Reader Response: by Laurent Dubois - Book Report/Review Example

Reader Response: Book by Laurent Dubois The book, written by Laurent Dubois serves as a memoir that can be used to commemorate the struggle that the Haitian people went through in pursuit of independence. The French had taken over the colony and had enslaved more than 465,000 natives (Dubois 30). They were the slaves who worked on the coffee plantations for all the Europeans that presided in the colony. At that time, it was known as Saint-Domingue. It was considered the largest producer of sugar and coffee. Europeans who owned plantations believed that working the slaves to death was the only way to get results. They then replaced them with others that came in from Africa. This was the way they were handled. The rights of man, which had been written in the French declaration, were trying to be prevented from reaching the common slaves. This, however, was a poor attempt by the colonialists as the slaves came to know of their rights under this declaration (Dubois 57). A revolt soon came up in the colony from the natives. Plantations were burned down and families that lived in the colony brutally murdered. However, it was soon turned into a civil war as the whites and free coloreds gave weapons to their slaves to fight for them. This paper will review the revolution, and how it became a new start for the people of Haiti after the attaining their independence. In about three chapters of the book, Dubois is keen to let the reader know of the colony that was Saint-Domingue. African born men, women and children, had the most difficult time in this period. They were meant to be slaves till the day they died. The death rate, it is believed, was higher than the birth rate (Dubois 2). Therefore, slaves were being imported from Africa (Dubois 12). This was to ensure that the number of those working on plantations was maintained. Dubois describes the revolution as being one of the most successful revolutions in history. The revolution in Haiti paved way for many more African revolutions in the new world. In the new world, the revolution marked a turning point in the lives of many enslaved people. One of the main goals that Dubois had in mind when writing this book was to relay the dramatic story of their fight for independence and freedom (Dubois 2). He etches into the mind of the reader the possible fate of slaves who later turned citizens. This is in a country that had made them slaves. This was the country that forced them to work in deplorable conditions due to their skin colour, and native origins. Despite all these, they managed to rise above it. This is while they overcame the pain and suffering they went through to become independent. In another chapter of the book, during the time when things were hot, the writer talks of one man who was believed to be a rebel. The insurgent was found to have different articles that were written in French. It is believed that they were articles talking about the rise of the revolution. He also was found having some native paraphernalia that were considered to fetishes among African religious beliefs. These fetishes would be used to conjure the spirits of the traditional, African gods to assist in the revolution (Dubois 15). He was also found to be in possession of gunpowder. The writer termed these as extremely potent combinations (Dubois 102) that led to the insurgent’s incarceration and prosecution. The book’s author believes that the revolution could not have been simply about colour, race or social standing. This is seen in the fourth and fifth chapter. The author seems to think it was for more than that. It was for the liberation of the people of Haiti, and their country. At some point, he indicates there was a war that existed between people of the same country. This he talks of in the chapters 9, 10, and 11. The warring parties did this to gain political power and territorial control over each other (Dubois 187). It had nothing to do with race, or their ideologies. The resemblance between the warring parties was immense and unmistakable (Dubois 232). The two warring parties would recruit white men and coloreds to fight in their wars. As the final chapters come to a close, the author believes that in the shaping of the political scene, race played a critical role. The atrocities committed to the people may have been drawn against racial lines (Dubois 285). He is seen to be acutely conscious about the issue of race in the land. However, what can be termed as the theorizing of race in many history books, Dubois has complicated the role it has played in Haiti (Dubois 304). Over the years, many history books seem to simplify the role racial segregation. However, in this book, the author does not confront the issues that race had posed in the land, at the time. The last chapter recounts the lives of many people after the revolution. The author captures the lives of some of the heroes that existed during the revolution. Since the accounts that he got are second-hand, it is unbelievable how he had the capability of bringing out the details that surrounded the revolution. In earlier chapters he had talked of former slaves who became heroes (Dubois 51). The intricate role they played in and after the Haitian revolution is displayed in the chapters the author presents. The many things they did are also captured in the book (Dubois 247). He even documented events in different countries that helped shape the Haitian revolution. An example is how the British tension with France made Napoleon try to focus his energies on Saint-Domingue. Purchase of Louisiana was made possible since the black troops had attained victory. This is since he, Napoleon, did not need Louisiana anymore (Dubois 304). In conclusion, the aim that the writer had in mind was achieved. He brought to the attention of the world a revolution that sparked the beginning of many African revolutions. To postcolonial studies, the book plays a singularly prominent role. All those interested in the Haitian revolution will find the book extremely relevant, and they can thank the author for his contributions. Also, one can get to know and understand how the revolution assisted in making the growth of other revolutions possible. As much as the information needed in this book had to be gotten from second-hand sources, the author captures the moments. All history books should contain detailed facts about past events to ensure history is recorded as it truly happened. Work cited Dubois, L. Avengers of the New World: The Story of the Haitian Revolution. Harvard: Harvard University Press, 2005. Print. Read More