Renato Ramblas
May 6, 2015
Proffessor Young English 1101
Essay 1
Freedom
"There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundation of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges. A promise all men would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness". These are the words of Martin Luther King Jr. in his pursuit for every man no matter the race or color in America be free. Despite Martin Luther Kin's best efforts, many individuals had little to no freedom in America for instance, in James McBride's novel " The Good Lord Bird", readers are introduced to two characters Sibonia and Pie. Both Sibonia and Pie are women slaves working for slave owner Miss Abbey in her businesses . One would think that both Sibonia and Pie are equally without freedom because they are slaves but that is far from the case. Pie is freer than Sibonia because she had more rights as a slave than Sibonia did.
How can a slave be free or even have any freedoms at all? As long as you were black you had no freedom period! Since freedom can be defined in many ways I'll be concentrating on whether Pie or Sibonia had more rights than the other. If one of these characters had more rights than I conclude one was in fact freer than the other. Pie was a slave who worked in Miss Abbey's whorehouse. Pie was not like other Negro's she was special. Pie was a mulatto woman. In contrast Sibonia was a slave who worked outdoors at a pigpen. Sibonia is a outspoken individual and somewhat crazy as well.
Slaves who worked indoors were above those who worked outdoors. Unlike Sibonia, Pie worked indoors as a whore in Miss Abbey's whorehouse. Working indoors had its advantages compared to working outside. Outdoor workers had hard manual labor while working indoors did not. Also working indoors meant you had more contact with the outside world. I would even go on to say Pie is a step below Miss Abbey in authority. According to Onion, " Miss Abby gived her the run of the place, let her choose her own customers more or less, and live as she wanted." (McBride).This made Pie free because she had certain rights a colored woman wouldn't. If your slave owner gave you rights to operate one of there most successful businesses alone you weren't just looked as a slave anymore you were viewed as a person who could be trusted.
The differences between how Sibonia and Pie dressed also determined why Pie was freer than Sibonia. Working as a whore Pie had to wear clothing that made men dumbstruck. According to Onion, Pie wore a flowered blue dress. Other slaves like Sibonia didn't even wear clothing but instead would wear rags and walk barefoot. Clothes were a sign of freedom because of it defined your position as a slave. People today may not think wearing clothes meant you were free but it did. Clothing made slaves more or less feel human instead of thinking there animals or tools. The higher the position you were as a slave the more a slave would feel that they were equal in the eyes of whites.
On the other hand, Sibonia didn't have the right to dress like Pie did. Sibonia wore rags and had no shoes. This was a sign that you were a nobody in the eyes of your slave holder and even other slaves that had better jobs around a plantation. Wearing rags dehumanized yard workers like Sibonia making it seem that despite how hard they worked they'll never be free.
Another reason Pie was freer than Sibonia was because of were she lived. Pie lived indoors and Sibonia lived outside. Living indoors was far better than living outside. Living indoors meant warmth and safety. Slaves that lived indoors like Pie also had the right to feel white. Did white people sleep outside? No, slaves slept outside. So this feeling of experiencing what a white man or woman would live like every day kind of let you escape from reality believing one is not a slave but a free man or woman.
However, Sibonia was a slave that didn't live inside but outside. Sibonia was less free because she didn't have a room to herself like Pie. All Sibonia had was the cold hard ground to sleep on. Slaves like Sibonia had no right to sleep on a bed as if they were white. If a slave like Sibonia were to sneak inside to sleep indoors they would be killed immediately! Pie however could sleep outside if she wanted but why should she? If Pie could sleep outside without being sent to the slaughter doesn't that prove Sibonia was less free than Pie?
Most importantly, it is how even slaves themselves treated one another that determined who was free or not. In America today everyone is entitled to freedom of speech. If someone spoke to in a way you didn't like you have the right to speak your mind and retaliate. This was not the case for a slave like Sibonia she couldn't speak back to anyone not even another slave. When Onion spoke to Sibonia he refer to her as a " mealymouth, lowlife, no-count, starving pen nigger" (McBride). If someone spoke to me that way I would knock them out because I have the freedom to or right to. Sibonia however couldn't hit or talk back at Onion a indoor nigger fearing she could die if she did retaliate.
In conclusion, Pie had a life that was more free than Sibonia. Although both Pie and Sibonia were slaves Pie had more rights than Sibonia.
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
cover letter renato
May 05, 2015
Renato Ramblas
546 Brace Avenue
Perth Amboy, New Jersey
Professor Young
222 Monniger Hall
College Writing Department
Madison, New Jersey 07940
Dear Reader:
In this
writing portfolio I have written three essays entitled Freedom, A Time to Break
Silence, and Qatar 2022 World Cup.
Each essay was unique in its own way. Not to mention each essay had its own
complications as well. The essays in this portfolio are arranged in chronological
order from essay 1 (Freedom) to essay
3 (Qatar 2022 World Cup). The
following will discuss my strengths and weaknesses in my writing; show what I
have learned this semester, and so much more.
Sincerely,
Renato Ramblas
essay 2
Renato Ramblas
Monday March 2, 2015
Professor Young
English 1101
Essay 2
A Time to Break Silence
Who
are the people who have the power to speak for those who cannot? The words of the
people cannot be heard if the people in charge don’t allow them to speak. It is up to those who have
the power that can and will represent the people to break our silence. April 4th 1967 Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech entitled “Beyond Vietnam a Time to Break Silence” protesting America’s
involvement in Vietnam. King urges Americans to
speak against the actions of the American government in a peaceful manner
rather than be silent about it. Just
like King others are also breaking silence in order to get their point across
for instance Sibonia
from James McBride’s novel The Good Lord
Bird. She is black woman seeking freedom from slavery for herself
and other African American in America. Being silent will not solve your
problems but letting your voice be heard will promote change.
In
1967, black Americans were not equal in a world run by whites. Although the white
government thinks blacks were indeed equal to whites at this time they were
wrong. If blacks were
equal then why did America have segregated schools and bathrooms? Martin Luther King Jr. protested the lives of innocent Americans
both black and white when he delivered his speech Beyond Vietnam a Time to Break Silence. King states, “I have moved
to break the betrayal of my own silences and to speak from the burning of my
own heart, as I have called for radical departures from the destruction of
Vietnam” (King). Despite
how America made it seem fighting this war in Vietnam was necessary King broke
his silence to reveal that it actually wasn’t. Though many
people believe he should keep his mouth shut, King sees an opportunity to speak
his mind so that it may result in change.
Just
like King Sibonia also sees an opportunity for change. As a slave in Miss Abby’s plantation she is
planning a rebellion against the white man for enslaving her people. Eventually Sibonia does get
caught conspiring to murder whites but it is what she said that was so
impactful. When she was
charged with inciting rebellion Sibonia, declares "I am the woman" (McBride
162) without any fear. Sibonia
is not afraid for her actions in contrast she is proud of it. In her view, being silent
and not admitting to the crime is far worse than what is to come for Sibonia.
Above
all King empathizes as Americans we should stand up for injustice not just overseas
in Vietnam but in our own country as well. When addressing the American people King says “We
are called to speak for the weak, for the voiceless, for the victims of our
nation and for those it calls "enemy," for no document from human
hands can make these humans any less our brothers” (King). As a country a war should
not be the answer to unite the American people for a brief period of time. Americans no matter your
race or color are equal at all times not just in a time of war when we need men
to fight for our army. King
speaks out for the men of color and whites that are working together in Vietnam
“the voiceless” that someday change will occur in America where men of color
and white people could live together and experience the brotherly bond they
have formed fighting for their country.
Unlike
King, Sibonia takes more of a direct approach as she tries to accomplish her goal
as she confronts her enemy face to face. When Sibonia was getting interrogated by whites
because of her actions Sibonia also said “And I am not ashamed or afraid to
confess it” (McBride 163). Sibonia
takes full responsibility for her actions and will not change a thing. Why should Sibonia be afraid
or even be ashamed of her actions? Sibonia was fearless until she died for a
cause that she so dearly cared about. King wanted the government to change through words and
peacefully, Sibonia however attempts to take matters in her own hands and as a
result she died for change.
In conclusion,
Martin Luther King Jr.’s
speech Beyond Vietnam a Time to Break
Silence, he believes no matter your color or race people should speak their
mind because it can lead to change. Speaking up rather than being silent like King and Sibonia have done. Although King promotes a
non-violent approach for the American people while Sibonia doesn’t, they both
want change. In today’s
society people should break their silence. Breaking your silence is not a crime but being
silent should be.
Works Cited
King,
Martin Luther Jr. “Beyond Vietnam a Time to Break Silence.” Clergy and Leyman
Concerned
about Vietnam, Riverside Church, New York City. 4 April 1967. Keynote
Address.
McBride,
James. The Good Lord Bird. New York:
Penguin Group, 2013. Print.
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