American Lit II: Booker T. Washington, Up From Slavery

Booker T. Washington's Up From Slavery is a very interesting read and an almost non-conventional take on the issue of slavery. In Up, Washington tells about his life, beginning as an enslaved child. Washington tells about his mother, how she worked and took care of her children. He relates to us some of his day to day tasks as a slave, and tells us of the jubilation felt when the slaves find out that they are free at last. Washington also tells of the relationship between master and slave, how, if not treated completely like or worse than animals, many slaves felt a close personal connection to some of their owners, and even felt sad when one of their owners fell ill or even died. Washington then goes on to tell more about his life, including events such as his speech to the Atlanta Exposition and meeting President Grover Cleveland. This story just goes to show that no matter what hand you are dealt in life, with hard work and determination, you can achieve almost anything.