Status Updates From An Imperfect God: George Wa...

The horse-breaking story reflects the attributes of the Virginia gentleman: it is mainly to take risks; but when things go wrong you admit responsibility and accept the consequences. The ideal mam has pride, willfulness, boisterous passions — all contained and controlled.

The force of his commands makes it clear that within his own family Washington was entirely alone in his thinking about slavery. He expected that the emancipation would come as a shock to his family and, moreover, he expected them to resist it. Washington was positioning himself as the protector of his slaves.