An Overview
Amari is a fifteen year old African that lives in one of the many tribes in Africa. She is in love with a man of the ir own tribe. She has a younger brother. Her whole life is the tribe. Her life changes when she is pulled from her tribe. She is forced to go on a horrible ship that has a lot of other Africans that have been captured. When she arrives to America, she is bought by a man and taken from her best friend. She goes through tough trials that will test her will of living. Click the buttons below to see more information about the book.
Themes
There are two themes in the book Copper Sun by Sharon Draper. One of them is the fact that there are tough trials that a person will run to during their lifetime. When there are hard times, people should look at the positives in life. Another theme is that you may like a person when you have been around them for a period of time. For example, Polly does not like Amari at the beginning of the book, but she eventually like her enough to help her escape.
Fort Moses
Fort Moses was an African American society that slaves could live in and be safe and free. It was established and kept up by the Spanish Crown. It is located in Florida. It is now a historic park that is kept up by the state of Florida. The Spanish did not keep their promises. They usually made fun of the slaves that were there.
A map of Fort Moses State Historic Park.
Amari Vs. Polly
Amari is an African that has been captured by Americans. Polly is an indentured servent. They are both slaves in one way or another. They both meet at Fort Moses. At the beginning, Polly has horrible feelings for Amari. Amari thinks that it is awkward being with an American. She really has no other feelings for her. They work with each other on the farm, which eventually brings them closer to the story as she goes on. They are eventually reliable for each other. Below is an image of Amari.
Time Line
- Amari's village is destroyed
- Time walking
- Time on the ship
- Torture on Ship
- Bought by Mr. Derby
- Meets Polly
- Helps on the Plantation
- Goes to be resold
- Doctor lets the slaves escape
- They get caught
The Middle Passage
The middle passage is the route that ships took to bring slaves to the United States. It existed c. 1600-1800. Part of this route was on the coast of Africa, where Americans built about sixty forts as trading posts. The people who were at the trading posts traded goods for the slaves. Most Americans paid for the slaves with crops. Slaves were transported by big ships that had horrible living conditions. Before they went on the ship, some had to walk hundreds and possibly thousands of miles to get to the forts. Some of the slaves died before they first go to one of the forts, which is why they had so many people taken from their tribes. In the time that it took to transport the slaves to America, many died. There were about 50,000 trips to and from Africa to transport all of the slaves.
On the ships, the slaves were treated horribly. The room in their bunks were too small, the air was unbearable, the heat was immense, and the women were used for the crew's sexual pleasures. The male slaves were shackled together at the ankles, or at the wrists, or at both. The men were often put in a position that made their heads be by another man's legs, often resulting them having another person's feces, urine, and blood in their face. Diseases were a common thing on the ships, such as small pox and yellow fever. If the slaves were to act up, they would be put in a metal face mask. (Picture below.) They would also get whipped by another slave. Some of the destinations of the Middle Passage was all along the west coast of Africa. One of the stops was Guinea.
On the ships, the slaves were treated horribly. The room in their bunks were too small, the air was unbearable, the heat was immense, and the women were used for the crew's sexual pleasures. The male slaves were shackled together at the ankles, or at the wrists, or at both. The men were often put in a position that made their heads be by another man's legs, often resulting them having another person's feces, urine, and blood in their face. Diseases were a common thing on the ships, such as small pox and yellow fever. If the slaves were to act up, they would be put in a metal face mask. (Picture below.) They would also get whipped by another slave. Some of the destinations of the Middle Passage was all along the west coast of Africa. One of the stops was Guinea.
Plantation Life
During the time of slavery, the treatment of slaves was horrible. The plantations were one of the mos cruel to the slaves. If a slave were to do something wrong, they would get whipped, or even killed. The food for them was very little, usually the left overs from the plantation owner's house. The slave usually had to live in a shed or a house that was usually small. In the book, they live in little sheds. Amari was whipped because she spilled some pie onto the floor. A black man was shot because Mr. Derby's wife had a black baby.
Copper Sun Trailer (Probably Fake)
My Reaction
I did not like the end of the book. I also hated the fact that they are caught. There is a better way to end a book that is about slavery. Sharon could have ended it so that they are free.
Historical Fiction
Historical Fiction is a genre of writing that is part made up, part history. This book is a historical fiction story because the people are not actual people, but the slavery and treatment of the slaves is real. Part of the story has to have actual history, even if it is as simple as the trip of the slaves to America.
Works Cited
"Copper Sun by Sharon M. Draper." Teen Ink. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Sept. 2012. <http://www.teenink.com/reviews/book_reviews/article/90540/Copper-Sun-by-Sharon-M-Draper/>.
"Fort Mose Historic State Park." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 09 Aug. 2012. Web. 11 Sept. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Mose_Historic_State_Park>.
"Fort Mose: Birthplace of Freedom." African American Community of Freedom. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Sept. 2012. <http://www.fortmose.org/index.html>.
"Glogster Home Page." Glogster. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Sept. 2012. <http://www.glogster.com/st3phani3g/amari-copper-sun/g-6lqelckca0hla6rhau6naa0>.
PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 10 Sept. 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part1/1narr4.html>.
"Sharon M. Draper." Teenreads |. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2012. <http://www.teenreads.com/authors/sharon-m-draper>.
"Slavery, Resistance & Rebellion." About Bristol Radical History Group. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Sept. 2012. <http://www.brh.org.uk/gallery/slavery.html>.
"Fort Mose Historic State Park." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 09 Aug. 2012. Web. 11 Sept. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Mose_Historic_State_Park>.
"Fort Mose: Birthplace of Freedom." African American Community of Freedom. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Sept. 2012. <http://www.fortmose.org/index.html>.
"Glogster Home Page." Glogster. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Sept. 2012. <http://www.glogster.com/st3phani3g/amari-copper-sun/g-6lqelckca0hla6rhau6naa0>.
PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 10 Sept. 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part1/1narr4.html>.
"Sharon M. Draper." Teenreads |. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2012. <http://www.teenreads.com/authors/sharon-m-draper>.
"Slavery, Resistance & Rebellion." About Bristol Radical History Group. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Sept. 2012. <http://www.brh.org.uk/gallery/slavery.html>.