Three quotes from "Copper sun", a historical-fiction novel for teens by Sharon M. Draper (2006) (Note: This book won the 2007 American Library Association Coretta Scott King Award):
1. "Fresh from Africa," the auctioneer told the crowd. "Mold 'em into what you want 'em to be. Look at 'em! All of them healthy and ready for childbearin'! Come on up and take a look! Feel free to inspect the merchandise."
2. [Afi said to Amari,] "We are caught in a place where there is no hope, no escape from the misery of the present or the memories of the past."
3. Mr. Derby grasped the handle, drew his arm back, and fiercely brought the braided lash of it across Amari’s back. [Amari] screamed, twisting with pain at his feet. Again he beat her. And again. Seven times he thrashed her. Ten. Twelve. The back of her new housemaid uniform was ripped to shreds, stained with her blood.
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Comments
This is a powerful quote. And a book that should be in every library.
At the time that I posted this entry regarding "Copper Sun", my blog had nothing to do with the Holocaust. Later on, in April of 2010, in observance of National Holocaust Month, I began focusing my reading on Holocaust books and I changed the blog-title accordingly.
However, the Holocaust and slavery do have something major in common: Both involve the tragic dehumanization of a particular group of people on a massive scale. But no, I was not trying to draw a parallel when I posted this entry.
I haven't posted in a long time but am still working on some of those Holocaust books (reading The Book Thief now), so I've kept the blog (and Holocaust-related title of the blog) active even though I've not been posting to it recently.
Thank you, Frank, Zara, buckeye, and Jasper, for visiting and commenting.