Similes and Metaphors

Similes

“The best approach was to follow the buckra’s conversation like a well-trained dog.” Pg. 129

“He works good,” I said. “Strong like an ox.” Pg. 130

“No more’n you,” I said. “When you get going, you yap like a dog wit’ tail caught fire.” Pg. 135

Metaphors  

“The ship was an animal in water.” Pg. 57

“My mouth danced with taste, and I suddenly was aware of my hunger and thirst.” Pg. 73

“Words swim farther than man can walk.” Pg. 123

Photo Essay

When the slaves were captured from their villages, they were chained together. The slaves were forced to walk with blood or urine running down their naked bodies. The longer they walked the more people joined the walk and the more people who died. The slaves were forced to walk for three months.

While walking for a long time, Aminata helped one nice lady named Sanu give birth to her baby. Aminata was all alone, no help from her mother telling her what to do. Sanu had told Aminata that her mother would be proud of her. Sanu had had a baby girl and had named it after Aminata.

After three months of walking on land, the slaves were taken onto a ship. The men were all put into the slave vessel, they were all chained together. Some men were lying on their backs others on their stomachs, most men were laying on top of each other. Also some men were lying next to other dead men.

After the slaves were on the ship, they were branded. Slaves were taken from their cages and had a hot iron pressed on to them marking them as the slave traders’ property (being branded). They were branded for when they were going to be sold once they were on land again.

When the slaves were on land again they had to work. They had to do back breaking jobs, one of the jobs they had to do was work in an indigo plantation. Aminata was sent to work in an indigo plantation, the indigo was used to colour the slave traders’ clothes a natural dye coming from the plant; indigo.

Aminata Diary Entry

           One day I, mama and Fomba were returning from attending a birth in Kinta. Fomba carried the pail; I carried fruit on my head while mama carried water skins and her birthing kit. All these items except the birthing kit were given by the village, before leaving they told us to be very careful. We were walking along when mama started  telling me “If strangers come upon us, Aminata” she didn’t get much further. I looked ahead of us and saw four men come out from behind the trees, mama told me to drop the fruit and run but I was frozen in place.

            Fomba grabbed the man with something odd in his hand; he hit the man on the head with the chicken bucket. The man stumbled and then Fomba grabbed his neck and twisted it hard. Fomba was about to grab me and run when all of a sudden one man came up behind him and hit him on the head, Fomba didn’t move.

            Mama tried defending us but nothing worked, one man grabbed me I was able to get free and hit him between the legs. After trying to escape I got captured again I was pushed on the ground when I looked up I saw mama get hit in the back of the head really hard and not moving. After walking for a long time we were walking towards the village, when I looked up I could see through the trees that Bayo was burning.

            After walking for a little while more 5 strange men joined us with 3 other captives. I recognized one of the captives as Fa; he rubbed his hands together until they slid free. Papa fought a couple of the captors, when one captor raised a stick at my father. My father stopped doing what he was doing and raised his hands, all of a sudden fire came out of the stick and I saw my father fly backwards not being able to move after the impact.

            We walked naked for hours. That is when I noticed Fanta had joined us, we eventually we came across a river; it was the Joliba river father had been to. We were canoed across the river, a boy had joined us and he always had a smile pasted on his face no matter the situation. When it was time to eat the boy had brought me a banana, Fanta wanted it badly. I fell asleep next to Fanta, I had figured out the boy’s name was Chekura and that he was from the village Kinta. He continued to bring me food and water.

            We walked for many days, one day while I was walking blood started to run down my leg. Mama told me this day would come; Chekura kept asking if I was okay I only told him the next village to get a woman for me. He did as I said and 2 women came and helped me clean up, after eating when they offered me food I went back and joined the captives. I had stepped on a dead corpse and started screaming but Fanta told me to calm down and only pretend it was a goat’s body. I had helped a lady named Sanu give birth to baby Aminata.

We walked for many days, until one day we came upon the big waters. We crossed the big water to an island where there were boats waiting for our arrival. When we were boarding something hit our canoe I looked over and saw Chekura sitting in it. I had told him to escape when he had a chance but didn’t. We boarded the boat; women and children were separated from the men.  We all had to get a hot iron pressed on us, we were all had become branded. Hopefully my talent will come in use to the captors and I will not be killed so soon and maybe I may be able to live longer.