https://padlet.com/imanashrafaly/rqy6u5zxo34z The first African-American poet en-us 2017-05-04 19:05:38 UTC 2025-10-05 20:41:11 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padletuploads.blob.core.windows.net/prod/189206176/0d4e42c4bd6348d7b19df05776885051/pw.jpg imanashrafaly https://padlet.com/imanashrafaly/rqy6u5zxo34z/wish/170035862 Phillis Wheatley is a notable African-American poet; born in 1753 in West Africa. She was the first African-American who wrote literature during the time. She was sold into slavery at the age of 7 and was transported to America later on. She was very lucky as she was purchased by Wheatley family which later she adopted as her last name. Her admission into Wheatley family gave her a golden change in writing poetry; Wheatley recognized her potential and encouraged her to write. Not many of African slaves were given the chance to show their talents like Phillis Wheatley, hence she used it to the fullest in conveying her journey as a slave, and her people. However, many scholars mentioned that she did not represent her people as she was ‘white’ in her poetry.

]]> 2017-05-04 19:10:03 UTC https://padlet.com/imanashrafaly/rqy6u5zxo34z/wish/170035862 imanashrafaly https://padlet.com/imanashrafaly/rqy6u5zxo34z/wish/170036336 Representing the black community, Wheatley wanted to escape her reality and build a new world through her imagination as proposed in the poem. She labelled her imagination as Fancy;  wishing that her people will escaped  slavery and achieve their freedom. She later introduced the word Winter which described the reality that hold her back from her imagination. As cold and gloomy as the winter season, her dream might not come true as the reality is harsh for the slaves; their future is blurry and unpredictable. Throughout the poem, she also declared that nobody and nothing can stop her from dreaming although she is aware of the reality that awaits her. ]]> 2017-05-04 19:11:59 UTC https://padlet.com/imanashrafaly/rqy6u5zxo34z/wish/170036336 imanashrafaly https://padlet.com/imanashrafaly/rqy6u5zxo34z/wish/170036396 Written in iambic pentameter, Wheatley mentioned the perception of American society towards the African slaves in her poem; described it as “Some view our sable race with scornful eye, “Their colour is a diabolic die”". Consists of eight-line length, the poem touches on the discovery of new religion, Christianity among the slaves; she illustrated it as 'mercy' which brought her from the 'Pagan land' - the land that did not practice Christianity. At the end of the poem, she suggested that African can be liberated with the practice of Christianity.]]> 2017-05-04 19:12:16 UTC https://padlet.com/imanashrafaly/rqy6u5zxo34z/wish/170036396