To Cuba and Back · Question
How does To Cuba and Back develop the theme of Slavery and Racial Hierarchy?
Answer
To Cuba and Back by Richard Henry Dana Jr. develops Slavery and Racial Hierarchy across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.
Dana provides a stark examination of the institution of slavery in Cuba, describing the brutal conditions of plantation labor, the legal and social status of slaves and free blacks, and the racial divisions that underpin the entire society.
The narrator speculates on how slavery and despotic institutions shape the character of Cuban children, linking social conditions to personal development.
The treatment of Coolies and the story of Placido, a mulatto poet executed for leading a slave conspiracy, underscore racial hierarchies and oppression.
Observations of enslaved Negroes and Coolies laboring, and the strict social order on the plantation, illustrate racial hierarchy.
Evidence in the book
- II
The narrator speculates on how slavery and despotic institutions shape the character of Cuban children, linking social conditions to personal development.
- X
The treatment of Coolies and the story of Placido, a mulatto poet executed for leading a slave conspiracy, underscore racial hierarchies and oppression.
- XI
Observations of enslaved Negroes and Coolies laboring, and the strict social order on the plantation, illustrate racial hierarchy.
- First Day on a Sugar Estate
The treatment and division of enslaved laborers, the role of white overseers, and the limited advancement possible for a Negro 'maquinista' illustrate the racial hierarchy.
- XIII
The plantation's labor system, including the Negro quarters, penitentiary, and the roles of enslaved workers, is described, reflecting the racial hierarchy of Cuban society.
- XIV
Detailed description of the master's role in controlling slaves, enforcing quasi-marriages, and the constant threat of theft or violence.
- XVIII
In the Belén church, Negroes worship alongside the wealthy, but are distinguished by plain shawls; the Countess Villanueva is led by her Negro servant, illustrating racial hierarchies even in worship.
- XXII
The slave sale scene reveals racial classification (e.g., Lucumí tribe) and the dehumanizing process of selection, though Mr. ⸻ avoids separating families.
