Warning: Use of undefined constant referer - assumed 'referer' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 102

Warning: Use of undefined constant host - assumed 'host' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 105

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays:102) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 106

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays:102) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 109
Distraction In Chesnutts Novel - College Paper

Distraction In Chesnutts Novel

"Are you seriously considering the possibility of a man's being turned into a tree," questions John of his wife in Charles Chesnutt's novel The Conjure Woman. His attention to the supernatural in the stories told by Uncle Julius lead him to miss the significance of the themes behind the stories. Rather than understanding, the humanity of the slave and his need for love he simply focuses on the fact that he Sandy becomes a tree. This is just one example of John's misunderstanding of the stories told by Uncle Julius. The character's inability to look beyond the surface of the stories he hears, influences his perception of the validity of these stories. Further, because he refuses to ...

Want to read the rest of this paper?
Join Essayworld today to view this entire essay
and over 50,000 other term papers

relationship between families. One way in which the author addresses this issue is in "Sis' Becky's Pickaninny." Chesnutt condemns the treatment of slaves as capital, while confirming their need for family. To illustrate, when Becky is traded for a racehorse she is devastated by the loss of her son. In order to keep the family together the aunt resorts to hiring a local conjure woman to bring the family together again. Only after Becky and Mose are reunited, is she able to find some semblance of happiness. Becky's desire to remain with her son dispels the myth that African American's were inhuman, incapable of caring about their children. At the same time, the story indicts the nostalgia for slavery as a good and fair institution. John appears to miss the implication a he is too busy focusing on the practical matters of the story. Annie on the other hand, searches for the true meaning behind the story and finds truth in it. When her husband points out the unearthly ...

Get instant access to over 50,000 essays.
Write better papers. Get better grades.

Already a member? Login

CITE THIS PAGE:

APA
MLA
Chicago
Turabian

Distraction In Chesnutts Novel. (2007, November 14). Retrieved January 22, 2025, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Distraction-In-Chesnutts-Novel/74304

"Distraction In Chesnutts Novel." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 14 Nov. 2007. Web. 22 Jan. 2025. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Distraction-In-Chesnutts-Novel/74304>

"Distraction In Chesnutts Novel." Essayworld.com. November 14, 2007. Accessed January 22, 2025. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Distraction-In-Chesnutts-Novel/74304.

JOIN NOW

Join today and get instant access to this and 50,000+ other essays

PAPER DETAILS

Added: 11/14/2007 12:18:56 PM
Category: English
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 768
Pages: 3

Save |

Report

SHARE THIS PAPER

SAVED ESSAYS

Save and find your favorite essays easier