Celia, A Slave...

1459 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Modern day slavery conclusions and discussions

CELIA, A SLAVE. A MIRROR TO SLAVERY AND INJUSTICE? A critical overview Celia, a Slave was a factual interpretation of one isolated incident that depicted common slave fear during the antebellum period of the United States. Melton A. McLaurin, the author, used this account of a young slave woman's struggle through the undeserved hardships of rape and injustice to explain to today's naive society a better depiction of what slavery could have been like. The story of Celia illustrates the root of racial problems Americans still face in their society. Although not nearly as extreme, they continue to live in a white-male dominated culture that looks down upon African-Americans, especially females. McLaurin looks at the views of the time, and speculates the probabilities of this pre - Civil War era, the values of which still pierce daily life in the United States. "The American constitution recognized slavery as a local constitution within the legal rights of the individual states. But in the North slavery was not adaptable to the local economy, and to many, it contradicted the vision of the founding fathers for a nation in which all men are to be free. The South considered slavery as a necessary institution for the plantation economy. It was linked to the local culture and society. As the United states expanded, the North worried that the South would introduce slavery into the new territories. Slavery had become both a moral issue and a question of political power." (Kral p61) This account of enduring adversity begins with a man by the name of Robert Newsom. After his wife passed away he apparently craved the need for sexual fulfillment. He came to the conclusion that the best possible way to nourish his craving was by purchasing a young, healthy slave to keep as his personal "mistress". So at the age of 14, Celia became a white-man's sexual object. Over time Celia accepted her role in the Newsom household and bore two of Newsom's children. Towards the end of her five years at the Newsom farm she began a personal romance with another slave by the name of George. Finally, George's masculine pride erupted and he demanded that Celia end this sexual relationship with Newsom. Celia went to Newsom in an effort to stop the nature of their affair, but was unsuccessful in doing so. Out of desperation it is believed that Celia even went to Newsom's two daughters, Virginia and Mary, who still lived with their father, to plead protection from him and his enforced sexual interactions, with no luck once again.

Show More
Related

  • Sectionalism Versus Nationalism and the Era of Good Feelings

    627 Words  | 2 Pages

    The United States began to dissatisfy some of its citizens and so the concerns of sectionalism, or the split of the country began to arise. There was a continuous riff between the south and the north over a few issues, a major one being slavery. The south argued that the slaves were necessary to support the southern economy. According to document A, the south were angry that the north was creating taxes that hurt the southern economy, thus increasing the need for slavery since they had to make up for the expense of the taxes. The south felt that the north was able...

    Read More

  • Melton A. McLaurin's Celia, A Slave

    1249 Words  | 3 Pages

    Celia, A Slave is a novel that narrates a teenage girl from located in the banks of the Missouri river in Calloway County. The story of the young girl defined the significance Gender in this historical discourse of this young slave. The newly settled slave holders in Calloway County in 1850 have included Robert Newsom who was a man of statute in terms of wealth and power. This is manifested in the novel because many slaveholders made their living by purchasing slaves. The reflection of this is the case of Robert Newsom who made his living by buying six slaves who will be responsible. He was very successful man both economically and socially and also a very powerful individual among the member of his household. But the death of his wife did take a significant turn of his life. The death of his partner forces him to seek for a replacement by purchasing a slave who will substitute his sexual desire that he was misses from his decease wife. Newsom embarked on a trip and bought Celia, A slave who was then fourteen year old and the relationship between master and slave established a sexual nature that will ever change until tragic took place.

    Read More

  • Thesis On Celia A Slave

    779 Words  | 2 Pages

    Celia, a Slave, a book by author Melton McLaurin, shows the typical relationship between a slave woman and her master in America during the 1850s. The story is the perfect example of how relationships between slave and their masters and other non-blacks within the community. This is shown through Celia’s murder of her slave owner, Robert Newsom. It was also shown through the community’s reaction that was involved in unraveling her court case. The Celia personal story illustrated how slave women was treated by their slave owners and how the laws wasn’t effective at protecting slave during the 1850s. Celia’s story help shed light on woman injustices, unconstitutional rights and most importantly racial issues/discrimination.

    Read More

  • Celia A Slave Analysis

    1426 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the nineteenth century, slaves were afforded very few, if any, civil rights and freedoms, often being treated very cruelly. Although the abusive treatment of slaves was not unusual, the act of a slave protecting themselves against a master was. In the book Celia, A Slave, McLaurin recounts the trial of a female slave who was charged, convicted, and later executed for the crime of murdering her master in 1855. The author provides evidence for her argument through analyzation of documents gathered from Callaway County, Missouri, and the area surrounding, during the mid-nineteenth century. As the circumstances of Celia’s case were unique, in the fact that she had violently retaliated, the debate arose as to whether she was afforded rights to

    Read More

  • Celia, A Slave by Melton McLaurin

    1206 Words  | 3 Pages

    Melton McLaurin vividly describes the life of a sexually abused slave who fought back in the non-fictional memoir titled Celia, A Slave. As the story began, the 1800s were impassioned with one civil disagreement between two sides of the United States—whether the nation should legally end or perpetuate human enslavement (16). Slavery was particularly and heavily supported by the citizens of the Calloway County, the home of Robert Newsom (19). The proof of increased crop production through slave labor convinced Newsom to begin his investment in black slaves (20). Having an increased number of farmhands allowed Newsom more time for relaxation and a higher social status. Soon, after understanding the ease of obtaining human property, Newsom invested in a young slave girl mainly as a sexual object and concubine rather than a physical or domestic laborer after the recent death of his wife (21). Purchasing a young slave for sex seemed justified, seeing the commonality of slavery in his area. It may seem morbid nowadays, but it was an un-discussed trend during this era of controversial slavery. He loosely assigned the girl the task of being a cook as a cover-up for his sexual misconduct, though it remained obvious to his immediate family (28). The girl was called Celia by her previous master, purchased from an unknown identity at a day’s trip away (23). Celia eventually became weary of her master’s endless sexual abuse and, in the process of defending herself, killed her owner and threw his body in a fire with fear, eventuating her controversial trial (35).

    Read More

  • Differences Between the North and South that Led to the Civil War

    1460 Words  | 3 Pages

    Constitutionally the North favored a loose interpretation of the United States Constitution, and they wanted to grant the federal government increased powers. The South wanted to reserve all undefined powers to the individual states themselves. The South relied upon slave labor for their economic well being, and the economy of the North was not reliant on such labor or in need of this type of service. This main issue overshadowed all others. Southerners compared slavery to the wage-slave system of the North, and believed their slaves received better care than the northern factory workers received from their employers. Many Southern preachers proclaimed that slavery was sanctioned in the Bible. Southern leaders had constantly tried to seek new areas into which slavery might be extended (Oates 349).

    Read More

  • Melton Mclaurin's Celia, A Slave

    756 Words  | 2 Pages

    Celia, a Slave is a true story of a fourteen-year-old female slave purchased from Audrain County, Missouri by a wealthy, middle-aged, widowed, landowner named Robert Newsom from Callaway County, Missouri. Celia was the first woman of five slaves Newsom owned. She was purchased to take the place of Newsom’s late wife. In 1855, Celia was charged with killing her master after being continuously raped by him for several years. In Melton McLaurin’s Celia, A Slave, McLaurin exemplifies the oppressive difficulties of a female slave in Missouri in the 1850s.

    Read More

  • Despair in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

    777 Words  | 2 Pages

    Linda Brent, Ms. Jacobs' pseudonym while writing "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl," became so entrenched in hatred of slaveholders and slavery that she lost sight of the possible good actions of slaveholders. When she "resolved never to be conquered" (p.17), she could no longer see any positive motivations or overtures made by slaveholders. Specifically, she could not see the good side of Mr. Flint, the father of her mistress. He showed his care for her in many ways, most notably in that he never allowed anyone to physically hurt her, he built a house for her, and he offered to take care of her and her bastard child even though it was not his.

    Read More

  • Celia A Slave Book Analysis

    735 Words  | 2 Pages

    The book Celia, a Slave by Melton Alonza McLaurin provides a critical insight into one of the pivotal points in the history of the American slavery: the trial of a young African American slave who had the courage to stand up against abuse but was executed by her master. McLaurin does not attempt to romanticize the story and instead strives to show the realities of the time when slaves were treated as commodities, deprived not only of their freedom but also of dignity and ethical treatment. The book Celia, a Slave by McLaurin is a good piece of historical writing that empowers to reader to live through the hardships of slaves, to learn more about the society based on slavery, and to ultimately gain deeper appreciation for racial and ethnic diversity that the American nation currently has.

    Read More

  • Slavery As A Positive Good

    1087 Words  | 3 Pages

    In 1838, in my Resolutions Upholding Slavery, I shared that we, the states, entered the Union under the Federal Constitution. We did this because of its view of increased security and its natural, political, and social advantages (Resolutions Upholding Slavery). Before this, we were free, independent and sovereign States, and since we have given the Union its power under the Constitution, the States should retain the power to choose slavery or not. Also, since slavery existed before and during the formation of the Constitution, and we give the Union its power, it is the Unions job to uphold the slave system. If they abolish slavery they are favoring the North, if they impose slavery on everyone they are going against the choice of many Northerners to not own slaves. The Constitution states the equality of rights among the people and if they take away or impose something on either the Southerners or the Northerners, this destroys that equality, and thus destroys the Union itself (Resolutions Upholding Slavery).

    Read More

  • Conservatism In The South Essay

    942 Words  | 2 Pages

    Even though other areas in the country did contain slavery, the south was the only region that maintained plantation slavery. Since the south was so involved and reliant on slavery, it was an area of the country that found its identity on more than just the Constitution and American ideals. At the Constitutional Convention of 1787, delegates, such as James Madison, noted that there was a clear division between the northern and southern states based on whom own slaves. Even in the early nineteenth century, the idea of the south existed in the minds of southerners and their identity was commonly founded in slavery. Since slavery was maintained for a great length of time and southern blood was shed to defend it, it was an identity that was passed down from generation to generation. This passing down of southern values would explain why distinct characteristics rooted in slavery continue to

    Read More

  • Celia, A Slave: A Tale of Antebellum Injustice

    836 Words  | 2 Pages

    During the 1850s, owning slaves interpreted a persons’ level of wealth in antebellum America, and Robert Newsom was not an exception. When he purchased Celia, he had owned five other slaves. “While it is possible that Newsom harbored some moral ambiguity about slave ownership, it is far more likely that he regarded it as a fitting reward for his years of labor, an indication of the social status he achieved through his own efforts” (10). In the year of 1850, Celia was purchased at the age of fourteen by Newsom. Celia is purchased because

    Read More

  • Why Was Slavery Important In America

    193 Words  | 1 Pages

    Slavery was very important in america, it led to a civil war and lasted from 1619 to 1865. Slavery of course dominated the south shaping it both economically and culturally. Slavery wasn't just a modern aspect of american society, by 1860 there were 4 million slaves in the U.S. and the south made up one-third of the total population. The majority of salve owners owned about up to five or less slaves same were even rented. Slavery was thought as an necessary evil, Jefferson once wrote quote “As it is, we have the wolf by the ear, and we can neither hold him… justice is in one scale, and self-preservation in the other” (Jefferson). The belief that justice and self preservation couldn't sit on the same side of the scale is really oppose to the

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay: The Pro Slavery Constitution

    1075 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the whole constitution, not a single word says that slavery is good, and is needed for society. Some argue that this point is made because the northern free state delegates wanted to ban slavery, but the southern slave states wanted slavery, or they were out. The idea was that the northern free states would hint that they didn't want slavery, because they still didn’t want slavery.

    Read More

  • Lady Liberty Thesis

    1198 Words  | 3 Pages

    The succession from England was not peaceful and many times throughout the revolution- England threatened the colonies slave trade. Thus when the United States constitution was implemented in 1779- provisions regarding slavery were included. In addition, southern states economies were heavily tied to slavery and the northern states benefited from southern states economy as well. The provisions to protect slavery included that all slaves be counted as 3/5th of a man in order to help the southern states political representation. It also prohibited the federal government from prohibiting the importation of slaves until January 1, 1808- a full twenty years after the constitution was made. In addition runaway slaves were required to be returned to their chattel owners even if they fled to a different

    Read More

More about Celia, A Slave...

Open Document