Questions:
1. While reading the first few pages (present thoughts) what do you think/feel is happening with Aminata?
2. What are your thoughts on who Aminata is?
3. What type of relationship does she have with her mom and dad?
4. What do you think GO represents? (pg.5)
5. What do you think the first sentence of the book means or represents?
Discussion Summary
To being the discussion I asked the first question, which was thoughts or feelings on what one thinks is happening with Aminata from the beginning few pages. Aidan and Anisha said that Aminata is telling the reader about her feelings and what is currently happening with her, which is a movement to stop the slave trade. They said that her character is still developing at this part and that there are still lots more to Aminata. However, what we could tell from what we read is that she seems to be a strong, independent and intelligent lady. She seems like someone who you don’t want to mess with; also she has gone through so much and has had many experiences by traveling such great distances to reach where she is right know. Also, she seems surprised to have lived this long and puzzled as to how. They even found a literary term Foreshadowing. In the story it writes about Aminata’s parents. We figured that the relationship between them was very close and that they accepted her for being a girl. Anisha Brought up the point that during this time people favored males over females and during her birth her father talked to her through the mothers belly as if it was a boy. On page 5 the narrator talks of an inital “GO” that is on her chest forever. We came up with a theory that it was the initial of the owner who owned the slaves and it was there so that if one went missing one could tell which one or whose slave they belonged too.
Illuminator-Rika Wong
Quotes (five):
1. "I seem to have trouble dying. By all rights I should not have lived this long" (page 1).
The story begins with this line from Aminata reveals that she has gone through to much in her life to still be alive. The fact that she "has trouble dying" expresses that there is some part of her that has already accepted death and is waiting for that day to come. Already, this shows that her life has been very rough and she continues to feel stuck in her body. The importance of this quotes comes with the fact that she is unhappy with the life that she has and has had enough with all that she has been through, and anticipated the day of her death. Although this quote only opens the story, it says a lot about her life and struggles, and suggests that she really has nothing to lose in her life.
2."Here I am, a broken- down old black woman who has crossed more water than I care to remember, and have walked more leagues than a work horse, and the only things I dream of are the things I can't have-- children and grandchildren to love, and parents to care for me" (p. 3).
This quote expresses the hardships of her life as she has been through unimaginable situations. She continues to say that despite all of the traumatic experiences that she has gone through, she thinks only of her family, which unfortunately, she knows is impossible with her circumstances. It goes to show that family is an important part of her life, even as an old woman, however, she does not have any contact with them and is cared for by unfamiliar faces. I like this quote because it shows how she is human and still cares for her family through these hard times.
3."Some say that I was once uncommonly beautiful, but I wouldn't wish beauty on any woman who has not her own freedom, and who chooses not the hands that claim her" (p. 4).
Aminata explains how she would appreciate freedom much more than beauty and it seems that she has lived a life where she has not been able to experience much freedom. This quote also makes a reference to slavery as she says "who chooses not the hands to claim her". It shows that she has also been through slavery because she has been owned by someone in her life and has had no power to accept that. This wrote stands out to me as we live in a society that cares much about beauty, but we not appreciate things like our own freedom. If we had all been through experiences like Aminata, we may have different priorities in our lives.
4. "There were three captives-- all unbelievers-- in our village, but even children knew that no Muslim was allowed to hold another Muslim in captivity. I believed that I would be safe" (p. 13)
This quote shows a sense of naiveness that Aminata has as she has never really encountered the dangers that she has been hearing about. In her village she seems to feel safe and most at home but never would she think that she would be a victim of the rumoured kidnappings that were occurring. It also goes to show that she was not worried about these dangers since she felt that her parents were strong and protective. For example, she has explained before that her Fa was the biggest man in the village, therefore, nothing could ever threaten them.
5. "Then one of the captors hoisted an unusual, long, rectangular stick" (p. 27).
Here, Aminata refers to a gun as a stick. Again, this quote shows that she has not encountered this type of violence before. This represents only the beginning of what would expose her to series of traumatic events. This quote shows that she was young and naive at the time of this event, and she was forced to see things that have scarred her for the rest of her life. This quote stands out to me because in our society, guns are not uncommon, so it may be surprising to some that she did not know what the weapon was. It also shows the cultural differences as she lived with more traditional weapons such as bows and arrows.
Word Wizard-Anisha Sangha
1. Millet
Page #-16
Paragraph#-13
Phrase from the text (context): The village chief let Fomba go hunting every day, but released him from the tasks of planting and harvesting millet because he never seemed able to grasp all the rules or techniques, or to know how to work with a team of men.
Definition and/or meaning in context: A fast-growing cereal plant with nutritious seeds used for flour or alcohol.
2. Abolitionists
Page #-3
Paragraph#-3
Phrase from the text (context): In private moments, when the abolitionists are not swirling about like tornadoes, seeking my presence in this deputation or my signature atop that petition, I wish my parents were still here to care for me.
Definition and/or meaning in context: The act or process of abolishing or being abolished.
3. Guttural
Page #- 15
Paragraph#-1
Phrase from the text (context): From the way the woman moved, breathed and smelled, and from the way she let out a guttural, animal-like sound when she was at the height of her convulsing, I tried to guess when she would start to push.
Definition and/or meaning in context: (of a sound) produced at the back of the throat.
4. Gait
Page #-10
Paragraph#-4
Phrase from the text (context): Papa drank in her smooth walking gait level head, lifted chin, the arch of her back, her long, strong legs and the heels of her feet, dyed red.
Definition and/or meaning in context: A manner of walking
5. Suckle
Page #-13
Paragraph#-3
Phrase from the text (context): Once, however, Fanta, the youngest wife of the village chief, slapped me when she found me attempting to make a baby suckle me.
Definition and/or meaning in context: Feed from the breast or udder
*All definitions were retrieved fro the Oxford Canadian Dictionary of Current English
Stagecrafter-Aidan Hull
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