For this unit, I watched the movie called Roots: episode one and two. In the beginning of the series, it takes place in 1750 then 15 years later in 1765 in Gambia, West Africa. In episode two, it takes place in 1767 in Annapolis, Maryland. The miniseries was created by Alex Haley and it is based on his family history, of when his Great Great Great Grandfather arrives from Africa to America. Roots premiered on ABC on January 23, 1977. The miniseries was a successful hit and went on to win nine Emmy awards and a Golden Globe and even a Peabody Award.
Plot
The movie starts off with the main character, Kunta Kinte being born and his dad choosing his name. Then fifteen years pass by and Kunta Kinte is a fifteen years old and is learning how life is. In his tribe, a male must leave his tribe as a boy and return as a Mandinka Warrior. So Kunta and many other young boys are taken and go through intensive training, even getting their male body parts cut off. While attempting to kill a bird for as his mission, he runs into a young girl named Funta and knocks over all her food. While he is still chasing the bird, he sees a bunch of Africans chained up and white men leading them. Kunta returns to his training and tells the elders that their are white men in the area. Life continues and Kunta returns to his village as a man and promises to make a drum for his brother. As he is searching parts for the drum, Kunta is captured by four men and taken to the ship. On the ship he sees Funta and notices that she is all alone without her family. Kunta also sees a Warrior that trained him from the camp. Time goes by and Kunta and 140 other Africans are on slaved on the ship and eventually, the slave numbers down to 98. Meaning the others jumped off the boat or were killed. Kunta arrives in Annapolis, Maryland and watches Funta get sold off to a white man. Then about five minutes later, Kunta is sold off to a man named John Reynolds and a fellow slave named Fiddler has to teach Kunta how to be a proper " slave". Kunta is then taken to the home and his name Kunta is replaced with name Tobey. Kunta is learning the new lifestyle and hates it very much. He then makes an attempt to escape and breaks free. The next day, he awakes in the snow and is happier then ever, until Mr.Reynolds is chasing after him with the dogs. As they return back to the house, Fiddler pleads with him not to whip Tobey and hopes he can learn how to be proper. The plan fails and Kunta is whipped until he can say his new name.
Actors
LeVar Burton did an excellent job in portraying Kunta Kinte and made you really think about what the Africans went through during those hideous times. I would say his best parts was when he was being whipped down and when he was crying. LeVar made it his own and really came out great! Another great scene was when LeVar's character ran off, he looked extremely happy just be outside in the snow and to be free. LeVar smiled and pulled it off. Kunta's Mother also gave a really great performance. When she found out that her son was moving into a different hut, she cried and surely it touched our hearts. Then when she found out that her son got captured by the white men, she cried and cried and it for sure made every one's eyes watery.
Presentation
The Presentation was set off mediocre. The sets seemed accurate and the scenes that took place in Africa were moderate. I mean the area looked alright, but I think it could had been a whole lot better. The special effects were not that good, in the scene on the boat, where the little white boy shoots the canon on the African warrior, it looked like a piece of paper with red marks was on his head. Well I would have to get credit to them, because at the time, the effects were outstanding. The music was a bit off, it didn't sound like African music and they played really happy music when Kunta arrives on the plantation, when he is about to work.
What Happened during this era?
Well during these times, America wasn't a country yet, it was still owned by the British and the Americans needed helpers, also known as slaves. The trade route, which was extremely popular during this era. The trade route was from Great Britain to Africa to The Americas to drop off the slaves. The slaves worked in all thirteen colonies, but in the south there was a great dependence on them. In the south, they relied on the slaves for everything and in the North, they just used them to help them out. It was still common to see Indians in their reservations and to see people with white wigs on. The Colonial period ended around 1776, when America earned its Independence.
Comparison
Well none of us were alive in those days, but by doing research and studying, the movie seemed to hit the nail on the coffin for portraying the what happened in those days and what happened in the movie. It was ultimately accurate on the part on slaves coming to America and captured Africans jumping of the ships to escape the horror, even if that meant killing themselves. Also, it went well when showing us when the Masters would buy the slaves, what they would do and why they did it. They would harmful liquids on them, just to heal their wounds, sometimes it didn't even work.
What did I learn about this?
I learned that not all the white people in those days, weren't mean to the slaves. Mr. Reynolds wife wanted to teach the blacks how to read and to be more normal. She viewed them as humans who eat, drink and use the restrooms, like everyone else. So that shows me that not everyone was crucial to them. From this lesson, I learned that the Colonial Period ended around 1776, and I had always thought it had ended around 1812. Overall, I would say that I learned a lot.
- Jessie Gonzales
