Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Response Question :: Fatherhood (1-62)
There is a lot of speculation about whether Jefferson is the father of Harriet and her brother Beverley. Harriet is looking for a clear answer, but she hears and sees many different things. Find one scene or fact from the book that suggests he is her father, and one that suggests he isn't. As of right now, what do you believe, and why?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
10 comments:
I think that Thomas Jefferson is Harriet and Beverly's father. The reason is because while Harriet went in the master's private quarters to bring in a tray of tea he was nice to her. When she sat the tea down her mother told her she was dismissed but Thomas Jefferson told her to stay and asked her questions about how she was doing.He also gave her a gift before she left. Another reason is because while they were talking he couldn't look her straight in the eyes. When he looks at her she says his eyes are full of sunlight. And he doesn't want them to go when their time of freedom comes. One reason that I don't want to is because he won't let beverly go to his university.
Well Mammy Ursula tells Harriet that her mom went to France with Thomas Jefferson when she was fifthteen years old, and came back pregnant. She also hears the master talking to her brother Beverly about a mulatto servant Lydia Broadnox who was a servant to George Wythe, and he makes a infrence about how Mr. Wythe try to do good for their son Michael but couldn't suceed because he was still black. Jeffreson says that why he can't do the same for him. That gives enough information that he is Beverly father. For Harriet she know that if he is his father, he can be hers. It also suggest that she is not because her mother never told her that she was his daugter, but let her other children like Tom know he was his father.
One scene in the book that says Jefferson is the father of Harriet and Beverly is first when Harriet is describing her apperance and she says she is very light skinned, has freckles, and her hair is orange. Also, when Beverly and Jefferson are talking in the field before trying the hot air balloon, and Jefferson tells Beverly that he loves him in a special way. I didn't see anything in the book that suggests that he wouldn't be their father. In my opinion it seems as though he is. I think this because there are plenty of clues that suggest that he would be.
One scene from the book that suggests that Thomas Jefferson is Harriet and Beverly's father is when Beverly and Jefferson were at the end of Mulberry Row. Jefferson told Beverly a story about his old law teacher, George Wythe. It explains how George had a mulatto housekeeper, Lydia, and she had a son, which of whom he left money for in his will. He wanted Lydia's son, his son to be educated. Jefferson said that's what he wants for Beverly. He never said that Beverly was his son, but the message stated it.
I think a suggestion that shows Jefferson isn't their father is that Sally, nor Jefferson said that he was their father.
I think Thomas Jefferson is their father because they kind of favor him.
A scene in the book that suggest that Thomas Jefferson may be the father of Harriet is when Harriet is in the room with Mr. Randolph, he says that she looks just like him. A fact that suggest that Thomas Jefferson is not her father is the fact that Harriet's mother nor Thomas Jefferson have yet to admit to it. Although her mother went to France and came back pregnant does not necessarily mean that it is Thomas Jefferson's child. I think that Thomas Jefferson best fits the possibility of being Harriet's father beacause they look just alike and he is the person everyones believes to be the father.
One scene from the book show Thomas Jefferson is the father when he told a story about his law teacher, George Wythe to Beverly. The stroy was about his teacher and his mulatto servant,Lydia Broadnox together and had a son, Michael Brown. He treated his son very well and wrote his will to him and his mother. However, he had a grandnephew whom was given just a little of his property. It also said on his will if they died, he will receive everything. So, the grandnephew killed everyone but Lydia survived. He was arrested, but under Virginia law, no nigra can testify against a White person, so he was allowed to go free.
A fact that suggest that Thomas Jefferson is not their father is their family's background. They're half white because of their grandfather. So, just because of their appearances doesn't make Jefferson their father.
Even through no one said that he is their father i still think he is because of the way he treated them so well.
How did people define if you were "black" or "white" at this time? Was it based on your appearance? on your parents? grandparents? This issue raises questions that we are still trying to answer today. How can you define race? Is there a scientific way to do this or is it impossible?
I beleive that Thomas Jefferson is the father of Harriet and Beverely. One reason is because when Harriet was younger Jefferson told stories to his grandchildren and harriet would sneak and listen when jefferson find her he told her special stories. a reason why i would think he's not because he have them as slaves.
I think Thomas Jefferson is Harriet Hemings' father because he treats her good.He let her do things that she want. He don't treat her like a slave. He don't want her to leave for freedom when she turn 21 years old, but her mother does. He also treats her mother good, he don't treat her like a slave neither.
Post a Comment