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.