The slave trade brought about the devastation of entire African communities; who lost their history and unique way of life, with every branded slave. However, it also created much difficulty for those who wished to maintain their culture outside of their native land. Lawrence Hill’s The Book of Negroes reveals the struggles that slaves faced in colonial lands through Aminata’s experiences, as she strives to remain true to her religion, family, and childhood ambitions.
First off, Aminata struggles to retain her belief in religion, both as a slave and as a free person. Aminata’s journey to a boat bound for the Americas creates difficulties with regard to her religious practices. The crescent moons carved into her cheeks identify her as a Muslim, …show more content…
The two major ambitions she has as a child are to return to her village and become a djeli. Hill uses Aminata’s ambitions to foreshadow events that are to take place once she gains her freedom. From the moment she is captured, Aminata promises to return to Bayo. However, throughout the course of her journey, Aminata lives in many places and comes to understand that the location does not matter, as long as she has her freedom. Therefore, Aminata’s dream to recapture her freedom as an adult outweighs her childhood ambition of returning to her village. This change of heart is demonstrated after she overhears Alassane and his crew of slave traders discuss her sale; she reveals, “After I heard Alassane’s words, I felt no more longing for Bayo- only a determination to stay free […] I let go of my greatest desire. I would never go back home” (442). Essentially, her desire to return to her village is put aside, so that she can hold on to the freedom she has sacrificed so much to obtain. Although Aminata’s dream to return to her village does not come true, she is comforted by the fact that her other ambition is realized; when she says, “I never managed to return home to Bayo, but for one month in a tiny village of strangers, I became the storyteller- the djeli- that I had always hoped to be” (447). Thus, Aminata’s lifelong fascination with storytelling is realized as she succeeds in achieving her childhood ambition of becoming a djeli. In conclusion, Aminata remains true to her childhood ambitions, however she realizes that they are not worth seeing through if she must sacrifice her freedom.
To conclude, Lawrence Hill’s The Book of Negroes makes a powerful case against the slave trade and the irreparable devastation it brought about. He reveals the struggles African slaves had to endure; by employing Aminata’s experiences. In particular, Hill underlines Aminata’s struggle of remaining true to religion,
First off, Aminata struggles to retain her belief in religion, both as a slave and as a free person. Aminata’s journey to a boat bound for the Americas creates difficulties with regard to her religious practices. The crescent moons carved into her cheeks identify her as a Muslim, …show more content…
The two major ambitions she has as a child are to return to her village and become a djeli. Hill uses Aminata’s ambitions to foreshadow events that are to take place once she gains her freedom. From the moment she is captured, Aminata promises to return to Bayo. However, throughout the course of her journey, Aminata lives in many places and comes to understand that the location does not matter, as long as she has her freedom. Therefore, Aminata’s dream to recapture her freedom as an adult outweighs her childhood ambition of returning to her village. This change of heart is demonstrated after she overhears Alassane and his crew of slave traders discuss her sale; she reveals, “After I heard Alassane’s words, I felt no more longing for Bayo- only a determination to stay free […] I let go of my greatest desire. I would never go back home” (442). Essentially, her desire to return to her village is put aside, so that she can hold on to the freedom she has sacrificed so much to obtain. Although Aminata’s dream to return to her village does not come true, she is comforted by the fact that her other ambition is realized; when she says, “I never managed to return home to Bayo, but for one month in a tiny village of strangers, I became the storyteller- the djeli- that I had always hoped to be” (447). Thus, Aminata’s lifelong fascination with storytelling is realized as she succeeds in achieving her childhood ambition of becoming a djeli. In conclusion, Aminata remains true to her childhood ambitions, however she realizes that they are not worth seeing through if she must sacrifice her freedom.
To conclude, Lawrence Hill’s The Book of Negroes makes a powerful case against the slave trade and the irreparable devastation it brought about. He reveals the struggles African slaves had to endure; by employing Aminata’s experiences. In particular, Hill underlines Aminata’s struggle of remaining true to religion,