Obi The History Of Three Fingered Jack Analysis

In Obi; or, The History of Three-Fingered Jack by William Earle the plantain is not simply a source of nourishment for the slaves on the island. It is a metaphorical cage used by slave owners to trap slaves in a place where there are no longer seen as human but rather as beast. Plantains are an indigenous, year round source of food and therefore a crucial part of the slaves’ diets. However, the plantain represents more than simply nourishment. In Obi, it is used to convey the bond that the slaves have with the island while also being used to convey the slaves’ status as uneducated beasts of a burden. These conflicting images make it difficult to identity the plantain as a literary ally or foe to the slaves.
The plantain not only provides the …show more content…
Without plantains, the slaves would not be able to accomplish as much work in the field because “flour, or bread itself, would be less agreeable, and less adapted to the support of the laborious negroes, so as to enable them to do their business or keep in health” (124). The plantain is necessary for the productivity of the slaves and therefore is crucial for the economy of the island. Without slave labor, the crops on the island cannot be harvested. In fact, Earle states that “without the fruit the Island would scarcely be habitable, as no species of provision could supply their place” (124). Plantains are the only food capable of easily providing the nutrition that the slaves needed to work. Jamaica was conquered so that it could become Britain’s premier sugar exporter. All the sugar harvested by the slaves went straight into the pocket of their owners and was then used to support the economy of the island. And, the harvesting of sugar was dependent on slave …show more content…
Just as plantains are as a source of nourishment and livelihood for the slaves, the slaves are a source of nourishment and livelihood for the slave owners. Without the slaves, the slave owners would not be able to maintain their lifestyle. They would not be able to harvest as much crop nor would they have a source of free and easily replaceable labor. Without slaves “the island would scarcely be habitable, as no species of provision could supply their place” (124). Though used to define the importance of plantains on the island, this statement can easily be read in context of the slaves’ impact on the island. In the slave owners’ minds, the slaves are a different species, one that is crucial to the day to day functioning on the island and the wealth of the plantation owners. Slaves were sold and bought at the market the same as cattle and other livestock—a commodity to be used to the slave owner’s advantage. And, just as the plantain is a source of nourishment for the slaves without which they would not have been able to maintain their lifestyle of hard labor, the slaves are a source of nourishment for the slave owners. The slaves are essentially the rich man’s