The trial was a very interesting
story in the sense that it focused on the trial or lack there of, of Bill
Noakes. Bill Noakes killed Captain Ned Blakely’s black slave. I find it very
interesting that the captain is so focused on “justice” for his slave when
during that time is a slave was murdered nobody turned a head or even thought
about a trial or charges against the murderer. What is even more interesting is
how motivated he is about killing Noakes for his crime. Blakely’s deck hands
were pushing for a trail. This attitude is very unusual for the time period.
1865
DEC. 6, 1865
The 13th Amendment to the
United States Constitution abolished slavery. However, Southern states managed
to revive slavery era codes creating unattainable prerequisites for blacks to
live, work or participate in society. The following year, the First Civil
Rights Act invalidated these "Black Codes," conferring the
"rights of citizenship" on all black people.
1868
JULY 9, 1868
The 14th Amendment
granted due process and equal protection under the law to African Americans.
1870
FEB. 3, 1870
The 15th Amendment granted blacks the right to
vote, including former slaves.
Jim Crow laws:
In the 1870s the Jim Crow laws were
introduced. The Jim crow laws lasted between 1877 and the mid 1960s. These laws
basically gave a "separate but equal" status to the African Americans
living in the United States. The South wanted to keep control of the blacks.
All of the southern states had their own sets of Jim Crow laws. Some common Jim
Crow laws was that white children and black children would go to separate
schools, they were not aloud to mix. In theaters there was separate seating for
whites and blacks; they were not aloud to sit together. In some states a black
barber was not aloud to cut a white woman or girl's hair. If they did they
would be accused of rape. On buses and trains white and black people had to sit
in separate compartments. In many states such as Florida, marriage between
someone who was white and someone who was black was forbidden. Black men could
not shake hands with whites, and had to address them respectfully usually with
"sir" or "mam'" whereas whites could call them by their
first name. Black and whites were not aloud to eat together.
I think that Ned Blakely's feelings may be a challenge to the era, but at the same time, slaves were also property, so murder of a slave could almost be seen as theft to very detached slave owners concerned about the bottom line.
ReplyDeleteI actually thought Ned Blakely's feelings were a testament of the era and the society he lived in. The way I saw it, Ned Blakely felt the need for justice not because a human was murdered, but because his "property" was irrevocably damaged. This was due mostly to the context clues left in the dialogue: "Sound be hanged! 'Didn't he kill the nigger?'" (Twain 104). From the sound of this (and comfortable use of the word 'nigger'), Blakely was not too distressed that his first mate was killed. To me, the first mate was more of a pet/property like Alex said, but I think Blakely's behavior exhibited the typical feelings of that era.
ReplyDeleteMelanie, it took me a couple read-through's to understand your line, "This attitude was unusual for the time period." First, I thought the deckhands' desire for a trial was the unusual attitude, but I see you're talking about Blakely's desire for justice, which was a point I think Twain wanted the reader to notice and think on. The issue here is just deciding if Blakely wants justice for a murdered human or restitution for damaged "property."
I like the way you guys thought about this. It had not even occurred to me to think about it in that light. Thanks for your comments. I think about that story in a different way now.
ReplyDeleteI was curious as to what made you include the amendments and the explanation of the Jim Crow laws? Were those pieces of evidence included just to strengthen the image of racism we receive when reading "A Trial" or was there something else to think on with those subjects?
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts went along Justine's most recent questions. I really like that you included the civil rights amendments and the Jim Crow Laws, but I really want to know what you were thinking when you put them down. What was the connection you were trying to make here? It seems we all are thinking that Ned Blakely is upset he lost his property now, but what do you think Twain is trying to show us by having Blakely want retribution?
ReplyDelete