Reflecting- Wendy

Over the years in school; through all of the history classes I have taken we rarely think or touch on how freeman were doing in the free states (northern states). We only get one side of the story without learning about how the success and the well being of others in the northern states. We seem to focus on the negative effects of slavery but do not seem to take in consideration all the positive outcomes that freeman were doing once they were given the opportunity to succeed and express their emotions through literature and poems. While reading Huckleberry Finn it came to a surprise how Mark Twain incorporated the successful freeman in a book full or racism and inequality while also adding on to the theme of the book.

A free black man could of have more valuables than Pap but due to his color skin he was viewed as inferior. They were both proletarians disturbed at how much power and control the bourgeoisies had over them whatsoever had no intention to conquer fairness. Instead of them teaming up to over come this ruling system Pap lower the black man since they could not be seen as similar, not because of their wealth but due to the difference in their skin color. Pap did not have a nickel but was still on top of the social structure. In this time period social class was only for whites because color skin were always going to be at the bottom of the pyramid, seen at a lower level. It did not matter the greatness this black man could contribute to the economy by spending his money when he had a greater value as a slave. Slaves were the primary source of work that made the farms progress while building on the great life-styles of their owners. Pap was mad at how the freeman could vote when he still believed he should be owned by someone else and be producing money to his country’s economy. Slaves were keep away from education and the resources because that was the only way of suppressing them and making themselves seem better. Whites only wanted to succeed and have a great farm without having to work for it but by having free workers doing all the work and just bring success to their table.

Comparing the reality of the time period to what I had picture based on all the information and facts I had received in the past courses, I did not have a picture of black man succeeding and having more wealth than the white citizens. It came to a surprised when I read part of the passage in which Twain talks about the Black mans education and the wealth he has acquire. It connected to the idea I had always had that no matter what you come from or where you start if you want to succeed you will get to be what you want. If slaves were given the opportunity to follow their dreams and choose their own lifestyle they could become of a great help in our literary, economy and art.