While reading The Book of Negroes, by Lawrence Hill, I
have really connected with Aminata Diallo the main character. She is a very
strong and courageous little girl who was taken from her village in Africa. She
shows extreme resilience to the horrors that surround her. I watched the
mini-series when it was on TV and I loved it. I thought it was such an
interesting story and I loved Aminata’s character. I found in the mini-series
and now in the book that she is a very compelling character with an amazing
story.
The beginning of the book is all
about her childhood and how she lives with her mother and father in their
village. Her mother “catches babies” as they say in the book but she is a
midwife to our way of thinking. She teaches Aminata her trade when she is very
young. I think that being a part of bringing life into the world is what makes
Aminata so strong. She sees the essence of life at the beginning of the book
but as it continues she begins to see the essence of death. I think that the
biggest turning points for her where when she saw the decaying body and when a
brand new mother kills her baby. I love the fact that she is telling her story
from a child’s point of view. We get to see things as they truly are through
the innocent eyes of a child instead of the tainted view of an adult. The story
would be very different from an adult character’s point of view.
I think that Fanta, the mother
who killed her baby, was included in the novel to demonstrate the difference
between adulthood and childhood. Aminata’s mind is more open to ways of
surviving. She knows who she is and she will not sway her beliefs but she is
able to see and do what she needs to to stay alive. Fanta knows who she is and
will not sway her beliefs but she cannot adapt to her surroundings. The way
that Aminata was brought up in Africa really sets the tone for the whole book.
She sees her capture as something that she has to overcome to get back to her
homeland. Adults could only see the oppression from the white people.
Aminata also has the added bonus
of knowledge and communication skills which make her valuable to the “toubab”
or white men. We see that Aminata will not let these white men touch her
inappropriately but she does not resort to the violence that others do to
prevent such things. I love the relationship between Fanta and Aminata. I think
that it bring a lot of depth to the story, not only through the fact that they
are the adult perspective and the child perspective but we also get to see the
old ties between them effect how they act on their voyage and we see the
different effects that life altering events can have on different age groups. Fanta
and Aminata do not have a good relationship and then when we come to find out
that Aminata would have been the next wife to the chief of their village, we
understand that Fanta does not want her husband to have to have another younger
wife. Fanta is pregnant and gives birth when she is on the slave trader ship,
as I mentioned earlier she ends up killing her baby. I think that she does this
because she doesn't want it living through the horrors that she has to but also
because it is a reminder of the life that she lost.
I have loved the first fifth of
this book so far. I found it very engaging and I never felt bored with anything
that was happening. I am very excited to read the rest, even though I know what
happens because I say the mini-series it has been very interesting to read. I
get to see a more in depth version of the story now, which I am very excited
about.
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