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JUXTAPOSITION.
The two children, the white boy, and the black girl, are juxtaposed against each other. Though they share a similar confusion about what is happening around them, the contrast is seen in the positions of power. The boy is clearly situated in a place of power because his father is the captain of the ship and is Caucasian. Contrastingly, the little black girl is a slave who is viewed as cargo. This juxtaposition highlights the theme of power and authority because the people in power are the white boy, captain, and sailor and the people with no power or authority are the little girl and her fellow slaves in the hold.
The 'parenting' styles of the woman and the captain are juxtaposed. We see the captain, who is a blood-related father, opting to NOT cultivate a nurturing relationship with his son. This is seen when he is constantly (www.bulbsoup.com) brusque with the child and refuses to educate him about the slaves. His behaviour is contrasted with the woman, who displays a maternal attitude, despite the fact that she is not related to the girl. This maternal attitude is seen in her deliberate decision to mentor and strengthen this child. This juxtaposition highlights the theme of love and family relationships. This is the case because we see that caring for a child is not dependent on being related to that child by blood. Families can be formed. The woman deliberately decides to foster the child that she is chained with, in the absence of the girl's blood mother. So people can make their own families and form 'family' bonds that are solidified in a decision to love a child.
The two children, the white boy, and the black girl, are juxtaposed against each other. Though they share a similar confusion about what is happening around them, the contrast is seen in the positions of power. The boy is clearly situated in a place of power because his father is the captain of the ship and is Caucasian. Contrastingly, the little black girl is a slave who is viewed as cargo. This juxtaposition highlights the theme of power and authority because the people in power are the white boy, captain, and sailor and the people with no power or authority are the little girl and her fellow slaves in the hold.
The 'parenting' styles of the woman and the captain are juxtaposed. We see the captain, who is a blood-related father, opting to NOT cultivate a nurturing relationship with his son. This is seen when he is constantly (www.bulbsoup.com) brusque with the child and refuses to educate him about the slaves. His behaviour is contrasted with the woman, who displays a maternal attitude, despite the fact that she is not related to the girl. This maternal attitude is seen in her deliberate decision to mentor and strengthen this child. This juxtaposition highlights the theme of love and family relationships. This is the case because we see that caring for a child is not dependent on being related to that child by blood. Families can be formed. The woman deliberately decides to foster the child that she is chained with, in the absence of the girl's blood mother. So people can make their own families and form 'family' bonds that are solidified in a decision to love a child.
DIALOGUE.
The dialogue between the boy and the captain, when he dictates what the boy should be transcribing, highlights the theme of racism. This is the case because the captain clinically outlines all his efforts to maintain the slaves, who he thinks are simply cargo. The fact that he unfeelingly speaks of branding human beings, and his nonchalant relief that only three out of a batch of forty have died, speaks to the fact that he does not view them as human beings. This is racist because he thinks that they are lesser than him, which places him as better than them. The thing that makes them less is the colour of their skin. The only individuals who are slaves, and deemed as lesser than the ship's crew, are the Africans taken from the West Coast of Africa, who are black.
The dialogue between the girl and the woman, in the hold, is supportive and nurturing. It is suffused with maternal energy when the woman tells the girl 'You owe it to your ancestor to live'. She tries to build mental strength in the child by introducing her to Anansi stories and provides comfort as well, by distracting the girl with riddles. This highlights the theme of love and family relationships because the woman adopts the little girl, who is motherless, and fortifies her with knowledge of her culture to make her strong. This is what family does. Eventually, the little girl starts to call the woman mother, because the woman literally 'mothers' her, figuratively chains and bonds with the child, while literally being physically chained to the little girl. The fact that she can forge this bond, while not even seeing the child, highlights the theme of love and family relationship. They are not related by blood, but they become family.
The dialogue between the boy and the captain, when he dictates what the boy should be transcribing, highlights the theme of racism. This is the case because the captain clinically outlines all his efforts to maintain the slaves, who he thinks are simply cargo. The fact that he unfeelingly speaks of branding human beings, and his nonchalant relief that only three out of a batch of forty have died, speaks to the fact that he does not view them as human beings. This is racist because he thinks that they are lesser than him, which places him as better than them. The thing that makes them less is the colour of their skin. The only individuals who are slaves, and deemed as lesser than the ship's crew, are the Africans taken from the West Coast of Africa, who are black.
The dialogue between the girl and the woman, in the hold, is supportive and nurturing. It is suffused with maternal energy when the woman tells the girl 'You owe it to your ancestor to live'. She tries to build mental strength in the child by introducing her to Anansi stories and provides comfort as well, by distracting the girl with riddles. This highlights the theme of love and family relationships because the woman adopts the little girl, who is motherless, and fortifies her with knowledge of her culture to make her strong. This is what family does. Eventually, the little girl starts to call the woman mother, because the woman literally 'mothers' her, figuratively chains and bonds with the child, while literally being physically chained to the little girl. The fact that she can forge this bond, while not even seeing the child, highlights the theme of love and family relationship. They are not related by blood, but they become family.
IRONY.
The relationship between the boy and the captain, his father, appears to be very formal and tense. The captain does not facilitate any discussion regarding the questions that the boy has as it relates to the treatment of the slaves. He does not seek to mentor and nurture his son, which is the expectation of a father/ son relationship. This is contrasted by the relationship between the girl and the woman. Despite the fact that they met on the ship, and have never seen each other during the journey, the woman, a stranger, both nurtures and mentors the girl. This is ironic because the father is displaying the opposite of the expected behaviour, while a stranger, who is not expected to be caring and maternal, is a better parent. This irony highlights the theme of parenthood because it shows the characteristics of a good parent, as seen in the contrast/ juxtaposition of the woman and the captain. It points to the fact that a blood relationship does not automatically equate to someone being a good parent. The fact that the woman is a better parent, over a shorter time span and with no blood relationship, proves this point.
The fact that stories give the girl the courage to survive the crossing is ironic. This is the case because stories are not only intangible, they are often times reserved for children and deemed to be unimportant as a result. Therefore, the irony lies in the fact that such a seemingly insignificant phenomenon has such a significant role in a child's survival. The theme of cultural preservation is highlighted by this irony because when the woman shares the Anansi stories with the girl, she is intentionally passing down the culture, through the stories, to the little girl. This not only aids the girl to survive but also embodies cultural retention, leading to cultural preservation.
The relationship between the boy and the captain, his father, appears to be very formal and tense. The captain does not facilitate any discussion regarding the questions that the boy has as it relates to the treatment of the slaves. He does not seek to mentor and nurture his son, which is the expectation of a father/ son relationship. This is contrasted by the relationship between the girl and the woman. Despite the fact that they met on the ship, and have never seen each other during the journey, the woman, a stranger, both nurtures and mentors the girl. This is ironic because the father is displaying the opposite of the expected behaviour, while a stranger, who is not expected to be caring and maternal, is a better parent. This irony highlights the theme of parenthood because it shows the characteristics of a good parent, as seen in the contrast/ juxtaposition of the woman and the captain. It points to the fact that a blood relationship does not automatically equate to someone being a good parent. The fact that the woman is a better parent, over a shorter time span and with no blood relationship, proves this point.
The fact that stories give the girl the courage to survive the crossing is ironic. This is the case because stories are not only intangible, they are often times reserved for children and deemed to be unimportant as a result. Therefore, the irony lies in the fact that such a seemingly insignificant phenomenon has such a significant role in a child's survival. The theme of cultural preservation is highlighted by this irony because when the woman shares the Anansi stories with the girl, she is intentionally passing down the culture, through the stories, to the little girl. This not only aids the girl to survive but also embodies cultural retention, leading to cultural preservation.
SYMBOLISM.
The character Anansi is a symbol. He is a symbol of rebellion, a trickster character that disrupts the status quo by seeming to go along with it but usually distorts it to his advantage. Anansi, as a symbol of rebellion, highlights the theme of courage. This is the case because this character takes a situation that is unfavourable to him and twists it to his advantage. When the woman gifts the girl with the knowledge of this character's deeds, it gives the girl the courage that Anansi possesses. If this little spider can be brave enough to use the status quo to gain an advantage, it proves that the girl can do the same. The reader sees her doing just this on the auction block. She steps outside of herself, and into the realm of stories, to give herself the courage to mentally survive the traumatic auction. The story ends on a hopeful note that, though she will suffer on the plantation that she is doomed to, she will be intact, mentally. The girl's last words to the reader are "Once upon a time there was a girl who got taken away. She lives in a story that never seems to end. Remember her." This final statement can be interpreted to mean that she will find strength and courage in the stories, despite the fact that she cannot escape her reality as a captive and slave.
The character Anansi is a symbol. He is a symbol of rebellion, a trickster character that disrupts the status quo by seeming to go along with it but usually distorts it to his advantage. Anansi, as a symbol of rebellion, highlights the theme of courage. This is the case because this character takes a situation that is unfavourable to him and twists it to his advantage. When the woman gifts the girl with the knowledge of this character's deeds, it gives the girl the courage that Anansi possesses. If this little spider can be brave enough to use the status quo to gain an advantage, it proves that the girl can do the same. The reader sees her doing just this on the auction block. She steps outside of herself, and into the realm of stories, to give herself the courage to mentally survive the traumatic auction. The story ends on a hopeful note that, though she will suffer on the plantation that she is doomed to, she will be intact, mentally. The girl's last words to the reader are "Once upon a time there was a girl who got taken away. She lives in a story that never seems to end. Remember her." This final statement can be interpreted to mean that she will find strength and courage in the stories, despite the fact that she cannot escape her reality as a captive and slave.
Contributor: Leisa Samuels-Thomas
