Henry Bibb returns to religion again and again throughout his narrative and displays the positive and negative aspects of American Christianity. As with many other slave narrative authors, the reader is shown that Christianity is both an outlet for the slave's hope and the cause for the slave's poor condition all at the same time. Religion existed primarily as a way to maintain the white superiority over the enslaved. As Shelly Ann Ferguson writes, "Many personal diaries, journals, letters, and other documents of white plantation owners underscore the slave author's portrayal of Christian violence as essential to controlling [slaves] psychologically" (304). Thus, it is understandable why Henry Bibb can make the comment, "...where I should have received moral, mental, and religious instruction, I received stripes without number, the object of which was to degrade and keep me in subordination" (441). Where religion donates humility and kindness, to a slaveholder it donated capriciousness and cruelty.
The label of 19th century Christianity is complicated further when the reader is introduced to one of Bibb's masters - the Deacon. The Deacon helps to further credit Bibb's rhetoric of false Christianity because he embodies so many traits of the 'cruel Christian.' When arriving at the Deacon's plantation, Bibb states, "My first impression when I arrived on the Deacon's farm were that he was far more like what the people call the devil than he was like a deacon" (503). Later, the Deacon, who never allows his slaves to congregate or hold religious meetings, is compared to an irreligious man who does allow his slaves religious freedom. Bibb attends the meeting without permission and becomes the target of 'pious' abuse. While receiving his 500 lashes Bibb reflects to himself, "I thought of God, I thought of the devil, I thought of hell; and I thought of heaven, and wondered whether I should ever see the Deacon there" (512). Again, the reader is shown that religion was a haven for the slave and the source of a slaveholder's reputation.
The rhetorical incorporation of family is used to show the separation slavery allowed in 19th century society. Bibb uses family rhetoric repeatedly and his family is in fact the chief reason he fights so hard for freedom. By use of his experiences, Bibb shows that a slave marriage is unrecognizable to the law and a slave family was subject to constant, impending grief. The situation his family endures is especially dire and he feels he is to blame. Bibb writes on page 459 that, "If there was any one act of my life while I was a slave, that I have to lament over, it is that of being a father and a husband of slaves." What else is needed to be said here? Bibb is apologizing for having a family and a life of his own! But because of the transfiguring laws that turned humans into chattel, slaves like Bibb were not allowed peace of mind and were the constant subjects of being separated.
Bibb continues his rhetorical use of the family by highlighting the constant lack of control he must contend with. This view as purported by Bibb emphasizes "the limits of slaves' control of their own lives, especially by comparison to other slave and serf societies" (Gross 656). Stating the conflict he continually fears, Bibb writes, "...I could never look upon the dear child without being filled with sorrow and fearful apprehensions, of being separated by slaveholders, because she was a slave, regarded as property" (459). But, as with religion, the family is another curious tie that binds. In his display of the constant degeneration of his family, Bibb makes it difficult for readers to believe that such a 'Peculiar Institution' could support the basics of family life.
The third main rhetorical strategy used is the effects slavery stresses on the minds of the entire population, black and white. Slavery induced actions from the slave and slaveholder that otherwise would be considered irrational, desperate, or even cruel. In a display of this compulsive anger slavery supports, Bibb mentions his master and says, "I have often heard Garrison say, that he had rather paddle a female, than eat when he was hungry - that it was music for him to hear them scream and to see their blood run" (498). The events Bibb places in his narrative repeatedly give mention to the vile actions committed by members of the community and places slavery at the brunt of the blame.
When discussing his own situation, Bibb is forced to explain the reason for his actions. Bibb is constantly breaking the law, an occurrence that is caused by the legislation of slavery. "Slaveholders are put into the highest offices," Bibb writes, "in the gift of the people in both Church and State, thereby making slaveholding popular and reputable" (451). Because of these laws and cultural norms that were put in place, one could argue that Bibb had no other choice than to commit crimes against slavery for the sake of his mortality. Bibb recognizes that "the only alternative left for [him] to extricate [himself] was to use deception, which is the most effectual defense a slave can use" (475). Throughout the work, Bibb is continually breaking slave laws while his masters are unfortunate enough to carry them out. Slavery, then, placed duties on its recipients that very often were not freely chosen.
Finally, by providing more than enough evidence of the strain caused by slavery, Bibb's rhetorical use of religion, family, and the psychological aspect all conspire to make the statement that slavery is simply 'no good.' The rhetorical arguments Bibb chooses are nothing new to the slave narrative scholar, but instead a repetition of familiar wrongdoings previously authored by other former slaves. With Bibb's observations of life in slavery, today's reader can only thank the progression of society over time and commend authors like Henry Bibb for their work within that progress.
Works Cited
Bibb, Henry. "Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Henry Bibb, An American Slave." New York. Published by the Author. 1849.
Ferguson, SallyAnn H. "Christian Violence and the Slave Narative." American Literature Vol. 68, No. 2 (Jun. 1996) pp. 297-320. Duke University Press. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2928299.
Gross, Ariela. "Beyond Black and White: Cultural Approaches to Race and Slavery." Columbia Law Review Vol.101, No. 3 (Apr. 2001) pp. 640-690. Columbia Law Review Association, Inc. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1123740.
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