Psychological Aspects Of Narrative Of The Life And...

Kaho Adachi Dr. Benjamins US History AP/DC, period 6 30 November 2015 Psychological Aspects of Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Henry Bibb In Henry Bibb’s Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Henry Bibb, the author utilizes rhetorical strategies of religion, family, and psychological aspects to create an effective argument that under any circumstances slavery was simply ‘no good’. In his autobiography, Henry Bibb accentuates the slave masters’ avaricious temper and arduous condition for the slaves to gain their freedom in the nineteenth century. Bibb successfully contributes in the progression within the society over the development of gaining equality. Throughout Bibb’s autobiography, he displays positive and negative views of Christianity. The author portrays different aspects of Christianity by establishing the role of religion within the society as an outlet for the slave’s hope as well as the cause for their poor condition. It is evident that the purpose of religion is to maintain the white superiority over the enslaved. Furthermore, many of the white plantation owners are symbolized as the slaves’ portrayal of Christian violence as something essential to controlling them psychologically. Thus, it is understandable how Bibb â€Å"should have received moral, mental, and religious instruction, [as he was] receiving stripes without number, the object of which was to degrade and keep [him] in subordination† (441). Within the rectitude mind, it was believed that