Statement of Record

TagErasure

Language Is Power When Repurposing Twain

by Paula Bomer

L

In James, slaves speak in slave language in front of their masters to appease them or—as said on the first page, and a theme repeated throughout the novel—to “give white folks what they want.” When slaves are alone together, they talk in erudite English. In this way, they have their own secret language, one they perform for white people. (. . .) This hiding of their true selves, and the...

Statement of Record

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