The Book of Negroes: Sixth Analysis

After reading "The Book Of Negroes," and analyzing it in several different ways, I have a few final thoughts on which criticism gave me the most insight into my novel. I believe that the post colonial
criticism helped me discern the major themes within the book, more so than the other types of criticism and analyses.

Post colonialism let me see the entire book as a rebellion against standards. Instead of painting Aminata as a woebegone character, she is strong, vibrant, and equal to all the other characters. She can read, write, bargain, and speak eloquently. These skills and traits would have been rare in a woman during Aminata's time, and unheard of for an African American.

However, this perspective also allowed me not just Aminata's change, but also the gradual change of independence to interdependence that  countries and tribes underwent after Europeans came and changed their governing structures. The fact that it was considered so amazing that Aminata was educated showed the vast differences between cultural standards. This was shown  from Aminata's journey from her original town where she was free and independent, to Sierra Leone, where there were no exports or any trades to support themselves. She survived, for most of the novel on the mercy of others, when originally, she had the skills and talent to easily rely on nobody but herself. The post colonial perspective really outlines this vast decline of self-reliance.

The book also demonstrated the change from individuality to what I started calling a "blanket personality," which was a certain demeanor ascribed to entire ethnicities of people. Those who were of a certain ethnicity were all assumed to be the same, with the same thought processes, ideas, and actions. This lack of personal uniqueness, and the need to conform, caused the loss of much cultural heritage. This was symbolized in the novel when Aminata adopted a new name in America, because nobody cared enough to learn her real name. A quote that I really found meaningful to this perspective was: "When it comes to understanding others...we rarely tax our imaginations," (Hill 425). Post colonialism emphasized the rigid social groupings of the time in the novel, and the lack of compassion or even empathy for any others.

I also noticed that there were several references to maps throughout the novel. Aminata is always interested in finding maps, and there are several quotes about: "elephants for want of towns," (Hill 377). I believe that this may be a symbol of the loss of culture, simply replaced by something that was easy to understand, (like an elephant to cover blank space on the page). However, there may be more meaning to this, and may be worth researching.

After putting all these aspects revealed by Post-Colonial perspective together, I believe they all come together to show the extreme loss of individuality and the beginning of double standards and conformity.

A draft of my thesis for this novel may be:

After examining “The Book of Negroes” from a post colonial perspective, it becomes clear that the author is trying to show the gradual decline experienced by England's colonies from self supporting, individual cultures to gaining a single identity based on what they were told.

The Book of Negroes-Fifth Analysis

After reading the fifth portion of the novel, I decided to analyze it using a feminist literary criticism. Aminata, being both African American and a woman seemed to have the odds stacked against her in a time of so much prejudice and discrimination. Yet, throughout the book, it becomes obvious that the narrator is not trying to demonstrate the vast injustices against women, nor is the book outwardly trying to condemn this. Instead, in a roundabout way, it focuses on the strengths of the oppressed, and that shows the immense differences between equality and injustice much more eloquently.

In the latest portion of the novel, Aminata arrives in Sierra Leone, (Lion's Head), in Africa. She stays there for a little while, with her friends before realizing her heart is still in Bayo. To get back to her home, she deals with a trader to take her into the heartland of Africa. However, the trader, Alassane, barely even accepts her offer, saying: "'I don't trade with women'...'[But] you negotiate like a man,'" (Hill 439). Aminata's swift thinking in bartering was the only reason why she was able to make a deal with Alassane. Women were very limited in what others thought they were capable of, and, for many, what they felt they were capable of. Alassane nearly turned down a business opportunity simply because the partner would be a woman, which brings me to my next point of what I believe was a double standard for women.

In order to become more of an equal with friends she made with Europeans, Aminata always spoke proper English, instead of Gullah, (the dialect African Americans often spoke in), learned arithmetic, and became able to read and write proficiently. All of this effort, when during this time it was considered an accomplishment to just be able to read, (for all cultures) is very remarkable. This illustrates how hard women had to work to gain any respect. The discrepancies are obvious: "It seemed incomprehensible. Women selling in the market, Negroes drinking with white men, and yet here I was-a slave" (Hill 192). There was a double standard; women had to work twice as hard to get recognition for any of their own accomplishments as the men.

After  looking through the novel using feminist literary criticism, I realized that it made me view the characters differently. I had been trying to make comparisons between my life and what I understood to the book, but I realized that I couldn't really compare anything that I have heard of or experienced to the encounters Aminata had. I gained a new respect for all the women in the book, who suffered and managed to still make it through.

Overall, when I look through the novel, one phrase seems to stand out among the rest: "When it comes to understanding others...we rarely tax our imaginations" (Hill 425). This statement is so true, even among today's society. When it comes to those who are oppressed, challenged, or just different, we rarely think to extend a helping hand. Although today's society is leaps and bounds ahead of the world described within The Book Of Negroes, this quote rings true for most of humanity. In the case of this novel though, it is especially correct for women.

The Book Of Negroes: Fourth Analysis

The fourth part of the novel I analyzed using a Post Colonial perspective on the events happening within the book. Throughout the fourth part, the main character, Aminata, has another child, but she is taken away without her consent by Aminata's former employers. Disheartened, she decided to start a new life in Sierra Leone, a free town, back in her homeland of Africa.

When analyzing this portion, I found that there are many aspects of this book relating to Post-Colonialism, and the western world. However, parts of the book are, in fact, a rebellion against colonialism. The Western world believed that women were below men in the social ranking, and everybody else in the world was below those of European descent. The book is written through the view of an African American woman who rebelled against the standards, and learned to become more educated than was common for people of that time.

Looking deeper into parts of the book, it is also obvious that there is a loss of personal identity within a post colonial world. It is instead replaced with a cultural identity that extends over everyone of a certain ethnicity. For example, a preacher asked Aminata: "'Have you come from New York?...And are you of African persuasion?" (Hill 322). The first question asked, right away, was what kind of ethnicity Aminata was. This, unfortunately, shows a loss of personal pride and individuality. You weren't simply a person. You were your culture above all, it determined how people saw you. Aminata found this out quickly: "What is a 'wench?' 'Woman,' he said. 'Is Mrs. Lindo a wench?' He sat up straight. 'She is a lady'" (Hill 203).

Something else I realized after looking farther into the novel was that there was a stark difference of standards between different cultures. Aminata was considered almost a novelty to many people, because she was both African and a woman, yet she could read and write extremely well, "Clarkson asked for an assistant...I stepped forward, so he asked me also, 'Would you point me to Mr. Meena?'" (Hill 367). Clarkson was astonished that Aminata was so educated; that wouldn't have been such a considerable accomplishment for someone of a different ethnicity. There was a double standard: what Europeans could achieve, and what everyone else could achieve.

Looking critically at the book, the differences left by the colonization of the world are obvious: the start of slavery, societal rules, the feudal system, and much more. However, there are also parts that aren't as apparent: lack of respect, loss of individuality, and repression of beliefs. Even today, racism still occurs as a result of past losses and dominations caused by colonial oppressions.

After reading this part of the book and analyzing it with a post colonial perspective, I now have some questions as well. What would the world be like today if the Europeans hadn't colonized most of it? Would there still be as much discrimination and feudalism as was experienced by Aminata?