Fred D Aguir Building Bridges Back To The Past Summary

The responders interpretation of Fred D’aguirs novel THE LONGEST MEMORY is enhanced and challenged by his interview “ Building Bridges Back to The Past” by Maria Frais. The interview enriches our interpretation of the novel to be that of a slavery based narrative. The responders interpretation is challenged by the lack of response to the fundamental theme of the role of women.
Slavery is the central theme explored throughout the text. D’Aguir’s mix of events constructed by a series of dramatic monologues“ brings into play multiple view point about slavery”. This statement enhanced our interpretation of the novel as a slavery based narrative and explained the use of monologues in the novel. Each monologue presents an underlying event that is later recounted creating a parallel structure. This is seen in Whitechapels first monologue, where the reader learns of “the pointless death of a boy (he) loved as (his) own”, at the hands of the overseer. In a later monologue, that we learn of the overseer’s relation to the boy, “(his) own half brother”. This accumulative development of events through the novel creates the”
Obviously the dominant discourse held by slaves was against slavery. Chapel, a young slave was consumed by the idea of “freedom’ his yearning of “paradise”. This idea brought about by Lydia, his teacher and forbidden lover. Chapel wished to run away with his “star crossed lover”, and fulfil his dreams of becoming a writer. The exemplary use of form showing his love of education and imagination portrayed throughout his monologue of imagery and romancing couplets, “ my mother is an angel without wings fallen from grace, the sun has smoked her skin”. His dreams only burdened by his