The Book Of Negroes Essay
Wajih Shah
ENG3U0-D
Ms. Ventresca
December 8th, 2013
The Book of Negroes – Racism Writing, reading and literature in all its shapes and forms is an efficient way to confine the struggles and hardships that come while fighting for equality. The novel, The Book of Negroes, written by Lawrence Hill deals with the struggles of African Americans and how they deal with prejudice and discrimination within their society. Racism has a negative effect on the life of Aminata which results in her loss of freedom, lowered her self-esteem, and left her feeling powerless against others. Aminata’s freedom was lost when Americans started treating her ruthlessly and in a different manner than others. As a helpless woman, Aminata was unable to do anything about the matter. When her white owner gives her food and she states, “I would sooner die than eat pork” (Hill, 105). Although knowing that eating pork is forbidden in Aminata’s culture, her white owner still gives her pork to eat without any other choices or substitutes. Aminata feels like she cannot do anything without her owner torturing her. She feels dependent on others because the Toubabs commands her: “There is no water. No food. No breaks to pee” (116). Aminata could not even go to the washroom without having the Toubabs permission. She needs their consent to drink water and eat food. Aminata gets treated like a slave because of the color of her skin and feels that she has lost all the freedoms that come with being a human. Aminata was always fond of studying and being free to do as she please, but she does not feel independent when she dreams “I would be the only woman, and one of the only people in my entire village, to be able to read Qur’an and to write Arabic script” (22). When Aminata lived with her parents she dreamed of having a bright future. However now she feels like as though all her dreams have been shattered and she cannot achieve any of her goals. Consequently, by the need of freedom Aminata has a hard
ENG3U0-D
Ms. Ventresca
December 8th, 2013
The Book of Negroes – Racism Writing, reading and literature in all its shapes and forms is an efficient way to confine the struggles and hardships that come while fighting for equality. The novel, The Book of Negroes, written by Lawrence Hill deals with the struggles of African Americans and how they deal with prejudice and discrimination within their society. Racism has a negative effect on the life of Aminata which results in her loss of freedom, lowered her self-esteem, and left her feeling powerless against others. Aminata’s freedom was lost when Americans started treating her ruthlessly and in a different manner than others. As a helpless woman, Aminata was unable to do anything about the matter. When her white owner gives her food and she states, “I would sooner die than eat pork” (Hill, 105). Although knowing that eating pork is forbidden in Aminata’s culture, her white owner still gives her pork to eat without any other choices or substitutes. Aminata feels like she cannot do anything without her owner torturing her. She feels dependent on others because the Toubabs commands her: “There is no water. No food. No breaks to pee” (116). Aminata could not even go to the washroom without having the Toubabs permission. She needs their consent to drink water and eat food. Aminata gets treated like a slave because of the color of her skin and feels that she has lost all the freedoms that come with being a human. Aminata was always fond of studying and being free to do as she please, but she does not feel independent when she dreams “I would be the only woman, and one of the only people in my entire village, to be able to read Qur’an and to write Arabic script” (22). When Aminata lived with her parents she dreamed of having a bright future. However now she feels like as though all her dreams have been shattered and she cannot achieve any of her goals. Consequently, by the need of freedom Aminata has a hard