Date of Award
2018
Document Type
Open Access Thesis
Department
Art
Sub-Department
French
First Advisor
Jeanne Garane
Abstract
I am translating an excerpt of the work L’esclavage raconté à ma fille, by the French Guianese politician Christiane Taubira. A former Minister of Justice of France, Taubira is famous for her legislative work in recognizing slavery as a crime against humanity and instituting national educational efforts on the subject. The book is an exposition of the history of slavery, set in a storytelling, question-and-answer style, which has the merit of bringing a conversational and accessible aspect to a difficult topic.
I chose this work at the recommendation of one of my professors, and when I was unable to find an English translation, I decided to try my hand at producing one. As I read the original text, I was struck by the historical revelations Taubira offered, and I began to wonder what our American educational system would look like if we incorporated this perspective in our history courses. One of the most striking features of L’esclavage raconté à ma fille is its refusal to remain impersonal: the stories that Taubira explores during the conversation with her daughter are human, real and personal, and it is impossible to leave the text without a sense of abject outrage and the desire to make change for the greater good of society.
Rights
© 2018, Victoria L.A. Carvelli
Recommended Citation
Carvelli, V. L.(2018). Translating Slavery As Told To My Daughter. (Master's thesis). Retrieved from https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/4753