| Our Nig | |
|---|---|
| Author(s) | Harriet E. Wilson |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Novel |
| Publisher | Geo. C. Rand & Avery |
| Publication date | 1859 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 131 pages |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-486-44661-5 (2005 paperback edition) |
Our Nig: Sketches from the Life of a Free Black is an autobiographical slave narrative by Harriet E. Wilson. It was published in 1859[1] and rediscovered in 1982 by professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.. It is considered the first novel published by an African-American on the North American continent.[2][3]
According to John Ernest’s article, "Economies of Identity: Harriet E. Wilson’s Our Nig," Harriet E. Wilson’s novel, "Our Nig: Sketches in the Life of a Free Black," became marginalized by a white audience, and was perceived as appealing directly to a "colored audience". The distribution of "Our Nig: Sketches in the Life of a Free Black" was limited, and not appreciated by northern abolitionists due to the novel's call for awareness of the abuse and "shadow of slavery" that existed even in the Northern United States.[4] Robin Bernstein has argued that the novel responds critically to Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin and to other works of abolitionist fiction that anxiously debate whether black children who die may become angels.[5]
Our Nig did not sell well because of tension between the North and the South at the time. The northern abolitionists, who fought for freedom of the blacks, fought for a capitalist economy in the north. One of their arguments was that the capitalist economy could exist because it was working in the north without slave labor. Harriet Wilson disproves this because she shows that there is still slave treatment in the north except they were called indentured servants. David Dowling, a critic who wrote for College Literature wrote the piece "Other and More Terrible Evils: Anticapitalist Rhetoric in Harriet Wilson’s Our Nig and Proslavery Propaganda". He states that the northern abolitionists did not publicize her book because it disproved their theory.
Wilson published her books two blocks from the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society.
Contents |
Our Nig opens up with the story of Mag Smith, a bi-racial woman. In the past, Mag fell in love with a man and they had a child out of wedlock. The man abandoned his family and stole her jewelry. After the child dies, Mag was forced to move away to a place where no one knew her. Presently, in this new town, she meets a black man named Jim who falls for Mag. She resists him at first but she soon realizes that her efforts are futile. Jim and Mag eventually marry and they have two children: Frado and an unknown son.
Later on, Jim grows ill, and dies. Mag is once again left by herself, only this time she has two children to care for. Mag marries Seth, one of Jim’s business partners, and he takes the family under his wing. Eventually Mag and Seth realize that they cannot care for both of the children and he suggests they send Frado to live with the Bellmonts. Mag refuses at first, but reluctantly agrees with Seth and the decision is made to send Frado to live with them. Frado is then dropped off at the house under the guise that Mag will be back to pick her up later in the day.
After a few days, the Bellmonts along with Frado come to the realization that Mag never intended on returning. We receive a description of Mr. Bellmont that he is kind and humane, however Mrs. Bellmont on the other hand is the complete opposite. The Bellmonts also have four children, two boys and two girls. The family decides whether or not to keep Frado and if they do, where should sleep. Frado is sent to live in a separate part of the house that she will soon outgrow. The following day Mrs. Bellmont calls for Frado early in the morning and puts her to work washing dishes, preparing food, etc.
Mr. Bellmont is humble towards Frado. Jack is accepting Frado since her skin complexion is not very dark. Mary is against Frado's presence and wants her to go the County House instead. Mrs. Bellmont is not happy with Frado's existence in the house but manages to find ways to make her useful by serving as a perfect work girl. Frado lives in a new room unfinished chamber over the kitchen. A year passed and Frado accepted that she is part of the Bellmont family. Jack buys Frado a dog named Fido, who becomes her friend and eases her loneliness.
Later on, Frado is allowed to attend school with Mary. One afternoon on their way home, Mary tries to force Frado into the water but falls into it instead. Later that day, Mary runs home to tell her mother that Frado pushed her into the stream. Frado receives a good whipping from Mrs. Bellmont and Jack futilely tries to defend Frado.
Nig runs away and Mr. Bellmont, Jack and James search for her. She asks James that if God made him, Aunt Abby, and Mrs. Bellmont white, then she dislikes God for making her black.
The first day of spring a letter arrives from James about his declining health. Jack comes to visit the family. Mrs. Bellmont beat Frado senseless and mentioned if she ever exposes her to James she would “cut her tongue out”[6] .
By November James' health starts to deteriorate further. Mary leaves home to nurse her brother, Jake. James requests Frado to stay by his bed side until further notice. Mrs. Bellmont discovers Frado reading the bible. Mrs. Bellmont speaks to her husband about Frado going to the evening meetings.
In the following spring, James passes away.
After James’ death, Frado once again conflicts with her unfitness to be in Heaven, and seeks Aunt Abbey’s aid. Aunt Abbey teaches Frado about God and the Bible, invites her to a church meeting, and encourages her to believe in Him and seek the passage of Heaven.
When Mr. Bellmont grows concerned for Frado’s health from her beatings, Frado one day takes his advice. Before Mrs. Bellmont would strike her down with a stick for taking too long to bring firewood, Frado threatens to stop working for her if she did. Mrs. Bellmont unexpectedly relents. From there after, she whips her less frequently.
News arrives that Mary dies from illness. Frado considers escaping, but realizes the lack of choices in which to take. She decides to wait until her contract was over at the age of eighteen. Overtime, Jane leaves the house, and Jack moves back in, introducing his family to his wife, whom Mrs. Bellmont verbally abused due to the fact that she was poor.
When Frado turns eighteen, she is arranged to make clothes for the Moores family. Due to her ailing health, she slowly becomes unable to work. She moves to a shelter where two elderly women take care of her for two years. For a while, she is nursed again by Mrs. Moore, but after her husband leaves, Frado is forced again to find work. She eventually is employed by a poor woman in Massachusetts who instructs her on making bonnets.
Though growing feebler and declining in health, Frado makes substantial wages.Despite three years of failing health,a few years later Frado moves to Singleton where she marries a fugitive slave named Samuel whose back wasn't as bruised as hers. He constantly leaves her to go "lecture". These lectures left Frado home for weeks at a time with little money. Once again Frado is left to depend on her self especially during the birth of her child.
During Samuel's absence Frado becomes sick one last time leaving she and her child to find shelter in the home of a poor woman where she later recovers. Over time in New Orleans her husband becomes sick with yellow fever which leaves her to depend on herself permanently. Now that Frado is on her own she has to find work by traveling through the different towns of Massachusetts. She goes through a few hardships but later in the book we see a busy Frado preparing her merchandise for costumers.
In the end, Mr. and Mrs. Bellmont, Aunt Abbey, Jack and his wife have all passed away. Jane and Henry, Susan and her child are all old. No one remembers Frado. The last line of the book ends with "but she will never cease to track them till beyond mortal vision". Even though everyone may have forgotten about Frado, she still remembers them.