Analysis of "And I Ain't a Woman?"

After reading "And I Ain't a Woman?" by Sojourner Truth, there are many characteristics within the speech that makes it clearly a work of realism. For example, in the speech, Truth keeps her language very basic and easy to under stand while not using much figurative language even though she tends to make many comparisons in the speech between her, as a female slave and a male slave. This is a characteristic of realism because in the realist period, writers were focused on keeping their writing very clear and simple while no using much figurative language because the main purpose of a lot of writing in the realist times was to get the entire audience to understand the purpose of the story(Truth 370). This story may actually be classified within the branch of realism known as regionalism because of how Truth uses the dialect of the area she lives in to portray her message(Anderson). For example, within the speech Truth uses grammar that is not considered to be proper today, but in the times when this speech was given, it was natural to use words such as "ain't" and "'cause." A characteristic of realism that truly reflects this speech by Truth is the American Dream(Truth 370). The American Dream is reflected in this speech by Truth by the way she speaks about freedom and her need for the world to be fair when it comes to Civil Rights that everyone else in the country seems to have. She claims that it is wrong for slaves-especially woman slaves-to be segregated against when being compared to male slaves because females have to overcome just as many or if not, more obstacles than males slaves do. Also, it is not fair for women slaves to be segregated against because they do all of the exact same work in the fields that the male slaves have to do. Another aspect of realism that is included in this speech by Truth is religion. This is very easy for the reader or audience to see because of the way that Truth states: "I have borne 13 children and seen most of them sold to slavery, and when i cried out with my mother's grief, non but Jesus heard me!(Truth 370)." This statement within Truth's speech shows the obvious bond to Christianity and to Jesus that she has. With this excerpt, also comes the entry of the Hero into this speech by Truth. When truth states that only Jesus has heard her, and by the way that Truth speaks about Jesus in her speech, it seems that she has turned to Jesus to help her become free from slavery. This is very common in realist writing because before and during the Civil War, when slaves were working on plantations, they had no one or nothing to turn to to get a perspective on life(Truth 370). Because of this, it was very common for the slaves to turn to religion for a point of view on life or for some sense of security.

Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds."regionalism." Encyclopedia of American Literature: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, vol. 3, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Online. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1330&SingleRecord=True. February 13, 2011.

Truth, Sojourner. "And Ain't I a Woman." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 370. (Truth)