The first black people to be brought to Britain were slaves. The so-called ‘Slave race’ were taken from their home countries and taken to Britain and America. Although Slave trading was mostly common in America British people were just as responsible. The African slaves were often prisoners in their village and tribe leaders would trade them for material goods, such as pots and pans or clothes. Then the slaves would be promised the chance of a new life and promised that they would become ‘good people’ and Christians.
Many people who are against ‘African-Americans’ claim that by coming to this country they were offered the chance to be reformed and made into respectable members of society. For the ones who did survive the journey and made it to be sold on the slave market, rather than being made into American people they were treated like animals. They had to do every task that slave owners were too proud to do themselves, often they would have very little clothes and not many places to bathe. Slaves were made to sleep in barns among the animals they were made to clean up after and would be laughed at and constantly miss-treated by their buyer. They were forced to work long hours doing derogatory work and they were given degrading conditions to live in. They often had to give up their religion, culture, language, and their basic human rights. They were forced to convert to Christianity and spoke little, if any, English.
These people were ill-treated, physically abused, and the women were raped starved and if they died nobody would care.
RACISM IS NOT JUST A PROBLEM FOR COULERED PEOPLE… IT IS A PROBLEM FOR EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Prayer of a Black Boy
Laura: This poem is a very emotive piece of literature as Julia and Rachael mentioned. The subject it deals with is a very sensitive one.
The emotions the boy deals with are very mature and the style of the poem suggests that his parents have had an influence on his thoughts and opinions.
Liz: This is reflected in the first line when the boy says he is “tired”. This is a metaphor often used by elderly people when they have lived through many events. They are not physically tired but mentally exhausted. This suggests that the young boy has witnessed many atrocities and culture changes inflicted on his race by the white culture.
Adam: The boy is obviously uncomfortable being in a white school that is governed by white people. He says the road to school is steep and that it is their school. By this he means that the school isn’t actually on top of a hill, but it is a mental ascent to have the courage to accept another culture teaching him western traits, most of which aren’t relative to the life he wants to leave.
Laura: The boy can be compared to a wild animal… he wants to run free and do what comes naturally to him, rather than being kept in “captivity” like an attraction in a Zoo, to ease the consciences of the white traitors that have denied his right to live his own life. This comparison can be reinforced by the things he wants and would prefer to a western education.
“I’d rather stroll along the sugar stores…I’d rather listen – when the moon is whispering tenderly into the ears of cocoa palms…”
Liz: The boy comments on waking up… by this he means that he in fact wants to accept the white men once they have gone, and freed the workers they have taken from his culture.
A recurring theme with in the poem is that of the “real gentleman” by this the boy is referring to the stereotypical, white city men, who work in banks and institutes in the big cities around the world. He says how he should be one of these, but how it is not what he wants from life.
Adam: He says that the school is sad and the life is sad and how they miss out on so many things that he feels are essential to a happy life.
The main Underlying theme in this poem is the lack of diversity in the western culture, and how he fears living such a mundane life.
In this poem, there is no definitive rhyming pattern and very little punctuation. This means that the poem flows fluently, as if it were a trail of thought. Although it has this fluency, there is some separation by commas, which creates a staggered effect that gives the impression that the poet is contemplating life. Aside from the commas, the first form of irregular punctuation is an ellipsis. This brings the poem back to its original point. The lines of the poem do not have a specific length, which again suggests the theme of contemplation and thought. At the end of the final stanza, there is repetition of the phrase “Who do not even know how to…” This is used to reinforce how much harder coloured people have worked throughout the centuries compared to white people. The main focal point of this poem is the constant use of metaphorical imagery which creates a sense of belonging and empathy with the boy and the situation.
In conclusion we feel that this poem is a reaction against the domination of the white population in the black boy’s land. The boy in the poem feels that the western white people are trying to oppress his culture and country and natural needs, forcing him and his people to conform to the white man’s theory of normality.
The boys wish in the prayer is a very simple and basic one… to do what his ancestors have done for centuries and remain in a world and life he feels comfortable with… a need and desire which appears to be neglected by the over dominant white race.
