Analysis Of Katia M. De Quieros Mattoso - 915 Words

In this engaging book, Katia M. de Quierà ³s Mattoso, one of Brazil’s most well-known social historians gives the general reader with an overall summary of slavery in Brazil, from the beginning of captivity until the end of a slave’s life. The notable difference between this book and others on Brazilian slavery is the viewpoint the author gives from the eyes of a slave, humanizing a topic that is usually referred to as an though it were business rather than an oppressed mass of human beings. Originally the book was written in French, only after to be written in Portuguese and then English (translated by Arthur Goldhammer). Mattoso spends this book exploring the ideas and concerns of the Brazilian slaves along with sympathizing their feelings and emotions. The book contains three major parts, each with three chapters. The first part is titled To Be Sold Into Slavery and explores how the slaves are sold into slavery, how they became merchandise in Brazil, and what classi fied them as valuable merchandise. Mattoso states, â€Å"to understand the slave, we must not only investigate the work he did and the masters he served in Brazil but also the way in which he became captive and the people who profited from his purchase in sale (13).† She begins with details of the slave imports, including who was involved, when and where the trade was taking place, and why it thrived. The part was necessary for the reader to learn more about the journey that the Africans traveled as it was the