In both books, the men are, at some point, slaves. Both of them obtain freedom, but in different ways. Calhoun is given his freedom by his dying master, whereas Toussaint takes charge and takes his freedom. Because Calhoun is simply given his freedom, he does not know what to do with it. He wanders aimlessly, gets himself into trouble with debts, and eventually finds his way on a ship. Though he assimilates into the ship's culture, he does not ever truly belong. The whites still seem him as black, and thus put him to work like they would a slave. Also, the Allmuseri do not trust him because he is in league with the shipmates and a free man. He does not belong anywhere.
Toussaint, on the other hand, is portrayed as an iconic figure because he stands up for himself and leads his people in a rebellion. He's smart and becomes a powerful force, thus his character is more sympathetic than the flawed character of Calhoun. But, in the end, Calhoun achieves reconciliation, as he repays his debts (in a way) and reunites with Isadora, freeing himself from the guilt he felt when he left her. Everyone lives happily ever after. Toussaint, on the other hand, is not reconciled, because he dies before he can reach that place. This, in a way, makes him even more iconic and a sympathetic character, because he gave so much, yet never got to see the full fruits of his labor.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment