Isp blog post #5

For the final section of my book, I used the post colonialism literary criticism.  I found when analyzing The Book of Negroes from this perspective I discovered more about the book and the characters than I thought I would have. It truly showed me how much can be uncovered when you take the time to analyze a book from various angles.

            During this section of the book Aminata finally begun her journey back to her home in the Bayo, but her travels with her guide were cut short as she discovered his plan to sell her back to the slave trade. Forced to flee from her betrayers to avoid repeating her horrible past, she found her self in a beautiful loving village. As her stay lengthened, she discovered her desire to return home was fading.  Aminata rerouted and made her way to England and found john Clarkson, who introduced her to other abolitionists.  They encouraged Aminata to grant their wishes to write her life story and share it with the world in support of their civil rights movement. Through the completion of writing her story Aminata was reunited with her long lost daughter, May, who she discovered was also helping the abolitionists.  The book ends with Aminata bedridden by her old age, May by her side, waiting for the results of an election.

What I’ve noticed so far is that, from start to finish the whole book can be criticized with the post colonialism criticism. The Book of Negroes took place during the time period when Europeans classified women to be placed below men, and every other culture to be below them on the social chain.  Aminata goes against these European colonist views of social classes throughout the entire book.  The entire plot of The Book of Negroes circles around Aminata’s constant battle for respect as a women and the freedom for herself as an African American.  Her self-love and self- confidence was put to the test every day of her imprisonment as not only her owners but also every racist person she came in contact with constantly abused her physically, verbally and emotionally. As said more than once in the text, White people owned “Negroes (like)…. property” and were not treated as a human being (Hill 279).

It is quite evident that the main differences and conflict occur between Caucasians and African Americans throughout this novel, yet when looking closer, there is more that surfaces.  Battles would break out within the white culture as well.  War between British colonies and Americans is discussed in the book proving that anti-colonialist resistance was not just between the races. (Hill 286) Factors like religion, culture beliefs, gender, race and much more was shown to cause division and fighting between the social groups. 

From the post colonialism point of view, the loss of individual identity can been seen throughput the text. Characters seem to care very little about one’s name, experiences, personality, and beliefs and instead are more concerned of what “umbrella” term one falls under; British, American, Afro American etc.  For example upon meeting a women, Aminata was asked “Have you come from New York…Are you of African persuasion?” instead of the typical “How are you doing.  What is your name?”(Hill 322) People are not seen as individuals, but rather what group they associate with.  I noticed that analyzing the text from a post colonialism point of view reveals many prejudice beliefs between culturally groups.  No race, gender, culture, religion or class is safe from discrimination.  These prejudice beliefs are littered throughout the book.  Europeans had low standards set for every African Americans abilities and believed they were superior to the black culture. The superiority men posses in their culture are also shown.  For example, before Aminata finished writing her novel the Book of Negroes” “Clarkson asked for an assistant… (She) stepped forward, so he asked (her), ‘Would you point me to Mr. Meena?” (Hill 367)  Clarkson could believe, at first, that Aminata was African American, let alone an African American women, who was educated enough to qualify for the position as his assistant.  These standards did not exist before European Colonialism.  Aminata was viewed as a valuable slave to the white population as well as a valuable member of society to her peers and to any humane white person she encountered.  Besides Aminata’s unique and valuable qualities, she was still categorized as a lower class, black slave by many prejudice people. 

When analyzing the positive aspects of colonialization, negative factors surface, as expected.  War, slavery, discrimination and to dive deeper; homes, farming, social intuitions etc.  There were many “ups and downs” when dealing with the formation of governments and social classes.  The mistreatment of many people sprouted from differences of opinions, prejudice and racial views and feelings of entitlement. It is painful and sad to admit that these colonial oppressions still exist in our society to the day.