Copper Sun Character Analysis

Copper Sun, a book about a girl whose family and friends were killed in a slaughter by strangers. Strangers from a totally different “world” who were not there to learn customs and to be friends, but were there to make profit off of there lives. Amari despite all the things that have happened to her she has remained vigilant in finding freedom and happiness throughout the whole story. Despite all the horrific things that happen to Amari she still prevails in the end. The recurring emotions that keeps coming back throughout the book is the despair, and caring.

The feeling that you can't move on anymore and provide hope for other people Amari feels constantly throughout the book. “ Amari wished she could smile at Besa to him hope, but she had

no hope to offer,” At this part in the book she had just witnessed her family being killed and had to walk hours to the Coast. This part of the story really impacted the book by showing the sheer cruelness of slavery and the people who were behind it. Another example of despair in this story is when she first arrived at Derby planation. “ Massa Clay say he want his birthday present now. I’m to take her there….. Amari finally took a deep breath, stood up without a word, and followed the child out of the door. The night was very dark.” The severe anguish that Amari felt when she was brought from her home to a new land only to be treated like an animal was probably too much for us to comprehend. The other example of despair is when she was escaping the south and ran into Besa. “ Amari reached out to him again, but he jerked back. She felt her heart turn instead out. “ The despair that Amari felt during this part of story when she tried to connect with Besa again but he was changed. He wasn’t the same Besa she knew when they were in the village of their homeland. They unlike Amari had broken his soul, his heart, his will to fight he was now Buck.
Another emotion that is expressed various times during the book is caring.

The only thing that was always there to help most of characters in the book. One of the sailors with the reddish colored hair cared for Amari enough to teach her some words of English. Even though he could have done what everybody else was doing he found enough sympathy in his heart to help Amari. “ Water,” he said pointing to it. Amari wasn't sure what he meant. “ Water,” he said again “ Water, water, water, water.” In this part of the story what Amari needed most was someone to help her as much they could. Another person that cared enough to help Amari was Afi. “ Afi said nothing but held Amari in her arms and rocked her until the tears stopped flowing “ The times when Amari was most confused and was unsure about how to go on Afi was there to guide her. Even though Afi was in Amari’s life a short she helped her forever. “ If you die, they win. We cannot let that happen” Another character that helped Amari was Teenie. As soon as Amari got to the Derby plantation she was a sort of mother figure. “ Teenie touched Amari gently on her head. “ You got a strong spirit Myna.” After Mr. Derby viciously whipped Amari and her back was healing she was cared for by Teenie. Teenie was the closest thing to a mother figure because her cooking reminded Amari of her mother’s cooking. She cared for Amari like a mother would care for their child. “ Tidbit thought about that. Then he asked solemnly, “ Will you be my mama now, Amari?” She hugged him tightly. “Oh, yes. Forever I will. You will be my little boy. Always.” Amari in the this part of the book had to care for Tidbit he had no mother and Amari decided to take that motherly

role.
My overall feelings about the book is that it really cut open the reality of horrific things that slaves from Africa had to go through. It was a well written which had so many elements to it. It's one of the best books i've ever read.