5 Quotes

Blog Post 7

Quote 1- “One of these people will find my story and pass it along. And then, I believe, I will have lived for a reason” (Hill, 118)

            I believe this quote is very significant to the novel because it describes Aminatas character very well. It gives the reader the sense that she really wants to become a djeli (Storyteller). It also tells the reader that she is selfless because she just wants someone to know her story and that it would give her peace if someone knew what she had to endure throughout her entire lifetime.

Quote 2- “They called me Blue Glass Gal when they saw me coming, and the bottles that I traded changed hands among other buyers and sellers” (Hill 247)

            This is another important quote because it builds a sense of identity for Aminata. This quote is located just after we discover that many of Aminatas friends have passed away, so when people start calling her by this name it adds to the motif of, someone knows my name.

Quote 3- ““Aminata?” It was a man’s voice, whispering.

I stopped. When had someone last called me by my African name?

As Chekura reached the top step, I flew into his arms. When my hands pressed against his back and my toes rested above his, I felt my childhood in his flesh and my homeland in his voice.” (Hill 247)

            This quote is important to the story because it develops the love between Chekura and Aminata. The fact that they can go nine years without seeing each other and they still have the same passion says a lot about their relationship and how much they love each other. Another reason why this quote is important is because it also develops the motif of someone knows my name. this is because nobody calls her by her African name anymore so when Chekura says her real name she automatically knows who is talking to her.

Quote 4- - “I had not thought about where to sleep or eat when I was first brought to St. Helena, Charles Town or even New York. Here, I had nothing and knew no one to ask for assistance. But I had chosen freedom, with all its insecurities, and nothing in the world would make me turn away from it.” (Hill 352)

            This is another significant quote because it demonstrates how even though she had no idea what she was going to do when she was freed; Aminata still chose freedom, with all its insecurities. When she arrives in Nova Scotia she learns that she is free but is treated very unequally, but the conditions are still better than when she was enslaved.

Quote 5- “Some people will give you the cold shoulder in Shelbourne, but I believe in treating each person on his merits” (Hill 321)

            Theo, a man that Aminata first meets in this chapter, said this quote and it is important because, in my opinion, this quote has traits of Soloman Lindo. This is my thought because Lindo had the same kind of thinking, in that, he believed in treating everyone the same and with dignity. Therefore, this may be dangerous for Aminata getting tangled up with someone possibly like Soloman Lindo.

Social Experiments

Milgram Experiment

      The Milgram experiment was a study that was done to test the obedience to authority figures. It was done in a series of psychological tests that were performed by Stanley Milgram. In this experiment an actor was brought into a room and hooked up to a machine that supposedly gave electric shocks, although the machine actually did not do anything. Then a volunteer would be brought into a separate room and would ask memorization questions through a microphone to the actor. The volunteer was not aware that the person in the other room was an actor so when ever the actor would answer a question wrong, the volunteer was to administer what they thought was an electric shock, when really the actor would only pretend to be in pain. Every time the actor got a question wrong the voltage of the shocks went up.

     This experiment relates to the book of negroes because it demonstrates how people listen to authority even though they are doing the wrong thing. In the experiment there was a case where every time the volunteer would hear the actor in fake pain, he would stop and say he would not carry on with the experiment. The researcher who was in the room with the volunteer (the authority figure), would simply just say that they must continue with the experiment, and they did. This is proof that the volunteer did not want to carry on but he did anyway only because the researcher said he must. Good evidence of how this connects with The Book of Negroes, is with the character Mamed. This is because Mamed works for a white plantation owner while he himself is black. He is an overseer of the slaves and is order to keep them inline by the plantation owner. He obviously does not enjoy hurting the slaves, as evidence when he befriends Aminata, but he continues to do what he is told simply because the owner is an authority figure. 

Book of Negroes Title

     I feel like the title, The Book of Negroes, is an acceptable title for this novel. I do not understand why some groups have such a problem with the name, although I do understand that in some countries, like the Netherlands, the name does have a different meaning and can come across as offensive. Though the fact is, The Book of Negroes is an actual historical document and there is no reason there should be such offense taken by it. I find it kind of ironic that some people have chosen to burn the cover of the book because of the use of the word negro, when I know by skimming through the text that the word negro, and many more profane words have been used as well. This makes me feel like maybe the people who are burning the cover have never even read it. Like the old saying goes, never judge a book by its cover.

    One of the other names for this book that have been used in other countries is, Aminata. I thought that this was a very fitting name because the book follows the main character of Aminata Diallo and the hardships she has faced living as a slave.

About Me

About Me

            I am a 17-year-old boy from Ontario, Canada. I have many past times, majorly athletic related, my favorite sport being basketball. I have being playing basketball for as long as I can remember and I love practicing and getting better. I am the kind of person who needs to be motivated in order to get something accomplished. Its very hard for me to get self-motivated, but when I do find the right mood, nothing can stop me from reaching my goals. As for the future, even though I am in grade 12, I am ashamed to admit I am still not entirely sure what I wan to do beyond high school. My parents always tell me that there is no rush but I hear about all the things that my friends want to do and it definitely starts to make me panic a little. Aside from that I am happy with the life I live and I enjoy every minute of it.

Quick Write #6

Quick Write #6

Which Essay Did I Like the Best?

The essay that I liked the best was “In the Trenches”. I enjoyed this essay the most because I liked the way it was written. The short quick sentences made me feel like I was right there in the trenches. I also liked the way the author used imagery, the way he would incorporate sense of smell, touch and sight really consumed me as a reader. I also enjoy reading books that are fictional because I feel like even though I wasn’t really a part of the event, with the correct type of writing I can immerse myself and almost feel like I was actually there.