Being Right

This is a big novel with so many things happening in it. Before I begin, I want to note that I don't think that there is only one  role that the word "right" plays, there are some that  I find the interesting. I noticed that the word appears a lot during the scene with the patrollers and poor Augustus Townsend.

It starts when Augustus says, "I'm only doin what I got a right to do," (212) and he's correct. He is a free man, and he was freed by the most powerful man in Manchester County. By law, he is allowed to travel freely, it is his right. Travis counters by eating his free papers, because he's obviously a very mature racist. He says to Augustus: "Thas what I think a your right to do anything you got a right to do" (212). He kind of admits that he knows that it is Augustus' right to be free, but he doesn't care because he thinks he is racially superior. In this instance, "right" plays the role of what someone is allowed to do in Manchester County. Augustus is a free man, he is allowed to do as he pleases (within reason) as long as he can provide the documentation that he is not a slave. Travis spits (or swallows) in the face of this by eating the only thing that is making Augustus truly free.

On the same page, the word means something different again. Barnum says to his fellow patroller, "That ain't right, Harvey. This just ain't right" (212). He makes a really good point. He is seeing right from wrong, and there are plenty of other examples of when "right"takes on that role. But here, it only happens twice. The modern reader takes Barnum's side, because we see him as right and Travis as wrong. In the modern world, it is that cut and dry. But this is a different society and, Travis is a white man and Augustus is not, in the eyes of so many people, Travis is right and is doing the right thing. He is putting a black man in his place, and it is so aggravating to all of us, but in his eyes, it is the right thing to do. Barnum sees it as wrong, but he's the poorest man in town. The only thing he has going for him is that he's white. Once Augustus is sold, Travis says to Barnum: "It is not why he and I are doin it, but why you aren't doin it. That is the question for all time. Why a man, even somethin worthless like you, sees what is right and still refuses to do it" (217). That's some real racist rhetoric, that a free man like Augustus should always be a slave because he is a black man. It is the second example of when "right" is placed in the role of "right vs. wrong." Travis thinks that he's right; he is the superior man in this situation, he's white and not really poor. In his world, that's all that it takes for him to be right.

I want to ask a question. Right now, Travis seems like the most racist guy in this book. But we had a whole discussion about Robbin's racism. So, say it wasn't Augustus (because Robbins knows him), but another free black man, would Robbins be willing to sell him to a passing slave trader in spite of free papers? Is he too law abiding (though it's been implied that he is more powerful than Skiffington)?