The Confessions of Nat Turner Essay - 914 Words

The Confessions of Nat Turner Throughout history people have published articles and books in order to sway the public to their side. Rulers such as Stalin and Mao used propaganda to keep themselves in power; people such as Thomas Paine used articles in order to start revolution. Thomas R. Gray, author of The Confessions of Nat Turner, had that power when he interviewed Turner. Although The Confessions of Nat Turner is supposedly the words of Turner himself, we have no way to confirm that Gray did not show the information in order to gain greater benefit from it. It is known that the interviewer, Thomas R. Gray, was struggling financially. It is possible that he embellished the story in order to†¦show more content†¦It is more likely that Gray just jotted down notes, bits and pieces, of what Turner actually conveyed to him. After the interview, when Gray was writing the final article for publishing, he put it in words that Turner did not actually say. For example, As we approached the house we discovered Mr. Richard Whitehead standing in the cotton patch, near the lane fence; we called him over into the lane, and Will, the executioner, was near at hand, with his fatal axe, to send him to an untimely grave.[1] It is unlikely that Turner used those exact words. Turner taught himself how to read and write. He might have had an extensive vocabulary but it is unlikely that he used those exact words. It is more likely that when Gray was filling in the empty spots he did so in his own words, and even sometimes with vocabulary that made Turner into a mad genius. Gray most likely did this so that it would increase the shock value of the story; a better story made for a greater audience, hence more money. Another possibility is that Gray might have changed the interview in order to get the reading public to adhere to his views on African Americans. Gray was known to have had many slaves at one time in his life. He foundShow MoreRelatedJoseph R Gray s Confessions Of Nat Turner1320 Words   |  6 Pages Nat Turner is the story of slavery and the horrors that led Turner to lead one of the bloodiest slave revolts of the time. It is told vividly through wordless images and occasional confession excerpts from Thomas R Gray’s book â€Å"Confessions of Nat Turner†. We learn and experience slavery and Turner’s tumultuous life story as he retells it in his confession to Thomas R. Gray. We learn about how Africans were hunted, shackled, branded, and transported in rat-infested ships; how they were humiliatedRead MoreNat Turner a Slave Rebellion Essay1240 Words   |  5 Pageslife saying in my presence, I was intended for some great purpose (Nat turner, Brainyqoute.com)†. From the very beginning Nat Turner knew that he was meant to do something great. On the day of October 2, 1800 the famous Nat turner was born to Nancy Turner his father an unknown slave. Turner grew up with the thought that his father was an escaped slave and was coming back when he got the mone y to retrieve him and his mother. Nat turner grew up and lived his life in Southampton County, Virginia. TheRead MoreAfrican Americans : African American And A Writer952 Words   |  4 Pagesreading their writings were Nat Turner and Malcolm X. The purpose of writing this paper is to compare and contrast Nat Turner and Malcolm X of what I have learned from their writings and as well reliable information that I will be researching and gathering to show the similarities and differences among these African-American authors. In order for me to compare and contrast these two authors I first need to identify them, in which I’ll be starting off with Nat Turner. Nat Turner is an African-AmericanRead MoreThe Demise Of Nat Turner s Rebellion895 Words   |  4 PagesNat Turner’s rebellion has been considered one of the bloodiest slave revolt in Southern history, and had a huge impact on the futures of Southern generations for years after. In Nat Turner’s confessions he states â€Å"You have asked me to give a history of the motives which induced me to undertake the late insurrection, as you call it--To do so I must go back to the days of my infancy, and even before I was born. I was thirty-one years of age the 2d of October last, and born the property of BenjaminRead MoreThe Fires of Jubilee: How Reliable is It? Essay1462 Words   |  6 PagesThe Fires of Jubilee, by Stephen B. Oates, tells an account of Nat Turner’s rebellion. Beginning with Nat’s early life and finally ending with the legacy his execution left the world, Oates paints a historical rending of those fateful days. The Confessions of Nat Turner by Thomas R. Gray and approved by Nat himself is among Oates’ chief sources. Oates is known as a reputable historian through his other works, and has strong credentials however, in the case of The Fires of Jubilee there are someRead MoreHistory And Its Impact On Society1595 Words   |  7 PagesWith Nat Turner and the Southampton Rebellion, the event could be put into two different perspectives. In the whites and slave owners bias perspective, Turner and the rebellion pushed history into the wrong direction. It impacted the slaves afterwards in a negative aspect. Not only did slave owners became more alert, strict on the slaves, so something like this would not occur again. The State and federal troops abused and killed two hundred innocent slaves that had nothing to do with Turner and hisRead MoreReasons for Plotting and Carrying Out a Rebellion1478 Words   |  6 Pagesaccounts, which reflect the views of those who feared and hated Nat Turner, very little is known about his life or his reasons for plotting and carrying out a rebellion. One possible exception was the Confessions of Nat Turner, written down by the attorney Thomas R. Gray after he interviewed Turner in jail. Recent scholarship has demonstrated that Gray was the disinherited son of a wealthy father who may well have secretly sympathized with Turner on some level. Turners rebellion began with seven men whoRead MoreThe American Voice Research Paper976 Words   |  4 PagesEng 201A 01 December 2015 American Voice Research Paper Born into slavery, rebel Nat Turner an abolitionist was born on October 2, 1800 on the Virginia plantation of Benjamin Turner. When he was a young child, his ambition combined with his intelligence led him to great purposes and to meet great people. Turner ran away in 1821 from his master soon returning because of spiritual voice. These visions Nat has shows that he is a rebel, leader, and also a slave thriving to succeed his goal. HeRead MoreNat Turner Rebellion Essay1540 Words   |  7 Pagesslave owners probably felt like they had enough control over their slaves. This way of thinking was completely changed by Nat Turner’s rebellion. This violent slave revolt showed people what slaves were really capable of. White southerners saw how slaves were smart enough to organize and plan a resistance and because they were getting tired of being oppressed. Even though Nat Turner’s rebellion was considered unsuccessful being that it was shut down in a matter of days, it was successful in thatRead MoreMaking The Dream Of A King Essay1017 Words   |  5 PagesDream of a â€Å"King† Ameliorate Life: Nat Turner Nat Turner was born into slavery. Nat Turner, according to www.biblography.com) was born on October 2nd,1800. He was born in Southampton County, Virginia. Kyle Baker wrote a graphic novel called Nat Turner. According to (http://www.merriam-webster.com) a graphic novel is â€Å"a fictional story presented in comic-strip format and published as a book.† He was born on the Virginia plantation of Benjamin Turner. Benjamin Turner allowed him to be instructed in