“To gaze into another persons face is to do two things: to recognize their humanity and to assert your own.”(p.29)
Background:
After being taken captive by slave traders, Aminata felt that by looking into the captors eyes she would be able to tell if they were good or evil.
Commentary:
During the 1700's, most of the world was under British rule. The British used their power over the black people to give them no rights because they were not of British decent. Blacks were treated as property and were given no respect as they were just slaves for whites. People attempt to gain respect and claim humanity in different ways. In the novel, Aminanta was not always treated as an equal human but she knew that everyone should be treated alike. In order for Aminata to make sure she was treated equal, she would "gaze into anther persons face"(p.29) and assert her humanity. This technique often worked for Aminata as she frequently avoided beatings and was treated by many whites with respect. Not only were the blacks treated unfairly however, but also the Jews. Solomon Lindo was a Jew but he was treated with high respect for being intelligent at farming and selling indigo. Mr. Lindo was the "indigo inspector for the entire Province of South Carolina"(p.167). As a result of Mr. Lindo's high status in the indigo trade, he was always treated as an equal. Jackie Robinson had a unique way to assert his humanity in "42", a movie based on a true story about the first black baseball player in the MLB. Facing unabashed racism from players and fans, Robinson was forced to demonstrate tremendous courage and restraint by not reacting to the racism as any incident could ruin his chances achieving his dreams as a professional baseball player. Robinson let his play on the field show how he was just as talented as a white baseball player and ultimately winning over his teammates and fans. In "The Book of Negroes" and "42", equality between all races is obscure resulting in diverse techniques for outcasts to gain identity and humanity.
Jackie Robinson (right) and a fellow teammate (left) in the powerful inspiring movie "42".
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