YA
Draper, Sharon. 2006. COPPER SUN. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9780689821813
PLOT SUMMARY - ANALYSIS
This young adult novel about a slave, Amari, and the story of her life in her village, then on a slave boat, with a new family and the brave escape to a land of freedom that Amari only knows through stories. The land of freedom draws Amari and her new friend Polly on adventures both fearful and exciting. Surviving being sold to a slave owner Mr. Derby and given as a gift to his son, Clay, Amari learns about the dark disconnect between physical and emotional tasks of being a slave and fulfilling emotional emptiness with her new slave friends.
Amari struggles as a child who watches her family die in her African village. She befriends another woman, Afi, who guides and protects Amari on the slave boat.
Losing her love Besa along the way, Amari is re-connected with Besa, but he is no longer the same and has chosen a life that is settled with no dreams of freedom.
The relationship with Polly, an indentured servant, grows as Polly starts out despising the black slave and then learns that she is a true friend.
In this historical fiction tale, Sharon Draper engulfs the reader from the beginning of the story. The reader is taken along the journey from the loss of Amari’s family to the heart wrenching conditions on the ship, Amari’s loss of purity, and blooming of her inner strength. With the help of some unexpected secondary characters, Amari is taught English and nursed back to health after a violent “disciplining” by her owner, Mr. Darby. Draper writes so beautifully of such horrifying conditions and human treatment. The reader learns to love Amari and her relationship with Teenie along with her son Tidbit. Polly becomes more endearing through Draper’s development of the friendship between the two girls.
The book pulls the reader in and takes them on a journey through Africa, the south and eventually into an accepting Spanish community.
Draper does not shy away from the physical and sexual abuse that Amari encountered. The strength of Amari’s spirit is reflected in this story and is inspirational. This is a story of pure perseverance and determination along with a belief in destiny.
Draper sets the book opening in the village in Africa, Ziavi, with a carefree dialogue between Amari and her brother, Kwasi. The reader gets a sense of the village and its people including background information on her parents that resurfaces later in the story. Even though Amari is only happy with her family for the first few pages, Draper does a wonderful job of setting up the relationship with Besa, who Amari is to marry, the role of music with the drums in the village, and the panic that ensues when the strangers fire their first explosion. “Confusion and dust swirled throughout the village” (page 12).
Draper’s choice of words is so expressive and poignant that she can use few words to make the image clear as in this example when Amari has been taken from her village and is waiting at Cape Coast Castle to board the ship. A fellow slave woman, Afi gives Amari this advice, “crying won’t help, child . . . this place is slimy with tears” (page 25).
From the loss of innocence and intense sadness felt by Amari on the ship to the North Carolina lifestyle of a rice farmer and his slaves, Draper is talented in describing the emotional journey for Amari of growing up, realizing her fate, and taking a chance to change that fate. Amari on her first night with a sailor - “They have already taken everyone I loved. . .and tonight they take the only thing I have left that is truly mine” (page 48).
There is great dialogue throughout the book between Amari and the supporting characters alternating with thoughts and reflections from Amari.
From the chance to learn a little English, to the opportunity to gain a relationship with another “brother” (Tidbit), and a maternal relationship with Teenie, there are glimmers of hope throughout this story, but they are interrupted with such harsh displays of brutality that this shocks the reader into an emotional tug-of-war.
The roles of the slave owner, Mr. Derby and his proper – yet young second wife, Isabelle, are reflected in the descriptions of their lifestyle and the language they use with the slaves. After tripping and spilling a pie, Amari was on the floor and Mr. Derby roared “Lena, go get my whip!”(page 145).
Two surprising twists in the story leave the reader stunned. Amari’s never ending quest for freedom is fulfilled only by her willpower and spirit. Amari is shown as a scared child, strong slave, steady caregiver, and ultimate survivor.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Booklist starred 02/01/06
Library Media Connection starred 08/01/06
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books 04/01/06
School Library Journal starred 01/01/06
Coretta Scott King Award/Honor 01/22/07
Wilson’s Junior High School 08/21/06
Horn Book 10/01/06
Wilson’s Senior High School 11/01/06
Booklist starred (February 1, 2006 (Vol. 102, No. 11)):
“Draper builds the explosive tension to the last chapter, and the sheer power of the story, balanced between the overwhelmingly brutal facts of slavery and Amari's ferocious survivor's spirit, will leave readers breathless, even as they consider the story's larger questions about the infinite costs of slavery and how to reconcile history.”
EXEMPLARY or FAVORITE LINE
A fellow slave on the North Carolina rice farm, Teenie, talks about her own mother to Amari and gives her some advice for dealing with the hole left from leaving her home country, Africa, and the loss of her mother. “She teached me what she knew ‘bout Africa food. Long as you remember, chile, it ain’t never gone.” (page 109).
CONNECTIONS
Lester, Julius. 2005. DAY OF TEARS: A NOVEL IN DIALOGUE. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 0786804900
· Partner this book in discussing the different points of view at a slave auction from the owner to the slave and family members of both.
Feelings, Tom. 1995. THE MIDDLE PASSAGE: WHITE SHIPS/BLACK CARGO. New York: Dial Books. ISBN 0803718047
· Partner this book to gain a different perspective from examining the sixty-four narrative paintings about the middle passage.
Lyons, Mary E. 1992. LETTERS FROM A SLAVE GIRL: THE STORY OF HARRIET JACOBS. New York: Scribner. ISBN 0684194465
· Partner this book to gain another view of a young slave girls struggle.
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