Dear Dan McCall,

I am a researcher interested in the study of slave runaways during the mid-eighteenth century I recently came across your Norton Critical Edition of Melville’s Short Novels. I am particularly moved by the provocative and insightful story of Benito Cereno because it discusses some issues that I focus my research on, including how many slaveowners of the time initially underestimated their slaves and the lengths to “pass” for someone else in order to escape slavery, even though the short story is set in the late eighteenth century.

The Norton Critical Edition anthologies have been proven very useful to many academics since they include many sources with which to study a subject or issue. I am hoping to better understand some of these issues raised in Melville’s short story with your knowledgeable background through an analytical study of how authors during the slavery period, especially the antebellum years, dealt with the growing issue of slavery and how they portrayed their opinions.

The character Babo is a very intriguing individual in the story, displaying a knowledge and understanding of slavemasters during the time in order to take advantage of their ignorance, as shown by Don Aranda’s decision to leave his slaves unfettered while on the ship. He “passes” for Benito Cereno’s personal slave such an extent that Delano praised Babo for his attentiveness to his “master.”

The idea of voice and hidden role reversal is also remarkable in the story. Babo is able to effectively silence Cereno and what’s left of Cereno’s men on board, and after Babo’s plan is foiled by Delano, he is forever silenced until his hanging. Likewise, Cereno is also plagued by the shadow of slavery, as he was unable to testify to ascertain Babo’s identity since he was the primary witness.

One issue that is crucial to my research is the representation of clothes and belongings in the story. Although Delano didn’t see the connection until after the incident is over, the way in which Cereno was dressed was a little bit off compared to the common dress of the Spaniard, as well as with Cereno’s belongings, when Babo used the Spanish flag to aid him in his shaving of Cereno. What is your professional opinion of Melville’s intent with this story? Do you believe that Melville is trying to show that the slaves are not as ignorant and stupid (as Delano initially believed) as many believed, similar to my own argument? What is his purpose for remaining decidedly ambiguous in his restraint to illustrate whether or not he was pro- or anti-slavery?

I trust that you would be able to answer my inquiries in due time.

Sincerely,
David Waldstreicher

Questions:
1) Benito Cereno and Craft’s Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom are similar in the sense that they present stories that contrast the ideas brought forth by Waldstreicher’s essay. Waldstreicher claims that the majority of slaves who successfully escape are literate, well read, clever, and usually change clothes and stories multiple times in their journeys to freedom. Yet, the characters in these two novels do not follow any of these qualities. Are the characters and their stories in these novels notable exceptions, or is there a message saying that one does not need to be literate or undertake a score of costume changes to achieve freedom, as Waldstreicher claims?
2) The intelligence displayed by Babo and his intricate design of his plan in Benito Cereno has many people wondering what exactly Melville was trying to say with his novel during a crucial time in history. Yet, the more interesting thing is how different Babo and William Craft is illustrated in their respective stories. The reader feels sympathy for William Craft for his plight and situation and somehow does not show the same feelings for Babo’s conduct and situation. Babo is presented as a cold-blooded, sly character despite his being in slavery. How can one reconcile these differences in presentation, and is it possible to? What do these representations of character show about the visibility of slaves during the antebellum years and how might they affect the audience of that time?