Law or Loyalty? Lincoln's Narrative To Enforce The 13th Amendment.

     The following is an analysis for an AP Literature class concerning how President Lincoln's use of a narrative in the movie Lincoln helped to effect the overall argument he was making to his advisers concerning the 13th Amendments. The narrative tells of Lincoln's encounter with Melissa Goings. For reference, see the movie Lincoln.

   

     While in a conference with his Cabinet concerning war-strategies against the South, President Lincoln is confronted by a member who questions why Lincoln has his intentions set on the 13th Amendment rather than effective war-strategies. In response Lincoln first jokes with the Cabinet, allowing them to relax before beginning a short narrative about his encounter with a defendant named Melissa Goings. Lincoln goes on to explain that he was representing Goings in a trial in which Goings had been accused of murdering her husband while being choked by him. It ends with Lincoln explaining that he had called for a short conference with Goings while in a courthouse: during this conference Goings had asked where to find a good drink of water, and Lincoln had answered with "Tennessee". Lincoln emerged from the room without Goings; a window was found open and when Goings was not found, her chargers were dropped. Although the Cabinet is at first unsure as to how the narrative relates to the pressing matter of slavery, Lincoln is able to relate the story with his actions concerning both the Emancipation Proclamation and the upcoming 13th Amendment. 

   

     The use of Lincoln's anecdote/narrative effects the entirety of his speech by letting his audience (his Cabinet) know that he holds morality above law. Although he does not verbally admit it, it is suggested that Lincoln allowed Goings to escape the courthouse: furthermore it can be assumed that Lincoln would allow this because Goings had only committed the crime in order to save herself and would not do something of that nature again. Therefore, the narrative relates to Lincoln in the sense that although it may not be in his legal powers to press so thoroughly towards abolitionism, he continues to push the boundaries because it is the morally correct thing to do. Goings protected herself from her husband because she was attacked: because her freedom and life were in danger. Lincoln in a sense is replacing Melissa Goings with slavery. Slavery, or slaves, are in the same situation as Goings was during Lincoln's narrative: they are being attacked, with their freedom and lives being taken away and just like Goings, they are trying to save themselves. Lincoln uses the narrative to portray why he has taken such a strong sense towards the 13th Amendment instead of war and the firm legal processes. If Lincoln had followed the firm legal processes and the sense of "war monger" when dealing with the case of Goings, Goings might have spent her life in jail or even paid with her life when she was just defending herself. Overall Lincoln knows that he could possibly have limited time to get the 13th Amendment approved or even on the table: the 13th Amendment is Goings' window. Without it there may not be an escape.  

     The use of Lincoln's narrative while addressing his advisers in the Cabinet gives the members a scenario where they can possibly look inwards at what they would do themselves in the scenario of having to choose: give the innocent (or quite possibly innocent in Going's case) a fighting chance to stand for themselves, or continue to focus on war and what the law "restricts" the President from doing? The narrative opens the Cabinets ideas about what is quite possibly most important in the battle against slavery: even if the Amendment isn't carried through, it gives people hope and a chance to fight their own battle. The quote in the image to the right is closest to President Lincoln's view on the matter. By passing the 13th Amendment with success, others will be able to achieve success.