Primary Source Comparison & Contrast
There are a number of similarities and differences in the primary sources written by Frederick Douglass (The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave) and Wang Ping (American Visa: Short Stories). For instance, both are works that demonstrate the authorsÆ struggles for individuation against a harsh environment. Both works are evidence of the struggles and sacrifices individuals must endure to survive and better themselves in an oppressive environment. So, too, each work demonstrates that through the power of love both Douglass and Ping are able to overcome enormous obstacles, develop and grow, and define their own identity irrespective of environment. While PingÆs experiences focus more on family and self than culture and DouglassÆ experiences focus more on the impact of slavery and racism than family, each works stands as testament to its respective authorÆs efforts to define themselves in the face of environmental challenges.
We see in both DouglassÆ Narrative and PingÆs American Visa that each author had to sacrifice and endure hardship in order to better themselves in the face of a harsh environment. For Douglass, that environment consisted of the racism, prejudice, and abuse of American slavery; while for Ping the pressures of family and culture created similar challenges. In order to educate himself, Douglass was initially schooled by the wife of his master. However, her teaching him the alphabet was meant with disdain by her husband, who told her that, ôIf you teach that nigger how to read, there would be no keeping him. It would forever unfit him to be a slave. He would at once become unmanageable, and of no value to his masterö (Douglass, p. 36).
We see that SeaweedÆs family also tries to keep her from developing an identity outside of the roles and boundaries they feel are suitable for a Chinese girl. She has a mean spirited mother and h...