The Book Of Negroes - The Abolitionist Movement Essay
The Abolitionist Movement Essay
Essay Author G. Ondi
The novel The Book of Negroes, written by Lawrence Hill depicts the life of a female African named Aminata, and her rough journey while having to endure slavery. From childhood to adulthood, Aminata faces many tragedies and has many horrifying experiences. Aminata is chosen by members of the abolitionist movement to help their movement and she possesses unique features. Aminata however, does not believe that she would make a difference, but her long life chaning, and horrifying voyage says otherwise.Therefore with her experience, strong character, and ability to adapt to a variety of different environments and situations, Aminata is beneficial to the abolitionist movement. Firstly, Aminata has experienced more tragic and emotionally devastating events throughout her life, than other may have. This can be seen in a quote from an essay by Lisa Kristine, where she visits and documents slaves who are working on a brick plantation. She writes in her essay: "Enveloped in temperatures of 130 degrees, men, women and children--whole families, in fact--were cloaked in a heavy blanked of dust...Deadened by monotony and exhaustion, the slaves worked silently, repeating this task over and over, sixteen hours a day. There were no breaks for food or water, and the severe dehydration made urinating inconsequential" (Kristine 3). This quote makes it clear that Aminata has been through and went through more severe physical and mental treatments. While these slaves at this plant received no food or water, Aminata was carried across an ocean, got raped, lost her husband, and many more things happened to her which proves that she has more experience than the average slave. Furthermore, one of the greater and more tragic experiences took place on St. Helena's Island, at Appleby's plantation, when Appleby stole and sold Aminata's baby: "...I saw Robinson Appleby put my baby into a man's arms up
Essay Author G. Ondi
The novel The Book of Negroes, written by Lawrence Hill depicts the life of a female African named Aminata, and her rough journey while having to endure slavery. From childhood to adulthood, Aminata faces many tragedies and has many horrifying experiences. Aminata is chosen by members of the abolitionist movement to help their movement and she possesses unique features. Aminata however, does not believe that she would make a difference, but her long life chaning, and horrifying voyage says otherwise.Therefore with her experience, strong character, and ability to adapt to a variety of different environments and situations, Aminata is beneficial to the abolitionist movement. Firstly, Aminata has experienced more tragic and emotionally devastating events throughout her life, than other may have. This can be seen in a quote from an essay by Lisa Kristine, where she visits and documents slaves who are working on a brick plantation. She writes in her essay: "Enveloped in temperatures of 130 degrees, men, women and children--whole families, in fact--were cloaked in a heavy blanked of dust...Deadened by monotony and exhaustion, the slaves worked silently, repeating this task over and over, sixteen hours a day. There were no breaks for food or water, and the severe dehydration made urinating inconsequential" (Kristine 3). This quote makes it clear that Aminata has been through and went through more severe physical and mental treatments. While these slaves at this plant received no food or water, Aminata was carried across an ocean, got raped, lost her husband, and many more things happened to her which proves that she has more experience than the average slave. Furthermore, one of the greater and more tragic experiences took place on St. Helena's Island, at Appleby's plantation, when Appleby stole and sold Aminata's baby: "...I saw Robinson Appleby put my baby into a man's arms up
Cited: Hill, Lawrence. The Book of Negroes. Toronto: HarperCollins, 2011. Print. Kristine, Lisa. Photographing from the Frontlines of Slavery. N.p.: World Literature Today, 2013. Print. Browne-Marshall, Gloria J. "The Realities of Enslaved Female Africans in America."Http://academic.udayton.edu/. Failing Our Black Children: Statutory Rape Laws, 2002. Web.