This section contains 987 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
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Death on Board
The story of "Benito Cereno" contains a vicious mutiny at sea aboard the San Dominick plotted and carried out by the "valuable [human] freight" (39) - the slaves. Subsequently, this insurrection is veiled in a calculated façade to fool a naïve American captain named Delano who is unable to believe in the "malign evil in man" (37). Delano remains complacent throughout his time on the San Dominick unaware of the many indications suggesting a much more sinister situation engulfing the ship. However, clues throughout the discourse suggest what is occurring via death-filled imagery. The use of imagery associated with death in "Benito Cereno" serves on the periphery as a connection to the violent nature of the ships recent past, and foreshadows future circumstances Delano and Cereno will confront within the story. In addition, when reviewing this focus on death within a broader context, it may...
This section contains 987 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
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