethe and Baby Suggs regarding how one should consider white Americans before she sets out of the safe haven of her home. Although Sethe does point out some examples of how they helped slaves, Baby Suggs concludes, “There’s more of us they drowned than there is all of them ever lived from the start of time. Lay down your sword. This ain’t a battle; it’s a rout,” (Morrison 244). In other words, Baby Suggs believes that whites have done more harm than good, and that there is no point in fighting against them. In her perspective, black Americans are defenseless in this fight against white Americans and are going to be treated differently. However, rather than hide in 124 from this fear, Baby Suggs advises Denver to acknowledge the fear and experience the outside world. Unfortunately, in today’s society, African American parents still deem it necessary to inform their children about this overwhelming defeat of explaining why they are treated differently as the result of their skin tone. On the radio show, This American Life, Kamau Bell discusses his journey of determining the right moment to reveal to his