Blog Post #2 - Feminist Literary Criticism

In Book of Negroes it has become quite evident to me that one of the main literary theories used is feminist literary criticism.  Aminata, the main character of the novel being a female already gives the novel a different twist. This book is set in the 1800's when women were not seen as equal. Especially when that woman is in slave trading. The author gives the most powerful role to a female. This makes me as reader get into the novel a lot more because all of the hardships that happen throughout this novel are so intense that its hard to believe that a female has gone through it all and still comes out as strong as Aminata does. In Bayo, women are not as disrespected as they were in many other places.  This gives the book a good vibe also because women have a strong role and to a point are respected. On the ride to America, women were treated better by the capturers than the men were. If you look past the fact that many of them were forced to do sexual favours for some of the crewman. This shows that though the women were treated better, they were still viewed as sex objects. Although Aminata defies those odds and becomes much more than that. She is a very strong character that leads many people and also inspires them too. As they got to America the respect was less as in this time women were not overly respected in this area of the world. They were purely for the stereotypical housewife roles, raising children, cooking and cleaning, and staying silent. Which was also a big thing for slaves, you do your work and say nothing. Aminata uses her voice to exercise power, because she is such a charming girl, many people look to her when they need someone and she tends to be able to get out of things or get things by using her personality.