The Book Of Negroes - Lawrence Hill

-The other day when I was being led into a meeting with a bishop, one of the society ladies told another, " We must get this woman into Parliament soon. Who knows how much longer she'll be with us?" Half bent though I was , I dug my fingers into her ribs. She let out a shriek and spun around to face me. "Careful," I told her, "I may outlast you" --Pg 1
Ive chosen this connection right from the beginning of the book for a few reasons, this shows how Aminata is a powerful, strong grown woman who has traveled threw "many seasons", and has lived to tell an amazing story. Aminata has dealt with many situations and has had many outrageous outcomes. When Aminata lived in all those lands, survived all those water crossings, while others fell from bullets or been pushed off because they were to weak to survive, how did she end up being the lucky one. She had escaped violent endings even as they surround her still, and she never had the privilege to hold her own children. She worked as a slave almost her whole life, and to see everyone Else's child she had helped push out.
While Aminata was giving a presentation in front of a London school to talk to children. One girl was very interested in Aminata's life and began to ask questions. She mentioned how her parents didn't believe Aminata had traveled and been in so many places, and the child wished to meet her parents, and grandparents. " Love them good, I told her and love them big. Love them everyday" -pg 3 When I came to this quote it inspired me to always love and treat my parents with respect. Even though I already always do, I felt to do it just more then I already do. Aminata lived a horrible life with no parents, no friends, and I have everything she didnt have, and there is many people out there with a life like Aminata's who live day by day with struggles and they get through them. Take for example Homeless People, and people that have lived through the Aushwitz time period. Both have connections to Aminata because later on in the story, they are held captive, underground with nothing but the person they are linked to by the left foot. Not knowing when they would get out, or not knowing if they would live to see daylight. Homeless people struggle to have a roof over there heads at night, to get one meal a day at the greatest. In this case, Aminata went days without eating food or water, just because the Toubabo men thought they were greater.
The book of Negroes has inspired me to the fullest, and to be pround and not to complain of what I have. Aminata lived a hard, unforgetable life and people should be greatful for what they have. Not everybody lives "the good life".