Characters
Who is Amari?
A 15 year girl who was kidnapped from her African village
Give one detail about the ship
Masts, deck, lower decks, guards, prisoners tied up.
What was the Cape Coast Castle used for?
Prison/holding cell
What is the meaning of coffle? They walked in a coffle across the dry, hot sand of the Sahara Desert.
group of prisoners chained together
Who is Besa?
Amari's betrothed.... boyfriend
What did the captors make the women do on the deck?
dance
Name one detail about Cape Coast Castle.
darkness, slimy floors, no bathroom facilities, very little food, door of no return.
What does betrothed mean? Amari was betrothed to Besa.
Engaged to be married
Who is Kwasi?
Amari's brother who was murdered
Who do you think Besa refused to look at Amari on the beach and on the ship?
He's embarrassed and ashamed that he couldn't protect her or stop the kidnapping and slaughter.
What happened to Amari the night before she was loaded onto the ship?
branded, fed well
What does fetid mean? She entered the fetid Castle room and couldn't breathe.
terrible smell
Who is Afi?
The woman who is comforting Amari while at Cape Coast and the ship
What instrument was used on the deck that Amari knows from her village?
drum
Who did Amari meet at the Cape Coast Castle that has had a positive impact on her?
Afi
What is the meaning of brine? They screamed as the women's bodies were splashed with brine.
salt water
Give two pieces of information about the interactions between the Red Headed Sailor and Amari.
English words, kind, not assault, showed her his talisman of his child, gave her water
What do you think this means? "The spirit of the Copper Sun seemed to bleed for them as it glowed bright red against the deepening blue of the great water."
The sun had empathy and could feel the pain of the enslaved Africans.
What is one detail about the Door of No Return?
small, once you walk through you'll never return to Africa, you'll be heading out the slave ships
a symbol of something important