Books that Illustrate Prejudice
By Hollie Parry

The books I have chosen for January share the common theme of prejudice. Each of these books portrays stark examples of people who have somehow convinced themselves that cruel and inhuman treatment of another person is justified.

Although we may not participate in prejudice such as one might find in these books, prejudice is found every day in our schools, in our cities and towns, in our country, and in our world. People are judged by their race, their religion, their financial standing, and even their weight — and those who are found to be wanting can receive brutal treatment at the hands of others.

These books may open the eyes of a young person in your life. They can teach valuable lessons illustrating the what Jesus Christ described in Matthew 22:39 as the second great commandment — “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox

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This is the story of a young boy, Jesse, who lives in New Orleans in 1840 with his mother and sister. He is a typical boy who is on the lookout for adventure and occasionally disregards his mother’s wishes in order to see the city and catch some excitement. Little does he know that by straying from the path just a little, he will find himself kidnapped and forced to play his fife on a ship for captured slaves. He experiences first-hand the prejudice and inhumane treatment of the slaves and encounters the distasteful rationalizations of slavers. He also leanrs that he would give up all the adventure and excitement in the world for just one more day at home in his modest dwellings with his mother and sister.

My Name is Not Angelica by Scott O’ Dell

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Sixteen-year old Raisha, engaged to marry Prince Konje, lives a life of luxury and happiness in Africa. Then, when talks with a neighboring tribe go wrong, she finds herself aboard a slave ship bound for the island of St. John. Helped by a kindly ship captain, she struggles to learn Danish in hopes that her masters in St. John will buy her as a house slave rather than a field slave. Her new mistress names her Angelica.

Although Raisha’s life is much better than that of the other slaves, she still is outraged and saddened by the harsh cruelty that she sees all around her. Konje, who is also a slave on the same plantation as Raisha, runs away to become the leader of a band of slaves who have escaped their captors, but are still on the island starving. Raisha fights within herself the battle of self-preservation at the cost of freedom and must make some life-altering decisions.

This is a poignant book of the 1733 slave rebellion on St. John’s Island, in the West Indies, that was once again an example of the tragedy of slavery. I liked this book because I felt as if I were a fly on the wall watching the events of Raisha’s life.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

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Bruno comes home from school one day to find his mother and the housekeeper packing the house for a move. Bruno does not want to go to the new house, nor does understand why the family has to go. He is only told that his father has been offered a promotion and that it is a great honor for his father to have such a position. Bruno finds the new house a place where people are not like his friends and family at home and wishes that he could return to his old home and his old friends.

After days of boredom, Bruno sets out on an adventure to scope out the area surrounding his new home and finds an unlikely friend. As the friendship develops, the two boys find that although their lives circumstances are very different, they can relate to each other in many ways. Despite the events taking place around the two boys, which make their friendship difficult, Bruno decides that his new friend means more to him than any he has ever had.

This story is a difficult one to read. I finished the book in shock and although it has filled my thoughts for many days, I believe it is a book that everyone should experience. I highly recommend this book and applaud the author for how his story reaches in and captures the hearts and minds of his readers.