The Book of Negroes Blog Post #5 - Feminist LIterary Perspective

After reading the fifth section of The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill, I analyzed the story from feminist literary perspective. I'm noticing that as the story goes on the author is giving the main character the best outcomes of the worst situaitons. She starts it with a character who is a female American American during a time around the American Revolution, this type of situation gives the character next to no chance at an equal life.

Aminata is taken into slavery, but takes it upon herself to learn how to read and write and eventually teaches others, turning this negative situation into a positive. It was very, very unlikely for an African American women who is a slave to be educated on any level, but Aminata beat the odds.

When Aminata gets to Sierra Leone for a "better life" she stays for a bit but knows her heart is still back home in her village. She tries to make a deal with her trader to get back home but he states "I don't trade with women (Hill 451). The author sets up a negative situation for Aminata but she uses her own abilities and negotiates herself a deal, turning the situation into a positive by giving Aminata what she finally deserves. Her trader just about rejected a business deal just because Aminata was a women, and women were quite limited to what they were capable of to other people.

Aminata worked very hard for respect, but little she got. She learned how to speak proper English, math and ability to read and write efficiently which was an unbelievable accomplishment for someone of her race, gender and situation. Aminata's hard work really shows how much she just wants to gain some respect.

After viewing the story from a feminist literary perspective I really gain a lot of respect for the women back in times of slavery, but tried to bring the best outcomes out of the worst situations.