Clotel · Question
How does Clotel develop the theme of Hypocrisy of American Democracy?
Answer
Clotel by William Wells Brown develops Hypocrisy of American Democracy across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.
The book repeatedly contrasts the ideals of liberty and equality in the Declaration of Independence with the brutal reality of slavery, highlighting the nation's failure to extend these rights to African Americans.
Brown condemns the contradiction of a nation founded on liberty that legally enslaves millions, with the Constitution and Fugitive Slave Law compelling all whites to uphold slavery.
Brown's lectures in Britain highlight the contradiction between American claims of liberty and the reality of slavery.
The epigraph directly juxtaposes the Declaration's ideals of equality and liberty with the institution of slavery, highlighting the nation's foundational hypocrisy.
Evidence in the book
- Preface to the 1853 Edition
Brown condemns the contradiction of a nation founded on liberty that legally enslaves millions, with the Constitution and Fugitive Slave Law compelling all whites to uphold slavery.
- Narrative of the Life and Escape of William Wells Brown
Brown's lectures in Britain highlight the contradiction between American claims of liberty and the reality of slavery.
- Epigraph
The epigraph directly juxtaposes the Declaration's ideals of equality and liberty with the institution of slavery, highlighting the nation's foundational hypocrisy.
- Clotel
The chapter exposes the contradiction between American ideals of liberty and the institution of slavery, particularly through Clotel's lineage as the daughter of a Founding Father.
- I: The Negro Sale
The chapter highlights the irony that Clotel and Althesa are daughters of Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, yet are sold as slaves.
- The Quadroon’s Home
The contrast between the idyllic, loving home and the legal and social barriers that deny Clotel and her child freedom and legitimacy underscores the hypocrisy of a nation professing liberty while practicing slavery.
- The Slave Market
The chapter notes that buying and selling slaves does not forfeit one's social standing, exposing the moral contradiction in a nation founded on liberty.
- The Religious Teacher
Carlton and Georgiana invoke the Declaration of Independence and liberty, contrasting with the reality of slavery upheld by Mr. Peck and Snyder.
