On Booker T. Washington's Up from Slavery (3)

Yuen M. Ho
English 48B
February 9, 2007
Journal #24 Booker T. Washington

I. Quote

“The road was a lonely one, and often led through dense forests. I was always frightened. The woods were said to be full of soldiers who had deserted from the army, and I had been told that the first thing a deserter did to a Negro boy when he found him alone was to cut off his ears.”

II. Summary

Booker T. Washington recalled one of his childhood chores of having to take the corn from the field or mill back to the big house. Since he was small, and the bag of corn was usually heavy, when the bag fell off from the horse, he had to wait for a passer-by to help him carry it back to the original position. Often times he had to wait for hours and hours on the road. He also had to go through dark and dense forests. By the time he reached home, it would be late at night already.

III. Response

The way Booker T. Washington described his lonely road in the forests back home appeared to be metaphoric to me. I conjectured that he was using this road to symbolize the threatening road he had to go through in trying to fight for freedom of slaves. They were both lonely—there might be passer-bys to help him out, yet he stood alone as the only leader or voice among the timid Negro slaves.

The deserter in the passage probably referred to the White owner. He reflected his fear of the disobedience to the Whites from this short recap. Though not very explicitly, we can understand that having gone through the life of a slave, Washington had a vastly different perspective towards the Whites and Negroes and their relationship. While others from a later generation criticized Washington for some of his policies, they have neglected his feelings—he had gone through a tolerating experience none of them has been in. It is unfair to judge Washington in such a way. After all, he has made a big step towards eventual emancipation.