Carol Ann Duffy
Responding to the diary of a slave owner, transform this text into a modern day news story. Consider the publication the article would appear in, audience & purpose – how do you wish to present the Slave owner? How will you use the features of the text type and language in order to present your angle on this story. Diary from Bennet H. Barrow about his terrible actions with slaves had place over the 1800s in Louisiana in his own plantation. He writes down his actions on how he treats slaves because of their behavior.
He tortured them mainly by whipping them after the slaves have been trying to escape the plantation. He started on his diary 1836 with his starting action on these slaves and than repeated these actions over decades. Bennet H. Barrow was a Slave-owner in Louisiana, born 1811, 19 years old Bennet took over management of a major section of the family plantation from his father. Bennet’s share was roughly 1500 acres and included the family mansion. Getting this power lead Bennet to a disturbing path like the slavery torture.
From his famous diary where he shares how he tortured those slaves and they way it´s written sounds like he enjoyed the torture. This behaviour is of course outragous and disturbing how he portrayes this diary to these slaves. His diary starts in 1836 december 26 and begins with “House Jerry & Israel chained during Christmas. Bad conduct – for a year and better – Israel bad conduct during cotton picking season. This is the beginnig of the diary, language will not be really pretty further on because it will only get worse.
(To read the diary click the link on the bottom of the article) Slavery today is not a normal thing and is barely seen. But there are still some slave owners in the world today. Bennet Barrow prided himself upon being an efficient manager. He composed a formal set of rules for the operation of the plantation. Barrow was constantly in debt, in part, because of his land deals. He also had some debts due to endorsing of notes for the borrowings of friends and relatives. One friend, a British physician, disappeared leaving Barrow to pay more than ten thousand dollar on a loan.
That same friend also had forged Barrow’s name to some smaller notes. Barrow also borrowed money from banks to be able to loan money to relatives. Barrow himself borrowed a large amount from his brother-in-law who later suddenly called for repayment at a time when Barrow was financially distressed. After a period of time Barrow was able to repay that loan to his brother-in-law but they were not on good terms thereafter. Later in his diary Barrow remarked upon seeing that brother-in-law, “Fat and pockets full of money. “
