Clotel · Chapter
A Slave Hunting Parson explained
Carlton visits the slaveholder Jones and attempts to give religious instruction to the slaves, revealing their profound ignorance under slavery.
What happens
Carlton visits the slaveholder Jones and attempts to give religious instruction to the slaves, revealing their profound ignorance under slavery. He also learns from Georgiana about her father Mr. Peck's cruel participation in hunting and killing a runaway slave named Harry with bloodhounds. The chapter exposes the hypocrisy of Christian slaveholders who use religion to control slaves while perpetuating brutal violence.
Themes in this chapter
Corruption of Christianity
Mr. Peck and Jones use religion to justify slavery and maintain control, while participating in brutal violence like hunting slaves with dogs.
Hypocrisy of American Democracy
The chapter contrasts the ideals of Christian charity and freedom with the reality of slavery, where slaveholders like Peck preach piety while owning and hunting humans.
Dehumanization and Commodification
Slaves are treated as property, drilled to give rote answers, and valued only for their labor, as seen in the toast 'The black folks makes the cotton, And the white folks gets the money.'
Characters to notice
- Mr. Carlton
Visits Jones's plantation, attempts to preach to the slaves, and learns about Mr. Peck's slave hunting.
- Mr. Peck
A slaveholding parson who hunts slaves with dogs and uses religion to maintain control.
- Georgiana Carlton
Sympathizes with Carlton's anti-slavery views and tearfully recounts her father's killing of the slave Harry.
- Jones
Slaveholder who hosts Carlton and tries to present his slaves as well-treated.
- Dogget
Driver who drills the slaves before Carlton's preaching to ensure they give acceptable answers.
- Snyder
Mentioned as the preacher to field negroes, part of Mr. Peck's efforts to appear as a Christian master.
Key passages
“The big bee flies high, The little bee make the honey; The black folks makes the cotton, And the white folks gets the money.”
Jack's toast highlights the economic exploitation where enslaved people produce the wealth that white owners enjoy.
Reveals the slaves' awareness of their exploitation despite the master's attempt to showcase contentment.
“Send Bibles to the heathen, Their famished spirits feed; Oh! haste, and join your efforts, The priceless gift to speed; Then flog the trembling negro If he should learn to read.”
Georgiana's poem criticizes the hypocrisy of sending Bibles abroad while denying education and punishing slaves who try to read.
Highlights the theme of corrupted Christianity and the selective application of religious charity.
“De overseer told us last night who made us, but indeed I forgot the gentmun's name.”
A slave cannot recall the name of his creator because it was only drilled into him the night before by the overseer.
Illustrates the profound ignorance enforced on slaves and the superficiality of religious instruction.