Discussion 31.10.13

Today in class, we discussed, "And my story awaits like a restful beast." This is the first chapter of Book 2 in the Book of Negroes, where the protagonist Aminata sits with the Black Abolitionists. One of the discussion questions was, "What does Aminata want to accomplish before she dies?" Aminata wants to become a djeli (a storyteller) and the irony is that the book is her story. She has become a storyteller; she tells her story and the ones who were involved. I love this aspect of the book because she works so hard and is treated like garbage. She experiences death up close at the young age of 11. She is sexually harassed and has her childhood innocence ripped right out of her hands. Her story of slavery is an inspirational one and this story should be told. She says, in the final words of the chapter, "One of these people will find my story and pass it along. And then, I believe, I will have lived for a reason." This is a great quote again restating the fact that this is all she wants in life. After her experience, it becomes her goal to get her story out there and published and she well deserves the attention. It's the fact that somebody so young and innocent can become such a mature and brave person along the way. Aminata is a fighter and her treacherous, horrible journey through her youth touches my heart.