How Do The Last Lines Of Phyllis Wheatley’s “On Being Brought From Africa To America” Make The Beginning Of The Poem Mean Something Different Than What Readers At First Think?

On being brought from Africa

Introduction

Story title, Background information

Phyllis Wheatley’s poem “On Being Brought from Africa” conveys the themes of freedom and redemption. Phyllis Wheatley is a famous African-American poet, brought to America during her childhood.

Transition/ general statement: Blacks are the children of Cain having the duty of serving the whites.

Thesis statement: Blacks can be trained like whites for attaining equality and freedom.

Body paragraph 1

The first point of discussion: The belief that blacks as children of Cain, promoted the concept of slavery and oppression.

Specific support 1

Quote: “Remember, Christians, Negros, black as Cain, maybe refin’d and join th’ angelic train”.

Follow-up explanation

The quote reflects that the freedom of blacks depends on the training that will change them. The miseries suffered by blacks is due to the fact that they lack training and education.

Specific support 2: Redemption will allow the black race to connect with God like whites.

Quote: “once I redemption neither sought nor knew. Some view our sable race with the scornful eye".

Follow-up explanation

What African-Americans suffer is the result of contemporary social structure. The poet considers America as a land of redemption.

Conclusion

Rather than complaining about slavery, Negros must find ways of redemption.

Essay

Phyllis Wheatley’s poem “On Being Brought from Africa” conveys the themes of freedom and redemption. The poet uses her personal experience for highlighting the tragedy of African-Americans. The last lines make the beginning of the poem by portraying the realities of Africans in America. It transmits the central idea of Wheatley about the miseries endured by blacks. Blacks are the children of Cain having the duty of serving the whites. This ideology convinced Africans to continue serving the whites. Blacks can be trained like whites for attaining equality and freedom.

The belief that blacks as children of Cain promoted the concept of slavery and oppression. The poet states, “remember, Christians, Negros, black as Cain, maybe refin’d and join th’ angelic train” CITATION Phi68 \l 1033 (Wheatley). It was impossible for blacks to get rid of slavery because society related them with Cain. They lacked equal rights and were treated brutally. The quote reflects that the freedom of blacks depends on the training that will change them CITATION Man15 \l 1033 (Mani). The miseries suffered by blacks are due to the fact that they lack training and connection with God. Wheatley claims that the only way of refining the black race is by uniting with God.

Redemption will allow the black race to connect with God like whites. The poet mentions, "once I redemption neither sought nor knew. Some view our sable race with the scornful eye" CITATION Phi68 \l 1033 (Wheatley). It is time to forget about slavery and develop redemption. This is the only way of changing the fate of blacks. What African-Americans suffer is the result of contemporary social structure. The poet considers America as a land of redemption and people must focus on God’s redemptive plan CITATION CHE12 \l 1033 (Sesay). The poet emphasizes on redemption and changes rather than complaining about slavery. There are people who have scorned African-Americans. However, he explains that it is not only the right of whites to build a connection with God. Blacks can learn ways of establishing a link with God that will change their status of slavery and oppression.

Rather than complaining about slavery, Negros must find ways of redemption. Wheatley is against black oppression but she does not limit herself to the problems. her poem provides a solution for overcoming slavery. Through redemption and building bonding with God, blacks can get rid of slavery and inequality.

Work Cited BIBLIOGRAPHY

Mani, Manimangai. "Racial Awareness in Phillis Wheatley’s Selected Poems." International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences 56 (2015): 74-79.

Sesay, Chernoh M. "Review: “A Narrative . . . On Being Brought from Africa to America”: The Poetics of Liberation and the Business of Redemption in the Black Atlantic." Massachusetts Historical Review (2012).

Wheatley, Phillis. On Being Brought from Africa to America. 1768. <https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/being-brought-africa-america>.