The Book Of Negroes Summary
How would one feel if one were violently taken from home to a backwards place one would never understand? Aminata experienced these events first hand, which she conveys in her memoir. In this story The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill, she tells the story of her life. From how she was taken from her village of Bayo in Africa, where she enjoyed freedom, lived with dignity, and shipped across the 'big river’, as a slave, to the thirteen colonies now known as the United States America. Aminata experiences grief and hardship, Anger and joy, and a fiery determination to get back home. In this compelling story, Aminata grows in various ways as she deals with slavery, discrimination, and the loss of her family. Aminata could only rely on herself
if she wanted to survive. For example, Aminata used Tom's attachment to her to help the other slaves like when she got him to help Fomba, who came from the same village as her. This showed that she has matured because before this happened she most likely would not have helped him since in her village Fomba was a woloso, a second generation captive belonging to the chief (16). Aminata became more mature because she trusted in what she could do and did not largely depend on her friends. As she had never had a real home l after she became a slave until years later when she settled in Nova Scotia with her daughter May. She never spent more than a few years at a time in one place so it was difficult to get support from the friendships she had created. Aminata also used Chekura’s willingness to help her to get things she needed. This happened when she had him convince the slave traders to let the women out of the coffle so that they could rest their necks. Another way that Aminata matures is that she does not let discrimination get to her it is merely a hurdle to over come .She knew that she was much smarter and much more capable than what they thought she was. She used her cleverness to find ways out of the tough situations she in which she found herself. For example, She learnt English so that she would be able to understand what was going on better. If she learnt English, she would have a better chance at escaping slavery. She also used the midwife skills her mother taught her to earn money from delivering newborn babies. As a young girl, Aminata lost her parents and without their guidance, she needed take care of herself. This made Aminata more mature because she attempted to make decisions that her parents would have wanted her to if they were still with her. For instance, she did not trust Fanta, a woman who came from her village. Fanta later on goes insane, inciting a riot on the slave ship and kills her son and the child of another woman (90). Later in her life, Aminata loses her son, her husband and her daughter kidnapped. The grief she had experienced in her life because of these events has made her appreciate life. Aminata is different from how she had been when she was a child. She matured in many different ways since then. Therefore, Aminata has come of age in this story because she dealt with slavery, discrimination and the loss of her family. These experiences made her mature faster than she would have if she had not.
if she wanted to survive. For example, Aminata used Tom's attachment to her to help the other slaves like when she got him to help Fomba, who came from the same village as her. This showed that she has matured because before this happened she most likely would not have helped him since in her village Fomba was a woloso, a second generation captive belonging to the chief (16). Aminata became more mature because she trusted in what she could do and did not largely depend on her friends. As she had never had a real home l after she became a slave until years later when she settled in Nova Scotia with her daughter May. She never spent more than a few years at a time in one place so it was difficult to get support from the friendships she had created. Aminata also used Chekura’s willingness to help her to get things she needed. This happened when she had him convince the slave traders to let the women out of the coffle so that they could rest their necks. Another way that Aminata matures is that she does not let discrimination get to her it is merely a hurdle to over come .She knew that she was much smarter and much more capable than what they thought she was. She used her cleverness to find ways out of the tough situations she in which she found herself. For example, She learnt English so that she would be able to understand what was going on better. If she learnt English, she would have a better chance at escaping slavery. She also used the midwife skills her mother taught her to earn money from delivering newborn babies. As a young girl, Aminata lost her parents and without their guidance, she needed take care of herself. This made Aminata more mature because she attempted to make decisions that her parents would have wanted her to if they were still with her. For instance, she did not trust Fanta, a woman who came from her village. Fanta later on goes insane, inciting a riot on the slave ship and kills her son and the child of another woman (90). Later in her life, Aminata loses her son, her husband and her daughter kidnapped. The grief she had experienced in her life because of these events has made her appreciate life. Aminata is different from how she had been when she was a child. She matured in many different ways since then. Therefore, Aminata has come of age in this story because she dealt with slavery, discrimination and the loss of her family. These experiences made her mature faster than she would have if she had not.