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.