Enslaved African Americans developed a sense of racial identity. ... When the African slaves were brought to the new world, they wanted their children and future generations to know about Africa, and its splendor, and how wonderfully Africans lived and thrived before the onset of slavery. ... For entertainment slaves made musical instruments with carved motifs that resembled African stringed instruments. ... Black spirituals were sung with an African vocal quality and to African rhythmic accompaniment of finger snapping, clapping, and stamping. ... In the colonial period, African slaves usu...

• Word Count: 2002
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Douglass's devotion to abolitionism led him to confer with Abraham Lincoln during the civil war and after the war he fought for the rights of women and African-Americans alike. ... In fact, there were other slave narratives in his time, some told by former slaves to white writers, and Douglass wanted to distinguish his work from other such narratives. ... This motif inevitably takes us back to his statement of authorship i.e.: The phrase "Written by Himself" which persuasively made the entire text seems more authentic. ... By far the larger part of the slaves know as little of their a...

• Word Count: 2277
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Maya Angelou's was an African American, thus shared the totality of meanings, ideas, and beliefs with the black Americans. ... As an African American, Maya experienced racial discrimination in Arkansas. ... She utilizes characterization, hyperbole, symbolism, similes, motifs, alliteration, sense impressions, biblical allusion, and literally allusion among others (Bloom 34). ... A motif in the poem can be viewed when Angelou writes that she could cry anytime if she wanted just by picturing her mother lying in her coffin despite the fact that she did not how she looked like (Braxton 45). .....

• Word Count: 1524
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

To Iago, he sees Othello as an outsider and not part of the community because of his African descent. Iago feels jealous towards Othello's success because he was a slave and later joined the military as a young person and has now gained his presence in the society. ... In his world, he is controlled by hatred towards successful and happy people, and he then fabricates motifs and actions that can destroy other characters. ...

• Word Count: 1487
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

The Anglo-Saxons I. Time Line A. 307-1B.C. 1. Literary Events a. Roman poet Virgil born b. Alexandria is center of Greek learning c. Library began under Ptolemy, 307B.C. 2. Cultural/Historical Events a. Celts ("Brythons") live in Britain b. Caesar invades Brita...

• Word Count: 1742
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School