Celia, A Slave book Melton A. Mclaurin (Author) Essay

Celia, A Slave book Melton A. Mclaurin (Author) - Essay Example The purchase of Celia was less of a cook than it was a sexual object. However, was it right to convict Celia of murder while defending herself from her rapist master? In my opinion, it was unfair to put Celia to death while she was severing her relations with her master who had raped her for five years. The judicial process at the time shows that it was against the rights of slaves and did not care what they went through. Mr. Newsom characters also depict him as a pervert who had no respect for women. Newsom character seems to have changed for the worse when his wife died. He was lonely yes, like any other man but he could have maintained his family values and principles as he had his children around to console him. After purchasing Celia as black slave who was mandated to cook, Newsom started treating her like his wife. He forced Celia to have sex with him and eventually raped her (Mclaurin 15). Celia even though angered by the inhumane act perpetrated against her by her master could not find a place to air her grievances for the slaves had no legal redress to self defense in Missouri County. Newsom unacceptable behavior may have been persuaded by the fact that he knew that there were nowhere slaves would find justice. Furthermore, it is clear that he had no respect for women as he never cared about his two daughters who were in the same compound. Newsom prolonged his illicit behavior and bore two children with Celia while he knew very well that there existed no acquaintance bet ween him and Celia (Mclaurin 23). Another sign that portrays Newsom as a pervert is the unclear circumstances his older daughter Virginia got a son named Billy while still in his father’s compound. Even though Virginia was married to Waynescot, one year after her mother’s demise she returned to stay with her father (Mclaurin 9). Her husband might have died thus