Analysis Of Aminata

1651 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Slave narratives as the quintessential literary genre

Defying Robinson Appleby 's agreement to never teach a Negro how to read, Mamed, the overseer with a raised cane, proposes Aminata an offer which she cannot decline. Being the overseer in Appleby 's plantation, Mamed 's duty is to ensure that the plantation is properly functioning while Master Appleby is absent. In fear of being disciplined for divulging the prohibited prayer, Aminata recognizes Mamed 's humanity as he murmurs, “Allahu Akbar”. With Mamed 's offer to Aminata to tutor her how to read and write, perhaps if “Georgia was teaching [Aminata] how to survive in the land of the buckra, but maybe Mamed could teach [her] how to get out” (Hill, 216). Mamed 's teachings start with the pronunciation of Aminata 's name to eventually forming a sentence with basic, common words to the rules and procedures established in Appleby 's hacienda. As Aminata 's fear of Mamed eventually subsides, Aminata apprehends the idea of Mamed being a different man, “like a man who was willing to teach” (Hill, 218). Thanks to the abundant of information in the Lindo 's household, Aminata …show more content…

For one month, Aminata Diallo from the village of Bayo, accomplishes her dream of being the djeli of a minute village full of strangers. In order to support the abolitionist 's movement of abolitionism, Aminata decides to compose the story of her life without guidance using her words, her pen and her story. The day of the parliamentary committee address, Aminata reveals to the committee an indication of her childhood experiences. With her slavery instances, Aminata and the abolitionists patiently wait for the verdict regarding the inhumane process of slave trade. One may call it a miracle, but Aminata reunites with her long lost daughter, May. Standing in front of each other, acknowledging each others ' presence, the mother and daughter

Show More
Related

  • The Classic Slave Narratives: Harriet Jacobs, Frederick Douglass and Olaudah Equiano

    1992 Words  | 4 Pages

    The book The Classic Slave Narratives is a collection of narratives that includes the historical enslavement experiences in the lives of the former slaves Harriet Jacobs, Frederick Douglass, and Olaudah Equiano. They all find ways to advocate for themselves to protect them from some of the horrors of slavery, such as sexual abuse, verbal abuse, imprisonment, beatings, torturing, killings and the nonexistence of civil rights as Americans or rights as human beings. Also, their keen wit and intelligence leads them to their freedom from slavery, and their fight for freedom and justice for all oppressed people.

    Read More

  • The Book of Negroes (Someone Knows My Name) by Lawrence Hill

    1065 Words  | 3 Pages

    In conclusion, Aminata is working for the Abolitionists in London, England, when she is older. She is able to dress herself now however she sees fit and this seems to represent the freedom that she has won. On the other hand, does she really possess freedom, since she is still being used and manipulated for a cause, this cause being the end of the slave trade routes in Britain, and not the end of the practice of slavery? In telling her story, Hill makes the reader understand how dehumanizing slavery was and that it started with nakedness.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Frederick Douglass And David Walker

    1402 Words  | 3 Pages

    Despite each individual having different circumstances in which they experienced regarding the institution of slavery, both were inspired to take part in the abolitionist movement due to the injustices they witnessed. The result is two very compelling and diverse works that attack the institution of slavery and argue against the reasons the pro-slavery individuals use to justify the slavery

    Read More

  • Book Of Negroes Literary Analysis

    1166 Words  | 3 Pages

    Laurence Hill’s novel, The Book of Negroes, uses first-person narrator to depict the whole life ofAminata Diallo, beginning with Bayo, a small village in West Africa, abducting from her family at eleven years old. She witnessed the death of her parents with her own eyes when she was stolen. She was then sent to America and began her slave life. She went through a lot: she lost her children and was informed that her husband was dead. At last she gained freedom again and became an abolitionist against the slave trade. This book uses slave narrative as its genre to present a powerful woman’s life.She was a slave, yes, but she was also an abolitionist. She always held hope in the heart, she resist her dehumanization.

    Read More

  • Women In Slavery in Harriet Jacob's Incidents in the life of a Slave Girl and Olaudah Equiano's Interesting Narrative

    935 Words  | 2 Pages

    The notion of slavery, as unpleasant as it is, must nonetheless be examined to understand the hardships that were caused in the lives of enslaved African-Americans. Without a doubt, conditions that the slaves lived under could be easily described as intolerable and inhumane. As painful as the slave's treatment by the masters was, it proved to be more unbearable for the women who were enslaved. Why did the women suffer a grimmer fate as slaves? The answer lies in the readings, Harriet Jacob's Incidents in the life of a Slave Girl and Olaudah Equiano's Interesting Narrative which both imply that sexual abuse, jealous mistresses', and loss of children caused the female slaves to endure a more dreadful and hard life in captivity.

    Read More

  • Anne Frank Remembered: Review

    1119 Words  | 3 Pages

    In order to further discuss her main points and views, a summary of her story

    Read More

  • Olaudah Equiano And Harriet Jacobs Analysis

    1017 Words  | 3 Pages

    After reading the slavery accounts of Olaudah Equiano 's "The Life of Olaudah Equiano" and Harriet Jacobs ' "Incidents In the Life of a Slave Girl", you gain knowledge of what slaves endured during their times of slavery. To build their audience aware of what life of a slave was like, both authors gives their interpretation from two different perspectives and by two different eras of slavery.

    Read More

  • Equality And Inequality In The Lesson By Toni Cade Bambara

    897 Words  | 2 Pages

    Bambara gives the readers insight on the poverty and struggle minorities endured while living in the ghetto slums of New York. The goal of the author was coherent and exemplified throughout the story; Bambara had plenty of goals when writing this story. Although the fight for racial equalities were apparent in “The Lesson,” this was not the only aspect being fought for. Social and economic equalities were also fought for in this story. Bambara’s goal was set loud and clear throughout this story: the fight for racial and socioeconomic equalities is never

    Read More

  • What did freedom mean to harriet jacobs

    1325 Words  | 3 Pages

    To understand the desperation of wanting to obtain freedom at any cost, it is necessary to take a look into what the conditions and lives were like of slaves. It is no secret that African-American slaves received cruel and inhumane treatment. Although she wrote of the horrific afflictions experienced by slaves, Linda Brent said, “No pen can give adequate description of the all-pervading corruption produced by slavery." The life of a slave was never a satisfactory one, but it all depended on the plantation that one lived on and the mast...

    Read More

  • Jacobs & Douglass: An Insight Into The Experience of The American Slave

    1006 Words  | 3 Pages

    Lee, Desmond. “The Study of African American Slave Narratives “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” and “Narrative of Frederick Douglass”.” Studies of Early African americans. 17 (1999): 1-99. Web. EBSCO

    Read More

  • Life and Times of Fredereick Douglass Essay

    612 Words  | 2 Pages

    The story is told in first person. Douglass talks about his own life and shares his views on events and people. The author’s topic was the telling of his own experience with slavery on plantations and in Baltimore, his lecture tours throughout the U.S. and Europe, his government positions and criticisms he receive...

    Read More

  • The Narrative of Fredrick Douglass

    732 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the passage of the Narrative of Fredrick Douglass, the author masterfully conveys two complimentary tones of liberation and fear. The tones transition by the use of diction and detail. The passage is written entirely in first person, since we are witnessing the struggles of Fredrick Douglass through his eyes. Through his diction, we are able to feel the triumph that comes with freedom along with the hardships. Similarly, detail brings a picturesque view of his adversities. Since the point of view is first person, the reader is able to be a part of the Douglass’ struggles with his new freedom. With diction, detail, and point of view, the reader is able to get a rare glimpse into the past of Fredrick Douglass.Fredrick Douglass’ diction is powerful as he describes his life as a slave and with his new freedom. Fredrick Douglass calls being enslaved an act of “wretchedness,” yet he was able to remain “firm” and eventually left the “chains” of slavery. Fredrick Douglass expresses that being enslaved is a wretched act and that no man should ever deserve such treatment. Despite being a slave, he kept strong and eventually broke the chain of society. However, Fredrick Douglass experienced great “insecurity” and “loneliness” with his new freedom, and was upon a new “hunting-ground.” His new freedom brought other devastating factors, being a new state without any friends, which caused his loneliness. In this new state, he grew insecure for he was in a new danger zone where at any time his freedom could be rejected. With new freedom come new obstacles, which are described in the diction of Fredrick Douglass.

    Read More

  • Learning To Read And Write By Frederick Douglass Analysis

    779 Words  | 2 Pages

    Education and freedom are inseparable. Douglass, a young slave, is fortunate to learn the alphabet from his sympathetic Mistress Hugh. However, his Master Hugh perceives that his wife educates Douglass; then, he forbids his wife from teaching him to preserve their slaveholders’ power. Mrs. Hugh loses her kindness to become a cruel slave owner; she deprives Douglass’s opportunities

    Read More

  • Persuasive Arguements in The Life of Olaudah Equiano

    1106 Words  | 3 Pages

    "The Life of Olaudah Equiano” is a captivating story in which Equiano, the author, reflects on his life from becoming a slave to a freeman during the 19th century. Through his experiences and writing, Equiano paints a vivid picture of the atrocities and cruelties of European slavery. Ultimately through his narrative, Equiano intends to persuade his audience, the British government, to abolish the Atlantic slave trade as well as alert them of the harsh treatment of slaves. He successfully accomplishes his goal by subtly making arguments through the use of character, action, and setting.

    Read More

  • Feminism and Slavery

    2340 Words  | 5 Pages

    Harriet Jacobs escaped from slavery and at great personal risk wrote of her trials as a house servant in the South and later fugitive in the North. Her slave narrative entitled Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl gave a true account of the evils slavery held for women, a perspective that has been kept relatively secret from the public. In writing her story, Jacobs, though focused on the subjugation due to race, gave voice subtly to a different kind of captivity, that which men impose on women regardless of color in the patriarchal society of the ninetenth century. This form of bondage is not only exacted from women by their husbands, fathers, brothers, and sons, but also is accepted and perpetuated by women themselves, who forge the cage that holds them captive. Jacobs directed her stirring account of the afflictions a woman is subjected to in the chain of slavery to women of the North to gain sympathy for their sisters that were enslaved in the South. In showing this, Jacobs reveals the danger of such self condemnation women maintain by accepting the idealized role that men have set as a goal for which to strive. Harriet Jacobs' slave epic is a powerful statement unveiling the impossibility and undesirability of achieving the ideal put forth by men and maintained by women. Her narrative is a strong feminist text.

    Read More

More about Analysis Of Aminata

Open Document