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Slavery is the social practice in which someone has property rights over another person, who is consequently called a slave. For a long time, slaves were considered a product. Prices changed according to physical conditions, professional skills, sex, age, etc. The only aspect that did not change was their color; they were all black. In present times, this topic is one of the most discussed by the population. Due to the need to bring awareness, messages, and lessons are being delivered during the whole year through diverse ways of communication. While both Between The World and Me and MHATB portray the reality of races in America, Ta-Nehisi Coates uses two literary devices while Athol Fugard uses two of the protagonists to represent inequality as a legacy of slavery.
First of all, In Between the World and Me, the author makes sure to use imagery and irony while repeating the word “slavery” six times and giving impactful examples throughout the article. Both literary devices are characterized as a vehicle that Athol Fugard found to convey the profound truth about slavery and how it has developed over the decades. Choosing as the scenario, a world-affirming passion for freedom, Fugard uses a woman being enslaved by members of society. This portrayal, initially, evokes a feeling of indignation due to its irony. The
community should be asking itself why it does not accomplish what it claims to be its principles. As he continues to describe, he expands his example with a flowchart of slavery, including the mother, father, and daughter of the woman used as an example. Her past was full of slavery, and her future will not have a different path. These ways of transmitting the message help the readers understand how veiled society is about racism and its roots. Racism is precisely what encompasses the entire context of this article. The father is concerned about the inequality that haunts black people, and he has a desire to warn his daughter about this.
Moreover, it would be extremely ignorant to affirm that the white people alive in the present days are guilty of the slavery that occurred in the past. However, it is undeniable that these same people have advantages because they are white, considered the supremacy color. In MHATB, the occurrence of white privilege is indirectly exposed to the readers/viewers. Hally, the white, intelligent, and rich boy, son of the establishment owner, is a contrast to Sam, the South African worker, who, in his turn, is black and poor. Together, they are a symbolic representation of hierarchy and racism. The racial tension between the characters is evident since the beginning of the play with the given roles they have. Not to mention that the context of the period in which the game was written influences the perception of the piece. In 1950, the racial segregation in South America was real; the population was divided into four groups: black, white, colored, and Indian. Following all the aspects visible, all this systematic and institutionalized racism is undoubtedly the result of slavery and its roots.
Furthermore, coming back to the story itself, analyzing Hally’s and Sam’s positions, it is clear that the credit for being successful should go to Hally’s father, because, working, he conquered his establishment. However, it is inevitable to remember that the conditions for white
and black people differ entirely. Sam, as smart as he is, must have had primary education or even learned everything himself. On the other hand, his boss probably had a higher quality of education, which explains why he is successful. This is the reality of white and black people in a spectrum that includes the whole world. This spectrum is the consequence of slavery, meaning that along with these last-mentioned criteria of education, many other elements were removed from what is considered black rights.
To conclude, the exploration of the two texts through the presented lenses is significant because we have to recognize some of the effects that slavery had and still has on the world. Everything is not always as superficial and straightforward as it seems; many aspects are more in-depth and need greater comprehension. Texts like In Between the World and Me and MHATB are examples of how this topic can be explored through different methods and perspectives. Furthermore, slavery is an issue that still occurs behind the scenes and affects millions of people around the world. It has never been entirely eradicated. Lastly, inequality as the legacy of slavery is a compelling problem that needs to be dealt with; by analyzing how it is inserted in texts that sometimes go unnoticed by the population’s perception. The best way to fight something is by knowing it in my heart.
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