In order to rationalize the peculiar institution of slavery in the South, the Southern plantation novel emerged. He idealized the plantation lifestyle by creating and romanticizing characters who would otherwise be considered evil by blacks, the oppressed. Life was described as easy and carefree by the basic icon, the plantation owner or planter, faithfully called the "Southern gentleman." Expressing the general vision of the white middle class, Southern plantation novelists created a pro-slavery agenda that defended the institution of slavery. A defense of the Southern way of life attempted to shift the view of slavery from evil to good until Charles W. Chesnutt came along. Little did avid white readers know that Chesnutt would disrupt the positive image the South had received, thus dismantling notions of the African-American community as a whole, by writing a series of folk tales. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Folktales and myths are undoubtedly one of the most effective pieces of fiction that can alter the reader's vision. Chesnutt took advantage of this genre and used its characteristics to speak to his white audience. Often passed down from generation to generation, folktales remain concrete but descriptive in their telling and contribute to broader meaning. Some may turn out to be true and some may not, but it is important to identify and analyze the true meaning behind the broad story being told. Attention to detail within figurative language, simple plot, character analysis, and overarching themes can uncover significant social intentions within the text that covertly work to break down some preconceived notions of something. In The Conjure Woman and Other Tales, Chesnutt uses plantation dialect, stereotypes, and the conjuring woman to unconsciously deconstruct the prejudices and negative perceptions of the black community for his white audience. At the beginning of the novel, a white man named John moves with his wife to North Carolina on the advice of his family doctor. Seeking economic prosperity, he hopes to utilize the grape industry with the prospect of a vineyard to cultivate. It is at this point that Chesnutt uses his brilliant imaginative mind to tell the story of the curse of the land by a man named Uncle Julius. He delves into how the piece of property has become dangerous and barren. Since the story was born during the height of slavery, Chesnutt strategically uses plantation dialect to effectively reveal the lack of education slaves possessed. Uncle Julius explains: "Lunga de nex' spring, after de sap 'mence' ter rise, en Henry 'n'int 'is head en sta'ted fer ter git young en soopl, Mars Dugal' up 'n tuk Henry ter town , en sole 'im fer fifteen hundred dollars', (Chesnutt 11). At first glance, the first thing you notice is the language or dialect used to form the sentences. Its distracting nature for many symbolizes a deeper meaning is forced upon the reader.His use of dialect can be interpretative of the great horrors of the institution of slavery, Julius's underlying statement of how a man named Henry was brought to the city to be sold for fifteen hundred. dollars secretly exposes the horrors that blacks went through during slavery Whites, because they had rights and were treated like human beings, were unaware of the oppressive nature of blacks and how harmful it was.for the African-American community. In contrast, Black people during this time period were denied the right to literacy in the system of slavery. Empathy begins to not only play a role in how the reader reacts to stories, but also allows for a space of welcome compassion and circumstantial reflection. From the main characters, Johne Annie, and the general white audience who absorb the language, the plantation-like dialect most likely serves as a tool to further the Southern plantation novel's anti-racist social agenda in the reader by invoking anti-racist emotions towards the characters all inside the internal narratives. In the story Little Sandy, after Julius explains the story of Sandy and the lumber, Annie says, “John, I don't think I want my new kitchen built with lumber from that old school” (Chesnutt 22). It is only when Annie is able to engage with Julius' stories and read the ways in which dialect functions as metaphor, that she is able to react with such emotions that characterize true empathy for the horrors of slavery experienced by black people. Overall, the plantation dialect among Black characters within the interior narratives raises awareness and exploits the reality of Black life during slavery, leading to a feeling of sensitivity around the topic. These emotions are largely due to the reference to stereotypes throughout the novel. In the novel, stereotypes play an important role in Chesnutt's white audience's acquisition of emotions. When given a description of the grapes that grew in the vineyard in The Goophered Grapevine, Julius says, "Now, ef dey's an'thing a nigger lub, nex' ter 'possum, en chick, en watermillyums, it's scuppernon's," (Chesnutt 7). The quote above stating that black people love nothing more than possums, chicken, watermelon, and scuppernongs is a stereotype that is reinforced by judgments of one group of people by another. It is a generalization of a person or thing through a widely shared but fixed and oversimplified image. While it may appear that Chesnutt is reinforcing racial normalizations by explicitly choosing a black man to express them against the black community, he is actually countering prevailing stereotypes by offering insight into common misconceptions about the black community. Chesnutt's strategically includes a reinforcement of black stereotypes to criticize John, Annie, and other white readers who primarily stereotyped black slaves without remorse. Because of this, in a way, it makes their subconscious biases aware to slowly deconstruct the thought process of people different from them. Stereotypes were complete myths that were used to unfairly gain and maintain white power over black slaves and their opportunities. Therefore, subconscious prejudices and judgments are subtly attacked and brought to light when Julius mentions “black” food thus begging for a reaction from Annie and John. While Annie becomes an engaged reader, understanding the metaphorical aspects of Julius' stories and reacting with empathy, John consistently misses the point. In Sis' Becky's Pickaninny story, Annie angrily responds to her husband: “Those are mere ornamental details and not at all essential. The story is true to nature, and could have happened a hundred times, and undoubtedly did happen, in those horrible days before the war” (Chestnutt 53). Through the sale of a slave and her separation from her son, the help of a female conjurer to see him regularly, and finally her return to her son by magic, Annie begins to understand the truth that Julius presents as complex and abstract rather. what concrete...