Slavery in literature

After examining the neo-slave genre it becomes evident that the definition of the
genre provided by AshrafRushdy is incomplete, because it does not include an important
component of the narrative, literacy. By adding to Rushdy's definition, the narrative's
dimensions change and the discussion of the genre is given a new perspective. Many
neo-slave narratives' discussions of literacy correspond to the time of publication, not the
time period or setting of the novels. Therefore, by interpreting the development of
literacy alongside the neo-slave narrative, one is able to consider the significance of this
connection. By examining three novels within the neo-slave genre, Ishmael Reed's
Flight to Canada (1976), Shirley Ann Williams's Dessa Rose (1986) and Toni
Morrison's Beloved (1987), I contend that Ashraf Rushdy' s definition of the narrative
appears too limited. The cultural perspective and use of literacy within the neo-slave
novel allows for further examination of this important component.

Literary scholars have been examining and recreating the experiences of
“bonded” female characters within Toni Morrison’s novels for decades. However, the
distinct experiences of these enslaved women, that are also mothers have not been
astutely examined by scholars and deserves more attention. My thesis fleshes out the
characterization of several of Morrison’s bonded-mothers and identifies them as a part of
a developing controlling image and theory, called the bondmother. Situating these
characters within this category allows readers to trace their journeys towards freedom and
personal redemption. This character tracing will occur by examining the following Toni
Morrison novels: Beloved (1987) and Paradise (1997). In order to fully examine the
experiences of these characters it will be necessary for me to expand the definition of
bondage and mother.

The three novels examined in this thesis do not deal with the subject of slavery directly; however, I argue that, much like slave narratives, they all depict oppressive master/slave relationships and feature protagonists who fight for freedom through literacy and/or education. This thesis outlines three contemporary novels that take place during or after the Civil Rights Movement, what I call "freedom narratives," that not only signify on, but pay tribute to, the slave and neo-slave narrative tradition. These novels borrow from the tradition, not only in terms of structure, but also in terms of plot, point of view, theme, and resolution. Additionally, through the novels, one can see how the trauma of slavery in America permeates contemporary American homes, both White and Black. This thesis focuses on PUSH by Sapphire, The Darkest Child by Delores Phillips, and Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison to illustrate the significance and the impact of the traditional slave narrative and the trauma of slavery on contemporary novels and American people.