ISP Post #6

When reading the “Book of Negroes” and analyzing it with multiple literary criticisms, I found that the archetypal literary criticism revealed the most from within the text. The archetype theory puts emphasis on common character roles and plot events. Since the “Book of Negroes” follows Aminata’s life from a young age to near death, one can easily see the decent into danger and recognize the challenges she faces and her return to a comfortable state or the end of her journey. If one was using a different criticism; for example, the feminist theory, they would miss the major events and challenges in her journey and how Aminata matured from innocence to experience. One’s view would be more focused on her mistreatment and expected behaviour due to her gender. For example, one would see one of the largest challenges Aminata faced on the boat to America as trying to navigate the abusive toubab who abused women sexually (74). Someone reading the text from an archetypal perspective would see the boat as her decent into danger and realize that more hardships were going to be coming her way. The archetypal theory allows the reader to somewhat predict future events, where other criticisms focus more on the present.

The Archetypal literary criticism also reveals more about characters and the roles they will play in the story. Common archetypal figures are the great mother, wise old man, the trickster fox, and the hero. All of these figures can be seen within Lawrence Hill’s novel.  Georgia is the great mother, Daddy Moses was the wise old man, Applebee was the trickster fox and Aminata was the hero. To give an example of how the characters fit these roles and can be recognized, I will analyze Applebee with an archetypal view point. Applebee was an antagonist. He abused and shamed Aminata regularly when she was his slave (160). He found out information secretively and stole Aminata’s son right from under her nose (184). His sneaky traits, devious mind, and lack of morals make him the trickster fox. The way he would surprise Aminata with information she thought he wouldn’t know, also gave a slight foreshadow that he would unexpectedly show up later in the story. He did not get all that he wanted out of Aminata so it was no surprise he wanted to claim her again by surprise (306). If one was using the reader response theory, they would probably just assume that Applebee was a selfish man that just wanted to cause more trouble form Aminata. They would do an in depth analysis of his character.

 Since the archetypal theory reveals more about the characters and plot than other theories, I would make my thesis the following: When analyzing “The Book of Negroes” by Lawrence Hill with the archetypal literary criticism, one can easily recognize the hero’s quest which the main character follows and see common character roles that would be otherwise missed with a different criticism. I believe that clearly answers the thesis question.

The Book of Negroes: Fifth Analysis

When I read the last bit of the Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill, I used the post colonialism literary criticism. This was my first time analyzing a piece of literature with this criticism, so I found how much more came to surface quite interesting. It is amazing what you can find when you really start looking.

During the last 5^th of the book Aminata finally started her journey back to Bayo, but after a betrayal by her guide and a month long stay in a loving village, she found her desire to go home fading away. Aminata made her way to England and found John Clarkson, who introduced her to other abolitionists. They wanted Aminata to write her life story and share it with the world to support their civil rights movement. Aminata finished her story and was able to reconnect with her lost daughter, May, who began helping the abolitionists as well. The book concludes with Aminata bedridden by age waiting for the results of an election.  

The entire book can be criticised with the post colonialism criticism. Throughout the book Aminata goes against the European colonist views of social classes. Europeans at the time this book is set, saw women as below men and every other culture below theirs on the social chain. Aminata fought for respect as a woman and freedom as an African American the entire plot of the Book of Negroes. Her self-confidence and self-love was tested everyday of imprisoned life as she was tormented and abused by racist people regularly. White people owned “Negroes [like]…. property”, they were not seen or treated as people (279).

Differences and fighting is not only present between Caucasians and African Americans in Lawrence Hill’s novel. Battles began between white cultures as well. A war between British colonists and Americans is also present in the novel, showing that anti-colonist resistance is not only between races (268). Social groups could be seen fighting and divided over race, religion, cultural beliefs, gender and much more.

The loss of individual identity, which is revealed by the post colonialism point of view, can also be seen throughout the text. One’s name, personality, experiences, and beliefs are of little interest to many characters in the story. Characters would rather know which “umbrella” term one falls under, like British, Afro American, or American. For example, upon first meeting with a woman, Aminata was asked "'Have you come from New York...And are you of African persuasion?” instead of “How are you? What is your name?” (322). People were not seen as individuals but as their associated groups. Analyzing text with a post colonialism view reveals a lot of prejudice beliefs between culturally different groups. No gender, race, religion, culture or class is safe from discrimination.

 Prejudice beliefs are littered throughout the text. As Europeans believed they were superior to the black race, they had low standards for an African American’s abilities. The superiority men have in their culture is also evident. For example, before Aminata wrote her “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, at first, couldn’t believe that an African American, let alone an African American woman, could be educated enough to assist him. Before European Colonialism, these standards did not exist. Aminata was seen as a valuable slave to the white population, but as a valuable member of society to her peers and to any white person who treated her as a human being. Her attributes and abilities made her unique, but she still fell under a social identity with many prejudice people.

With the positive aspects of colonialization also came many negative factors. Discrimination, war, slavery and much more came along with homes, farming, social institutions etc. The formation of governments and social classes had many “ups and downs”. Differences of opinion, racial and prejudice views, and feelings of entitlement lead to the mistreatment of many people. These colonial oppressions still exist today in our society. 

ISP post #4

For this post I have decided to use the archetypal literary criticism to analyze the Book of Negroes. Previously, I used the feminist criticism and have discovered that the archetypal criticism reveals a lot more about the plot and the characters than the feminist point of view does. Archetypal Literary Criticism focuses on reoccurring patterns in character traits and plots lines of stories in general. When analyzing The Book of Negroes from an archetypal point of view one can easily see the development of the hero’s journey within the text and also find common archetypal figures.

                The archetypal hero’s journey begins in their comfortable environment and at a point of their life where they have all their innocence. For Aminata, this was as a young girl in her home village in Bayo, Africa. As she begins her imprisoned journey to the shore she begins to gain experience and starts her “decent into danger”. Her month long walk is symbolism for the hard journey and the tasks she is going to face, or the steps in the coming hero’s quest.

                 As the quest goes on, the hero is supposed to mature and gain experience according to the archetypal criticism. Aminata developing into an experienced protagonist is symbolised by her new name given by Georgia upon her arrival on Applebee’s plantation. “Georgia made me repeat it, but the best she could do was to say ‘Meena.’”, Aminata was no longer known as her homeland name, and this symbolizes how she has grown as a character (130). Within the plot there are many small tasks which Aminata needs to overcome, but her main goal of returning home has yet to be achieved. “In this new land, I had a different name…A new name for the second life of a girl who survived” (130).  This quote represents how Aminata has overcome one of her challenges but she is still yet to complete her archetypal hero’s quest.

                As Aminata traveled across the world from Bayo Africa to Applebee’s plantation, Lindo’s home, her home in Canvastown New York, to Nova Scotia and then Sierra Leone Africa, Aminata has gained wisdom and developed into a true hero. She is close to reaching her goal of returning home which would also complete the hero’s journey.

                Not only does the plot follow closely to the archetypal hero’s quest, many of the characters follow archetypal pattern. Aminata is obviously the hero, but she has come across many foxes, wise old men and great mothers. In my opinion the main Trickster Fox is Master Applebee. He was her first master and showed little respect to Aminata as a person. He would beat her, sexually abuse her, and humiliate her consistently as she was his slave (129). He also stole and sold Mamadu, Aminata’s son while she was sleeping (184). He was heartless and cunning like the archetypal fox. Applebee also reappears later on in the story. When Meena was finally boarding the vessel that would be taking her to Nova Scotia, Applebee tried to claim her as his property once again (306). No matter how far Aminata traveled she could not escape his presence. That is what makes me feel that he is the main “Fox” of the story.

                As I read, I saw Daddy Moses as the wise old man. Even his name symbolizes wisdom and authority. Daddy Moses helps Aminata get settled in Nova Scotia and gives her advice and comfort all throughout her stay (316). Of all the people in Nova Scotia, Aminata found the most comfort with Daddy Moses. I feel that Aminata saw Daddy Moses as a father figure the same way she saw Georgia as a Mother figure in the beginning. Georgia was one of the archetypal “Great Mother’s” Aminata met along her journey. She nursed her back to health and taught her how to survive and take care of herself as a slave in the United States. Georgia made sure Chekura was a good man for Aminata, and she helped Aminata be the best mother she could be to Mamadu. Since Aminata was so young and vulnerable at the time, I believe Lawrence Hill wrote Georgia to be a mother figure Aminata on purpose.

                With that said, I do not believe Lawrence Hill wrote the Book of Negroes with an archetypal perspective. I feel that when you purposefully look for patterns and connections they are not hard to find in any well written and developed story. Lawrence Hill wrote a story of a slave’s life. There are going to be ups and downs, and there is going to be a goal that motivates the main character to survive and thrive. I feel this may get mistaken for a purposeful archetypal hero’s quest. I also believe that Lawrence wrote characters like Georgia and Daddy Moses to be helpful and caring, which Aminata and the reader are able to connect to, but not deliberately as the Wise Man and Great Mother as the criticism would imply. The archetypal literary theory could be applied to almost every story written.