"Roots" by Alex Haley

          
Alex Haley had put together a time-line in his book Roots: The Saga of an American Family that spans eight generations (starting from his great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather, Kunta Kinte)and begins in the African homeland in a journey, which was very much like my presentation on The Story of Katleho (even though my story only consists of two generations to fit the requirements of the presentation.) Through this novel, he shattered the stereotypes about slavery and had portrayed the slaves as happy individuals instead of what people think of slaves: depressed, devastated, wrecked, and ruined.

Haley's characters beautifully re-enacted the past to show the true passion of the African-American experience and also the pain from abduction, slavery, freedom, and redemption. Moreover, the whole story's main point is to discuss the impact of how slavery has had on the current American society. Looking at the story itself, it provides "accurate portrayal of life" (according to book reviews) for a slave in America at that time. With this illustration of what Haley's family had endured along with societal attitudes and changes that rippled throughout the story, it brings the story to public eye and allows people to understand the morals of the lesson.

What I question myself about is how the mindset of the people who treat other humans like slaves are like. Were they ever ransacked with guilt? Have they ever kneel and pray for forgiveness for the horrible things they have done to their own mankind? Surely, this is questioned throughout every battle in history, the battle of fear, the battle to fight terror that strikes people deep down in their hearts. In the end, the question still remains. What makes people human?
 

Read the book now to step in their shoes!
*Or buy it on http://www.amazon.com/Roots-Alex-Haley/dp/0385037872