Benito cereno analysis. Benito Cereno Section 1 Summary and Analysis 2022-11-04

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Benito Cereno is a novella written by Herman Melville in 1855. It tells the story of Captain Delano, an American sailor who visits the Spanish ship San Dominick while it is anchored off the coast of Chile. The ship is captained by Benito Cereno, a Spanish nobleman who is apparently suffering from some kind of mental illness.

As Delano spends time on the ship, he begins to notice strange behavior among the crew, including a lack of communication and a sense of fear among the slaves. Despite these red flags, Delano initially dismisses them as the result of Cereno's illness and the harsh conditions of life at sea.

However, as the story progresses, Delano slowly realizes that there is more to the situation than he initially thought. He discovers that the slaves on the ship had actually taken control of the vessel in a rebellion and were using Cereno as a puppet to maintain the appearance of normalcy. The slaves, led by a man named Babo, had killed the majority of the crew and were holding the remaining sailors hostage.

Delano's naiveté and refusal to see the truth about the situation on the San Dominick ultimately puts him in danger. It is only through the intervention of a group of American sailors that the rebellion is finally put down and the slaves are recaptured.

In its portrayal of the power dynamics between slaves and their masters, Benito Cereno is a commentary on the horrors of slavery and the way in which it can distort the perceptions of those who benefit from it. Delano's inability to see the truth about the situation on the San Dominick is a reflection of the way in which slavery can blind people to the suffering of others.

Overall, Benito Cereno is a powerful and thought-provoking novella that explores themes of power, slavery, and human nature. It serves as a reminder of the dangers of ignoring injustice and the importance of being willing to confront the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it may be.

Benito Cereno by Herman Melville

benito cereno analysis

Eventually, Captain Delano is forced to see the truth after Don Benito jumps aboard his boat, Babo jumping after him with daggers meant to kill him. He wonders, too, if Cereno might be an impostor, some ordinary sailor pretending to have always been a captain. However, it is only when the violence subverts the pre-existing hierarchy that Delano considers it punishable. Captain Delano comments on Atufal's "royal spirit" to which Don Benito responds, telling him that Atufal claims to be a king in his country of origin. Atufal, a minor character in the novel, led Captain Delano to become confused about what was truly happening aboard the San Dominick. The scene also serves as a direct indication to Delano that he does not necessarily have the power or authority to control the slaves, and that the hierarchy of control might be more complex than he thought.

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Melville Stories "Benito Cereno" (Part II) Summary & Analysis

benito cereno analysis

Without the misleading of Captain Delano by Adufal, the mystery and suspense of what was truly happening aboard the San Dominick would not have been built up. However, Delano tries to keep from judging Cereno too harshly, reminding himself that the ship captain has experienced physical hardship and that he behaves unpleasantly with everyone on board, regardless of status and skin color. However, few critics believe that "Benito Cereno" is a pro-slavery story. Cereno insists on collecting precise information and asks Delano if these men would be on the ship tonight, as well. Atufal affected the plot because he caused Delano to doubt his suspicions, which therefore played a major role in the actions of this main character.

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Benito Cereno Study Guide

benito cereno analysis

Captain Amasa Delano is the American captain of a seal-hunting ship, the Bachelor's Delight. Delano finds this annoying, but becomes excited when he notices that a breeze has returned, capable of directing the ship in the right decision. Babo, holding a dagger, jumps from the ship into the boat. On a deeper level, the knot is representative of the many layers of dependence and oppression aboard the ship. The last date is today's date — the date you are citing the material.

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Benito Cereno Section 1 Summary and Analysis

benito cereno analysis

When Delano points this out to Cereno, Cereno begins to cough uncontrollably and Babo suddenly appears to give him support. He sees no guns and is not able to recognize a figure-head because that section of the ship is wrapped in fabric. Some of the Europeans, like shackled slaves, die in the sea, unable to thrash their limbs against the waters that suffocate them. Captain Delano asks whether his body is still aboard the ship and Don Benito faints, falling into the waiting arms of Babo. Despite the fact that Everett and Odysseus are similar, Everett has better initiative abilities, which at last causes him and his group get to where they have to go. Delano decides that the boats will be more effective than the ship to chase the San Dominick. Although they tried on various occasions to reach harbor when the winds returned, they drifted back and forth, unable to reach the shore.

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Benito Cerreno Analysis

benito cereno analysis

Delano urges him to take hope, yet Cereno, burdened by memory, finds himself permanently shadowed by "the negro. Delano then inquires as to the owner of the slaves and discovers they belong to Alexander Aranda, a friend of Cereno's who died of the fever. When a sailor once expressed hope of being saved by Delano, a slave hit him on the head. Others supplant their black counterparts by becoming white slaves to black masters. Throughout history, the story has been perceived as both racist and pro-slavery as well as anti-racist and abolitionist, though later mid-20th century readers believe the story does not focus on race at all, but rather the corruption of humankind. They became first non-Indians to sight Alta California on September 5, 1540.


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Benito Cereno Summary & Analysis

benito cereno analysis

Cereno, in his usual, sickly way, dismisses the offence as mere fun between children. He is welcomed aboard by Don Benito Cereno, the young Spanish captain of the ship, and Babo, his faithful servant. Of course, it is ambiguous who is holding whom down. Themes and Analysis Have you ever wondered why hypnosis or magic tricks work? Summary In "Benito Cereno," the narrator is Amasa Delano, the captain of a Massachusetts whaling ship. His point of view obscured by flagrant racial mythology about the natural propensities of black servants, Captain Delano represents the naivete of the New World, which, in 1799, had yet to face its comeuppance for building an economy on imported slave labor. . He utilizes similes and metaphors to aid in his representation of the scene and foreshadows the course of the story when describing the dark, gray scene surrounding the San Dominick.

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Benito Cereno by Herman Melville Plot Summary

benito cereno analysis

Captain Delano becomes wary when Don Benito, at Babo's insistence, asks how many weapons are on board the Bachelor's Delight. Bartholomew's church where the bones of Alexandro Aranda are laid to rest. In the amused, detached way of an outside observer, Delano notes that it almost looks as though Cereno is a condemned prisoner about to be beheaded by Babo. For example, he witnessed a young Negro boy hit a young white boy over the head with a knife 159 , receiving no reaction from other people on the ship. Although the important roles of these seemingly minor people in the novel are not often noticed, the story of Benito Cereno never would have taken place without them. However, every time Delano examines such theories, he concludes that they are ridiculous, that he is offending his host by nurturing such suspicions, and that everything is probably fine.

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Resolution

benito cereno analysis

His first instinct is to believe Don Benito to be a pirate trying to capture his ship, the Bachelor's Delight. The four elderly, grizzled oakum pickers, who watch over the milling throng on the deck, are like prompters in their prompt-boxes, occasionally reminding the rest of the slaves of their lines, so to speak. . Nicholas one of the Cape Verde Islands off Senegal. This suggests that bad qualities such as racism can coexist with seemingly good qualities such as politeness and generosity in the same person.

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Analysis of Benito Cereno""

benito cereno analysis

However, Delano then feels guilty for judging Cereno harshly and decides to focus on his compassion for the frail Spanish captain. His body is burned to ashes and his head is placed on a pole in the Plaza overlooking St. It is then that Atufal appears in chains. A good-hearted and earnest optimist, the captain cannot let himself dwell on the implications of doom that permeate the air. Delano tells his mates to stay in the boat, afraid that their presence on the San Dominick would only increase the disorder. The ship looks weather-beaten and decrepit. Adopting a cheerful attitude, he asks Cereno about the strikingly close relationship the Spanish captain has with his black slave, who behaves like a personal counselor.

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