Eighth Post

In The Book of Negroes, book two, chapter one - "One of these people will find my story and pass it along. And then, I believe, I will have lived for a reason" (Hill, 115) This is an important quote because it relates to the title of this chapter 'And my story waits like a restful beast'. It also ties into the main idea expressed in the novel overall, as we see that Aminata wants people to know the horrors she has lived. We also learn this from the very first book, where Aminata promises herself that she is going to take in every aspect of this experience because she wants to be a djeli (story teller) for her people.
Book two, chapter six, titled 'The shape of Africa' Aminata begins to lose hope which is a very important theme in the book. We see how Aminata struggles with the unbearable reality her life has become, and this is evident in the quote "My situation was no better now than it had been before. I didn't know where my own child was. I wouldn't even know if his name had been changed. I lost any hope of finding him. In the five years since coming to Carolina, I had lost much more than I had gained" (Hill, 215) This connects us, to how deeply lost and defeated Aminata feels towards her life at this current point in the book and, helps the reader understand the true hardships which Aminata had to go through.
Chapter seven of book two, titled ' Words came late from a wet-nurse' Aminata begins to mourn for the death of Mrs. Lindo. "I had never imaged that I could lament the death of a white person. I would never of thought it possible for my insides to bleed for one" (Hill, 244). This quote signifies Aminata's close relationship with Mrs. Lindo. This shows how Mrs. Lindo was the only white person of whom (to this point) Aminata had trusted and, evidently after her death Aminata struggles to express her loss as she is not accustom to caring so deeply for a white person. In addition to this she is not allowed to properly express her sadness towards the situation while Mr. Lindo (her current owner), is comforted by his fellow friends, family and members of his church community. Aminata evidently is all alone and, I would say the theme of neglect comes forth again as nothing within her lifespan has remained positive for her.
Book three, chapter two, titled 'The come and go from holy land' Aminata travels with Mr. Linodo to New York. Here we see that the relationship between the two of them (Mr. Lindo and Aminata) is still sour. An important quote from this chapter would be; "I had now written my name on public document, and I was a person, with just as much right to life and liberty as the man who claimed to own me. " (Hill, 274) This quote is important as Aminata tells us that she will no longer subjected to the ways of Mr. Lindo and, subsequently will be taking back her freedom, by writing her name on this document she begins to acknowledge that she has the strength and will power to take back what was rightfully hers in the first place, all the while recollecting that she is indeed a human being.
Book three, chapter three, 'Negroes or other property' in this chapter Aminata begins a very important transitional stage. We know that she has taken back her freedom and thus is looking after herself despite the hard conditions within the town. In this chapter Aminata is sought out by Colonel Baker and requested to provided her services by writing up the names off all the people, (white and black) who fought for the British.  An important quote in the chapter is "But I did something else for the people who passed the first interview. I showed them their tickets, read out their names and made sure they saw that their names had been recorded" (Hill, 327). This important as is shows how Aminata gave her people hope and, made them feel like humans, thus reversing the occurring theme of dehumanization.

Seventh Post

Today in class we covered the last chapter of book two. This chapter was called "Words came late for a wet nurse". When I first read this title, (before reading the chapter) I assumed that Aminata, the protagonist would not be able to deliver a baby on time. Meaning that a message had possibly come late when a child needed delivering and she didn't have enough time to reach or tend to a woman who would be giving birth. 

However, I learnt today that the true meaning of a wet nurse is a woman who breastfeeds her child and in some circumstances, a another's child. I found this extremely interesting and I also thought it connected to the theme of unity. I say this because although Aminata expresses that she has lost everything from her parents and, childhood to her own husband and child - she still has the presence of others who are in the same situation as she is in. This evidently makes everyone who were enslaved united as they share the same common misfortune together. 

Like wise the title portrays this further as it shows that they even shared what they could, to their children and those of others, who may have lost their own mother(s) due to the atrocious times they lived in. 

Sixth Post

    Philip Zimbardo is a psychologist and a professor at Standford University. He became well known for his Stanford prison study; Zimbardo stated that, "Our planned two-week investigation into the psychology of prison life had to be ended prematurely after only six days because of what the situation was doing to the college students who participated. In only a few days, our guards became aggressive and our prisoners became depressed and showed signs of extreme stress." 

    Twenty-four college students from the U.S. and Canada who happened to be in the Stanford area and, wanted to earn $15/day by participating in the study were chosen. Once they were tested or observed, that they would react normally in circumstances relating to the experiment then the procedure began. Those who were chosen as guards made those who were chosen as prisoners strip their clothes, wear a white dress (almost like a white- pillow case cover), forget their names and be classified as a number, in addition to this there were chained by their ankles so that they understood their freedom has now been taken.

    This relates almost accurately to "The Book of Negroes" as many of these basic essentials - food, name and freedom were taken for granted by Aminata and her people. Unfortunately, in Aminata’s case she didn’t expect that her basic livelihood could have been taken because, in her mind she was a freeborn and due to her age we see how she’s completely unaware of how big and dangerous the world could actually be. Evidently when she does get captured she struggles to come to terms with what’s happening to her. She went from walking freely with her mother and Fomba; to being yoked, beaten, naked, branded (numbered) and poorly looked after. 

Fifth Post

Today we covered the second chapter of book two. The title of this chapter is "They call me an 'African'" (Hill 119). The main discussion today was related to the theme of self identity. Throughout this chapter we see how Aminata battles with the new reality she has now encountered. For instance (Hill 121) we see Aminata express that she's forced to sleep next to Fanta whom she doesn't really like. We, as readers are shown the transition from how her life in Bayo was, compared to it now in the Toubabu land. In Bayo she would never have had to come across certain  circumstances, such as sleeping next to Fanta. We also see how Aminata now has to forget the past entirely and adapt to this new land and atmosphere. 

In addition to this Aminata and her people are stripped of every possible form of humanity. They have no clothes, they are fed and treated like animals, they are not allowed to use the 'washroom', evidently messing themselves, they are abused, beaten and shown no mercy (especially when someone dies), and finally they are not allowed to pray/ or worship. All of these things cause Aminata to question herself as she struggles to come to terms with the fact that she's now classified as an 'African'.