The first thing that really cauht my attention from chapter five when the battleship the Royal George went underwater. The reason for the ship's sinking was because while the sailors were laoding rum onto the ship a series of unpredictable events lead to the final outcome of teh Royal George sinking. If it were not for the large amount of rum that these sailors wished for this event may not have occurred. For if the weight being added to the ship at that very moment was not so great the ship would not have begun to tip, the cannonballs would not have broke loose and the water would have not poored into all the open gunports. And to think that this was all originally caused by rum.
In this chapter we also find out that John Newton eventually had a change of heart. It sounds like Newton had some type of seizure. Doctors then advised him to no longer go to sea. Newton took this as a sign from God that he should no longer be a part of the slave trade and find a different occupation. Ironically the captain who took his position died along with most of his officers. Looking back at his time in the slave trade Newton wrote that while he was engaged with it he did not realize how wrong it was and as a whole he was satisfied with it. The biggest surprise of Newtons story is that later in life he was ordained as an Anglican clergyman. During the time he was a clergyman he wrote hundreds of hymns including the famous "Amazing Grace". Talk about taking a 180 in your life. John Newton bought and sold slaves and then went on to become a clergyman and write "Amazing Grace" which can be considered the "unoficial anthem of the civil rights movement". I for one would have never thought this hymn was written be an ex-slave trader and i bet many others were shocked to hear this as well.
In chapter six a statement made by James Ramsay in response to planters claiming that blacks were inferior and animal-like by nature particularly caught my attention. Rasay wrote, "Had nature intended negroes for slavery... they would ahve been born without any sentiment for liberty." Simply stated and proves the point very well. It proves that blacks were not animal like at all. An animal, whether it be a pet, used for transportation, or agriculture for the most part are obedient and do not show a will for freedom. Slaves on the other hand do, and therefore are not animal-like at all in there behavior. It also proves that slavery was not the way nature intended for human beings to be. Most slaves are were taken from their native land to another country and put into slavery. The way nature intended them to be was in their previous habitat. Which is why slaves were miserable and rebelled their tyrants to become free again. But they could not have overcome their oprression without the help of those who were free.
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4 comments:
I also found the fact that Newton wrote Amazing Grace incredibly ironic. Although I still feel he didn't see the wrongs of slavery. He was a very spiritual, devout man before leaving the trade, but even after, thought his previous practices were fine. It also added to the shock factor that even after being victim of impressment he thought that was normal as well. Really speaks to experience of the dominant culture.
I also saw the irony in Newton writing Amazing Grace. I don't believe that he thought he was being wicked by being a slave trader, I think he just didn't question it because it was a way of life. However, that does not make it right.
Like Sarah and Ashley I found the part about "Amazing Grace" ironic as well. BUT I find it hard to believe that Newton honestly saw no wrong in the slave trade. As the author has shown through his love letters and feelings towards Mary, it is clear that Newton has a conscience and is actually pretty sentimental. He was also heavily religious and preached against the "sins" of Britain- adultery, drinking, etc. Therefore, I don't feel like him bein a "man of his time" gives us enough reason to assume that he saw no wrong in what he was doin- he just choice to ignore it.
I agree with what most of you have said about Newton writing all of these spiritual hyms such as Amazing Grace. I feel that although Newton might have said that he had a change of heart, he still never publicly spoke against the slave trade which is interesting. I agree that it is really strange that the song that a slave trader wrote was considered the "unoficial anthem of the civil rights movement." I just cannot believe that Newton actually had a change of heart considering he still had investments in the trade and never publicly stated his opinions.
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