| Chase-Riboud gives a historical-fiction account of the slave trade and tells the story of one group of individuals who beat incredible odds and changed the course of American history. Joseph Cinque and 53 other Africans are captured and shipped to America on the Amistad, a slave ship. Seeing the chance for revolt, the men take over the ship while still at sea; when they land in America, the survivors are treated as barbarians and charged with murder and piracy. They are imprisoned for years, eventually acquitted, then re-imprisoned and tried in the Supreme Court, eloquently defended by former President John Quincy Adams in what becomes a landmark, history-making case. Cinque finally returns to his homeland, where a staggering realization hits him: Destroyed by years of the slave trade, his homeland no longer is "home." | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of book? - thoughtful Time/era of story - 1600-1899 Political/social activism Yes Plotlet: Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Main Character Gender - Male Profession/status: Age: - 20's-30's Ethnicity/Nationality Main Adversary Identity: - society How sensitive is this character? Intelligence - Average intelligence Setting How much descriptions of surroundings? - 5 () Africa Yes Kind of Africa: - Black Africa Water? Yes Misc setting Writing Style Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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