Reading and comparing key ideas PDF

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Summary

Reading and Comparing ideas and themes for the texts of The longest memory and 7 days of Grieving...

Description

Reading and comparing: To write with complexity about The Longest Memory, I think you must include discussion of the following:

Christianity

It was the view of the Christian society of the time that Africans/blacks were inferior Look for the views about this from the plantation owners, the Editorials, Mr. Whitechapel

Racism

The views of the Christians led directly to the racism that was then experienced by black Americans (and still is today) Look for the examples of the way slaves were treated/mistreated – what happened to the slaves from the narratives of the people in the book, the events described in the Editorials

Inequality

The racism created a society of inequality -examples – the legal restrictions on slaves, education, freedom, the reasons they couldn’t be allowed to become Christians,

Injustice

The inequality led to injustice, punishments, lack of control of their lives, no freedom – the symbolism of the whip -white society keeping slaves subservient and submissive, however for the slaves there was a choice between submission (Whitechapel) and rebellion (Chapel, Lydia)

Change in society

there are some glimpses of change. The Editorials allow that the point of view of a black man might be informative to the debate, the Editorials publish Lydia’s controversial opinions, MR Whitechapel says the whip will no longer be used on his plantation because of the death of Chapel

Memory

the past is to be forgotten because it cannot be changed – 3 key examples -the dreams of Africa, the carpet that cannot be unwoven (Mr Whitechapel) and the lifetime it would take to unravel this knotted mess (Whitechapel) D’Aguiar’s key message comes from this memory of the past cannot be erased – only understood

Memory (for The 7 Stages of Grieving) the past must be remembered because this is what can change the future...