Religion, particularly Christianity, gives Phillis Wheatley a way to connect and influence her readers. Wheatley appears to embrace Christianity without offering criticism or pointing out the hypocrisies. However, a closer reading of her poetry suggests that she is using her new religion to deliver a message about the injustices of slavery. In "Being Brought to America from Africa", Phillis Wheatley strives to use Christianity with its emphasis on redemption, so that there is a hidden implication of equality and the idea that all slaves can be saved. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The first four lines of Wheatley's poem, "On Being Brought from Africa to America," uphold the ideals of Christianity: "It was mercy that brought me from my heathen country, I I taught my blind soul to understand that there is a God, that there is also a Savior: once I neither sought nor knew redemption. In these lines, she admits that she was once a pagan, but God removed her from that sin and led her on the path to redemption. Instead of starting with a condemnation of slavery, she calls it "mercy brought me from my heathen land" (Wheatley, "On Being Brought from Africa to America," line 1). Furthermore, she implies that her discovery of a God and a savior allowed her once tainted soul to be redeemed (lines 2-4). This simple confirmation of the Christian belief system would have made this poem extremely well received at the time it was written. Wheatley credits slavery with having a positive impact on her life because it led her to Christianity. Although her Christian faith was authentic, it also provided a safe subject for an enslaved poet in a predominantly white society. Expressing gratitude for one's enslavement may be unexpected for most readers. However, this was the only way Wheatley could relate to her audience at the time and convey her message without being condemned. She uses the phrase “mercy brought me” (line 1) and the title “On Being Brought” to downplay the violence of being kidnapped and forced into slavery. This could also be interpreted as denying power to those who captured her. She does not submit to it, but gives all the credit to God. Wheatley's reason for condemning his former beliefs most likely stems from his fragile position in American society. For his poetry to be well recognized, it would have had to appeal to a white Christian society. Her audience would have been very interested in the idea of ​​a black woman renouncing her pagan ways in favor of Christianity. If the poem had focused noticeably on equality between slaves and whites, it would never have been dispersed into white society. The non-confrontational tone that Wheatley uses along with the idea that slaves can become Christians inertly leads the reader to conclude that slavery is wrong in both a moral and religious sense. In the last four lines of "On Being Brought to America from Africa," Wheatley subtly establishes the notion of equality among all races: Some look upon our sable race with contempt, "Their color is a evil dice. » Remember, Christians, Negroes, black like Cain, can be refined and join the angelic train. In the seventh line of the poem, Wheatley writes, "Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain" ("On being brought from Africa to America," line 7). The biblical reference to Cain is used to draw a parallel between the racist idea that African Americans,>.