Anansi Flashcards
What historical event does the play Anansi depict?
The play vividly portrays the Atlantic slave trade in 1791, when thousands of Africans were forcibly taken from their homes and transported to the West Indies to be sold to plantation owners.
Who are the central characters of the play?
: The two central characters are Girl and Woman, enslaved females who endure the harrowing journey to Jamaica aboard a slave ship.
: What conditions do the enslaved people face on the journey?
The enslaved endure inhumane treatment, harsh conditions, and constant threats of violence aboard the ship.
Evidence of the inhumane treated received by the slaves
Boy’s first diary entry confirms it. He says that he saw people herded together like cattle being whipped and beaten. They were fed porridge once a day
How are cultural traditions incorporated into the play?
Despite oppressive conditions, the enslaved people bring cultural traditions from West Africa, including Anansi folk tales, which serve as a source of comfort and inspiration.
What does the play reveal through Anansi’s tales?
: Anansi’s stories of bravery and wit highlight the resilience and strength of African people in the face of tremendous adversity.
What parallel does the play draw between Anansi’s fictional world and the reality of the slave ship?
The Anansi tales provide a sharp contrast to the harsh realities of the slave ship, advancing the plot and offering commentary on the human cost of the slave trade
When and where is the play Anansi set?
: The play is set in 1791 during the height of the Atlantic slave trade, focusing on the journey of enslaved people from Africa to the West Indies.
: How are the enslaved individuals represented in the play?
Girl and Woman represent the countless victims of the slave trade, forced to endure unimaginable hardships.
What does the play highlight about the Atlantic slave trade?
It emphasizes the brutal realities, including inhumane treatment, harsh ship conditions, and the constant threat of violence.
How are the Captain and Sailor characterized?
In Anansi by Alistair Campbell, Captain and Sailor are characterized as symbols of colonial authority and exploitation, serving as foils to the other characters:
Captain
• Arrogant and authoritative: The Captain commands the ship with a sense of superiority and entitlement. He shows little regard for the well-being of others, particularly the enslaved Africans. • Exploitative: His primary focus is on profit and maintaining power, representing colonial greed and the inhumane treatment of others. • Unempathetic: He views people as commodities, particularly in how he treats Tiger and the other enslaved individuals, reflecting the dehumanization central to the slave trade.
Sailor
• Obedient and complicit: The Sailor follows the Captain’s orders without question, illustrating how individuals can contribute to systemic oppression through passive compliance. • Rough and unrefined: He lacks the refinement of the Captain but shares the same exploitative tendencies. His interactions often highlight his lower status while still maintaining power over the enslaved. • Symbol of the working class in colonial systems: He serves as a cog in the machinery of exploitation, showing how even those without authority can perpetuate injustice.
Together, the Captain and Sailor embody the oppressive forces of colonialism and the hierarchical structures that sustain it, highlighting the systemic nature of exploitation in the play.
Q: How are the female slaves portrayed in contrast to the Captain and Sailor?
The female slaves are shown as courageous and resourceful, finding ways to survive the treacherous voyage.
What role do Anansi’s folk tales play in the narrative?
: These tales provide a glimpse into the cultural resilience of the enslaved people, advancing the plot and giving the audience a sense of hope.
: What is the play’s overall message?
A: Anansi is a powerful story of struggle, courage, and hope, shedding light on the history of the Atlantic slave trade and the resilience of the enslaved.
Q: Why are Anansi stories important in West Indian oral literature
Anansi stories, brought to the Caribbean by enslaved West Africans, symbolize wit, resilience, and triumph over adversity. They highlight how intelligence can defeat strength and oppression.
Q: What qualities make Anansi a champion for the unprivileged?
Anansi, though small, uses superior wit, intelligence, and cunning to outsmart powerful adversaries like Brother Tiger and kings, making him a symbol of resistance and hope for enslaved people, hoping they can one day overpower their slave masters
What is the central plot of Anansi?
The play follows a young girl on a slave ship bound for Jamaica in 1791. She is mentored by an older woman who tells her Anansi stories, giving her strength to endure the harsh journey.
: How does the Woman inspire the Girl?
The Woman acts as a maternal figure, using Anansi tales to teach the Girl resilience and strength. Her spiritual guidance helps the Girl survive the brutal voyage.
What role does the spider play in the Girl’s journey?
A: The spider, representing Anansi, inspires the Girl as it weaves its web in the darkness. It symbolizes perseverance and becomes a metaphor for the Girl’s own strength and survival.
: How does Campbell depict the Captain?
: The Captain is a ruthless, profit-driven trader who views slaves as cargo. He shows no compassion and throws sick slaves overboard to protect his profits.
How does the Captain’s son differ from his father?
Initially compassionate, the son sees slaves as humans and is uncomfortable with their treatment. However, by the end of the voyage, he adopts his father’s dehumanizing views.
Evidence that shows that the son adopts his father’s views at the end of the play
Boy walks upright and stern, as if walking in authority
Sailor asks boy if he found out the colour of god yet, and he said yes
he says to sailor “thank you for teaching me how to tie things (could be slaves) with those fancy knots
What role does the sailor play?
The sailor befriends the Captain’s son but reinforces the Captain’s beliefs, viewing the enslaved as commodities rather than humans.
How is the Captain’s illness ironic?
Despite his authority, the Captain falls ill by the end of the voyage, leaving his duties to his son. He claims that diseased slaves will lower the average cost. So its ironic because he is sick. (Is his value lowered then?)
Proof: during dictation, Captain coughs violently, indicating that , like the slaves, he is also ‘diseased’ ’ Diseases and sickness doesnt care abt how powerful you are
What is ironic about the ship’s name?
The ship is named The Good Ship Hope, which contradicts its purpose of transporting enslaved people under inhumane conditions.
How is the Captain’s religious hypocrisy ironic?
Captain is a “Christian” who praises God thus: “Thanks to the grace of God we have lost only 150 slaves and 12 crew on our seven-week passage”. But he is more concerned about the threat of “maimed, defective or diseased slaves lowering the average price” than he is for the loss of life, and for the fact that he cast sick but living slaves overboard. Nonetheless, his greed shows that he is satisfied that insurance will be paid.
What are the two main settings in Anansi?
The Slave Ship: The main plot, depicting the grim reality of the Middle Passage.
The Forest of Stories: An imaginative escape where Anansi tales unfold, offering humor and hope.
: How do the settings contrast?
A: The ship is somber, oppressive, and tragic, highlighting the inhumane treatment of slaves. The forest is vibrant and comic, symbolizing resilience and cultural traditions.
Q: How are the two settings connected?
: The Girl uses her imagination to embrace Anansi’s antics as a way to cope with the harsh realities of the slave ship.
How does Campbell entwine drama and storytelling in the play?
By blending the Girl’s real-life struggles with the moral lessons of Anansi’s tales, the play creates a narrative that combines history, political satire, and hope.
How does the Boy feel about the treatment of slaves on the ship?
The Boy is sensitive and inquisitive. He questions his father and the sailor about the inhumane treatment of the slaves and is deeply disturbed by their suffering>
Proof: “But father, i still dont see how all those people on the ship can be a cargo”
Q: How do the Captain and Sailor react to the Boy’s concerns?
The Captain: Distracts the Boy by emphasizing his education and scolds him for asking too many questions.
The Sailor: Reinforces the belief that slaves are “beasts” rather than humans, dismissing the Boy’s empathy.
What does the Girl describe about her conditions in the ship’s hold?
: The Girl describes the hold as a “dark hole” where slaves are “crushed together” in hostile and oppressive conditions. She wonders, “Why has the world come to an end?”
Q: How does the Woman offer hope to the Girl?
The Woman encourages the Girl to use her imagination and introduces her to Anansi, whose tales reflect resilience and the refusal to give up despite challenges.
How is Anansi depicted in the forest scenes?
A: Anansi is portrayed as a charismatic and cunning spider who uses his wit to outsmart others, including:
Brother Tiger: A powerful but gullible adversary.
The King and Brother Snake: Both are manipulated by Anansi’s schemes.
Brother Ratbat: Anansi frames him for mischief.
Brother Crab and the Cruel Lady: Both fall victim to Anansi’s cleverness.
How does Anansi explore the theme of disguise?
: The theme of disguise is portrayed by blurring the line between reality and fantasy, especially through the Girl’s use of imagination to mentally escape the cruelty of her slave owners.
How does the setting emphasize the theme of disguise?
The ship’s setting is described as “through the trees we can dimly make out beams and ropes… or are they branches and creepers,” creating a distorted perception that blends the Girl’s harsh reality with her imaginative escape.
