In The Book of Negroes, author Lawrence Hill depicts the significant theme of freedom through the journey of the main character Aminata Diallo. As an admirable heroic figure, Aminata is faced with several challenging struggles that shape her incredible qualities.
In your opinion, what is/are her most valuable characteristic(s)?
How did her valuable charcterisitc(s) influence other characters in the novel?
Give an example from the novel where the theme of freedom is greatly portrayed.
(This can be through recognized character development, incidents, or symbols, etc.)
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I believe that Aminata's most valuable characteristics are being adaptable and also being educated. Aminata was young when she was enslaved by the toubabus, which makes it easier for her to adapt to different environments. I also believe that the fact that Aminata was taught different skills when she was young which helped her alot as she develops because it helps her earn money. She is useful to her masters when she has those certain skills. She has influenced other characters with her characteristics by spreading knowledge to the other Negroes by helping them to read. This proved to be helpful to the Negroes as they end up being confident with what they have learned and are thankful to Aminata. The theme of freedom seems to come in the form of pledges made by leaders. For example, the opportunity for the Negroes to go to Sierra Leonne which is located in Africa. This yells out freedom to them because they know Africa is their home, and if they are home then they can gain freedom.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion I think Aminta’s most valuable characteristic is her perseverance to learn. Her determination to learn leads her to be taught by her father and Mamed. This characteristic is valuable because she taught others to read and write as well. She gives back to the community what she learned and she is valued for that. She has this thing where she wants everyone to recognize their name when it is written out, this makes the other person feel important. Her determination to learn influenced others because they kept coming back to her to learn more. She taught others at New York and Nova Scotia and she influenced everyone greatly. It made them excited to learn. This gives the Negroes a chance to grow out of the shell they are placed in. An example in the novel where freedom is greatly portrayed in is when she is free from Solomon Lindo and she escapes. She then transfers to Canvas Town, I feel as is this portrays freedom greatly because she does not have an owner anymore and she does not need to work as a salve for anyone. She can live in her own home and live any way she wants. This is what she wanted for years.
ReplyDeleteI also believe that Aminata's hunger for freedom is what made her strong at the first place. When she was young, she had her freedom stolen from her. She continues too seek what she had stolen away from her in the first place. She influences others by telling her stories about how she faced hardship, and this stories give great strength to the Negroes.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the both of you regarding Aminata's greatest characterisitics. She was skilled in many areas because of her will to learn. In a way, she took negative situations and turned them into a postive outcome with her education and experience. I admired her determination and drive to get through the struggle to survive throughout the novel.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with the fact that the theme of freedom definitely prevailed towards the end of the novel where the Negroes began to see more of a "light at the end of the tunnel". They slowly began to gain a greater chance towards their ultimate right of freedom.
i believe that aminata;s greadtest characteristic is her ablility to adapt to new n different enviornments. for instance when she was traviling with the slaves and slave trader, she had to adapt from living in a village to moving to different villages. also moving across the seas to different towns to nova scotia and back to her home land
ReplyDeleteI think it was her determination to tell her story that drove her. Aminata is like a rock. She endured all this pain and physical and emotion and yet she is able to hold her head up high and refuse to fold under pressure. She could have ended her life on the boat in the beginning but she wanted her story to be heard so she refused to give in.
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