Mynaamari is a fifteen year old slave from africa, who gets taken away from her family and her betrothed, besa. The main character is amari, a 15 year old girl from africa who was sold in the carolinas. Derby, treated like an animal hates life in the beginning of book, becomes friends with polly and tidbit, escapes farm, makes it to fort mose and is granted freedom. Amari endures so many hardships during the three month voyage to america, to become slave. She is the strong african slave that shows the horrors of. Stolen from her village, sold to the highest bidder, fifteenyearold amari has only one thing left of her own. This 50page guide for copper sun by sharon draper includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 42 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. Asked in books and literature, sharon draper what is the main idea of copper sun.
Start a free 30day trial today and get your first audiobook free. Initially, amari needs valor to survive her dreadful and sickening trip through the middle passage to the americas. In the beginning of the book she has a horrible attitude and thinks her life is over but, after meeting a few friends, she becomes. She shows her journey through slavery and how she learned to survive. While inthe hazelwood high trilogy she successfully leaves some ends open, here she is determined to make it positive. Amari although she doubts herself through most of the book, amari gains strength through her awful experiences. Amari has a bright future in her village, and at the opening of the novel, is engaged to the handsomest man in town. Amari is desperate for freedom and wishes nothing more than to run away. Tidbit had a dog that he found one day lying outside near the trees. Her portrayal of the characters matched the authors description and really bought the story to life. While accounts of the attack on the tribe and the middle passage are ephemeral, the. Change can often be a good thing, especially when it comes to people.
She is the strong african slave that shows the horrors of slavery. Copper sun is a historical fiction novel about fifteenyearold amari, a young woman from ziavi, ghana. Copper sun is a 2006 young adult novel by coretta scott king awardwinning author sharon draper. The book has eleven parts in which amari and polly take turns telling what is going on in the book. Jan 01, 2006 poignant and harrowing, this narrative of early america alternates between the voices of enslaved amari and indentured servant polly, building a believable interracial friendship centered on the common goal of freedom. Afi has been traded multiple times so she knows the ropes and without her help amari certainly would have died. Amari later myna amari is one of the 2 main characters of the book. It was talking about slavery, through two different perspectives.
However, through these incredibly trying times, amari doubts herself. Draper about the book amaris life was once perfect. She didnt alter much because she wanted it to be like how it would have been in 1738. When pale strangers enter, 15 year old, amaris village, her entire tribe welcomes them.
Amari is a strong 15yearold slave, and the main character who experiences the horrors of slavery teenie is the mother of tidbit, and strong woman who helps the children adjust to slave working life mrs. The library of congress has cataloged the hardcover edition as follows. Besa and amari loved each other and were supposed to marry each other when they were old enough. She was taken from her village in africa, after all her friends and family were killed by slave hunters. She has received the coretta scott king award for both copper sun and forged by fire, and was most recently awarded the charlotte huck award for stella by starlight. Families may find the violence, habitual rape, and cruelty described here a challenge to read about, but the story does succeed in connecting modern teens to a period in time that many view from the. In her remote part of africa, visitors are always a cause for celebration, but these strangers are not here to. Featured content includes commentary on major characters, 25 important quotes, essay topics, and key themes like the nature of evil and engaging with other perspectives and the subsequent growth in empathy. Another critic claimed that the book showed themes of pain, hope, and determination and human exploitation and suffering. Polly was a young girl, born in the early seventeenhundreds. Major characters mynaamari is a fifteen year old slave from africa, who gets taken away from her family and her betrothed, besa. Copper sun addresses issues of the african slave trade, slavery in america, and freedom. The characters that author sharon draper introduces are complex but still real and relatable. Polly is a 15yearold indentured servant that changes her mind about slavery when she meets amari and sees how they are treated.
Best known for her contemporary african american characters, drapers latest novel is a searing work of historical fiction that imagines a 15yearold african girls. She had a good life, eating three meals a day, playing with the other children of her tribe. Amari is a strong 15yearold girl who is taken from her home and is forced into slavery. When the novel opens, amari is a happy teenager, engaged to the most handsome man in. Minor characters afi is a slave who helps amari stay alive when they are being transfered to america. Derby is a very nice affectionate woman and she is mr. Drapers forged by fire historical novel takes on an epic sweep as it chronicles the story of 15yearold amari, kidnapped from her african village in 1738 and sold into sexual slavery in south.
I think this is why sharon drapers book is called copper sun, like a setting copper sun as they run away. I am hoping for another book if you could sum up copper sun in three words, what would they be. Edwards award honoring her significant and lasting contribution to writing for teens. It seems that the author simply wanted to bring the main characters to safety in florida. It is this vague, unreachable strength the other women see that. Mar 21, 2015 in the novel copper sun, sharon draper, the author, wanted to create a very historically accurate story line. It was kind of sad, though, and really conveyed deep meaning.
First simon pulse edition january 2008 the library of congress has cataloged the hardcover edition as follows. She slowly becomes used to amri and her and amri become bestfriends. The characters in this book and their plight provided a lot for us to talk and think about. Main characters of copper sun by tori ross on prezi. Amaris character in copper sun is an important figure for young readers to. This study guide consists of approximately 39 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of copper sun. Fifteenyearold amari witnesses the murder of her family and the destruction of her remote african village.
Draper is a new york times bestselling author and recipient of the margaret a. She was born in ziavi, a small village in africa, where she was raised as the daughter of the village storyteller. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Jessica raichle in the novel copper sun, sharon draper, the author, wanted to create a very historically accurate story line. The characters were well developed, the plot wasnt very predictable, and it gave me a sense of awe and wonder when i finished it. She lives in cincinnati, ohio, where she taught high school english for. When white men arrive to her village for the first time, the inhabitants welcome them with open arms. What is the main conflict in the book copper sun answers. Different coffles of slaves go along with them, and they in the end make it to a city where white men were strolling affectionately intertwined with dark men, without any chains on both of them 22. She has a son named tidbit and a dog named hushpuppy. The night that their village was attacked, besa was captured. Told from the modulating viewpoints of 15yearold slave amari, and 17yearold indentured servant polly, copper sun is a story of resilience in the face of human depravity, and a hope for freedom against all odds. However, they soon realize that these pale skinned strangers are not a friendly group, as the begin to murder most of the villagers and burn down. I went to ghana several years ago and was overwhelmed by the beauty of the land and people, as well as the history of the place that hovered just out of reach.
Her novel out of my mind has won multiple awards and was a new york times bestseller for over three years. Copper sun welcome to the official site of sharon draper. But through the duration of the book, polly starts to care for amari and even admits theyre friends. Derbys young, second wife she also gets pregnant by noah, who she really loves nathan is a kind young man who. Engaged to the handsomest man in her tribe, adored by her family, and fortunate enough to live in a beautiful village, it never occurred to her that it could all be taken away in an instant.
Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. Demise walk to cape coast this section starts with a summary of the passings of the individuals amari realizes who were left out and about for the hyenas 21. A short essay on amari in copper sun by sharon draper hubpages. One was a young slave girl, and another was an american indentured servant. In the beginning of the book she has a horrible attitude and thinks her life is over but, after meeting a few friends, she becomes a happy, cheerful young woman. Characters have a range of skin tones, but ethnic diversity adds no texture to the portrayals. If you enjoyed this video and or this channel, please like and. Copper sun by sharon draper follows how amari endures life on a rice plantation, and all the pain she goes undergoes. Copper sun is a book that i never would have thought about reading. Amari the main character once had a perfect life engaged to the man of her. She goes through many things to get to america, like getting raped and getting branded.
The copper sun character analysis 909 words bartleby. The main characters, amari, polly, and tidbit, are traveling to fort mose in st. She was brought up with parents that did not approve of slaves, because they smelled weird and looked weird, and they thought that. Amari is captured from her idyllic home in africa, and sold into slavery in the new world. Get to know the main characters of copper sun polly polly is an indentured servant and works for mr.
In the book the copper sun polly meets amari and isnt exactly friendly with her. A short essay on amari in copper sun by sharon draper. I was actually wrong, copper sun is a great book for students to read. Study guide includes comprehensive information and analysis to help you understand the book. Hates life in the beginning of book, becomes friends with polly and tidbit, escapes farm, makes it to fort mose and is granted freedom. The book copper sun is told by a slave named amari and an indentured servant named polly.
My book copper sun was written by a woman who was the granddaughter of a. Derby, who inlists in help with her kitchen and gets myna and polly as her helpers. Amari is a strong 15yearold slave, and the main character who endures the horrors of slavery. Although she doubts herself through most of the book, amari gains strength through her awful experiences. The only person, who watched over her, was an old woman which she called afi. Two fifteenyearold girlsone a slave and the other an indentured servantescape their. Afi sees this strength in amari already when she is on the ship of death, as does teenie. She was born in ziavi, a small village in africa, where she was raised. Beverly almond noted that the novel expresses unimaginable hardship and starvation and disease. She was brought up with parents that did not approve of slaves, because they smelled weird and looked weird, and they thought that bringing the slaves here was doing them a favor.
She is around the same age as amari and is light skinned. When my english teacher first handed this books out i was thinking to myself not another boring book. In her remote part of africa, visitors are always a cause for celebration, but these strangers are. Copper sun by sharon drapper, is an exciting, intense, and very descriptive book.
This book is dedicated to all the millions of girls like amari who died during that. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. Tidbit loved his mother very much, and always listened to her when she told her stories about africa. Copper sun is a book that actually tells us what happened in back then. He and amari only were able to take glances at each other.
929 93 61 91 1328 605 660 1577 1227 842 997 320 1104 1386 947 1198 1590 43 52 578 172 127 1226 373 1255 76 1009 181 950 753 791 1013 1238 1218 877 264 860 864 283 72 751