Resistance to Oppression in The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill

Abstract

This article explores Lawrence Hill’s historical fiction, The Book of Negroes, a retelling of the brutality of slavery. This fictional slave narrative captures the voice of a slave girl, yearning for freedom and identity. Hill portrays the experiences of slavery, freedom, and her struggle and fight against oppressive forces by narrating her journey from being a slave to becoming an empowered woman who spoke for her people. The novel highlights that her education helped her significantly combat all the oppressions she faced. Furthermore, book captures the physical, sexual, emotional, religious, and economic violations that led to her enslavement. Notably, the metanarrative in the novel explicates the components of resistance literature, leaving space for a critical interpretation of the text and deep understanding of the counter narratives against the imperial forces and abolitionists. As a result, the study categorizes the novel primarily as a resistance narrative, as encapsulated by Barbara Harlow in her seminal work, Resistance Literature.