Roots Captain Davis is a faithful Christian and a ... - Stephanie Chun

Roots
Captain Davis is a faithful Christian and a clever merchant but does not have enough
courage to confront and resolve conflicts. Conflict between Christianity and slavery of
Captain Davis intensifies as the voyage progresses. Captain Davis is a strong, devoted
Christian who prefers to set sail on the Sabbath, and does not approve fornication. Captain
Davis’s reluctance on ill- treatment towards the Africans is shown in the dialogues “They
are telling us to sleep lightly, Mr. Slater. But then I have not slept well since the voyage
began”and“if only you could know how much I regret having taking this command.” The
captain practices his consideration for Africans by refusing Mr. Slater’s suggestion to
transport 200 slaves but rather capturing 170 slaves.
Conjecturing from Captain Davis’s attitude when he makes a pressing demand to capture
and deliver 170 slaves to Lord Ligonier, Captain Davis is an experienced merchant. After
dealing the contractions with Mr. Gardener, Mr. Slater suggests for more slaves that they
could capture 2 hundred Africans in one to two weeks, which supports what Captain said
during the contraction, “Mr. Gardiner, I have neither the time nor temperament to sit here
for your price raising maneuvers.” The complains that competitions among ships are
intense, and the money cost to purchase Africans from chiefs is large which Mr. Gardiner
had stated are likely to be lies for higher cost of Africans.
Cowardly, however in most conditions, the captain tries to avoid the clash of Christian
belief and slave trade. He irresponsibly leaves the slaves in charge of Mr. Slater, who have
shown disdainful views on the Blacks and nonchalantly suggested using thumbscrews and
burning irons, by saying, “So I’d be willing to admit, Mr. Slater, that below deck, I’d say,
you are the expert,” which Mr. Slater willingly accepts, although the Captain have known
that he will not treat the Blacks well. Captain Davis does not stop Mr. Slater when the
Blacks having abrasion all over the body were cleaned with salty sea water. If he thinks that
slave trade is not just based on his strong Christian beliefs, he should have stopped the
voyage, or continue with no stress as Mr. Slater does, if he thinks it is simply a natural
order for the Blacks to become slaves. Captain Davis cowardice interrupts him from
making practical decisions.
Mr. Slater’s view on Africans is scornful, yet he regards them as humans for his needs. He
says, “They have no proper language, no need of it,” and explains their inferiority as if they
are animals. They clearly know that how they treat Africans is not just, but defend their
voyage with unreasonable arguments saying, “Myself, I think it is good for them, us taking
them like that…well for one thing there is Christianity, sir. We’re bringing them to a
Christian land.” The colonists in fact, convince themselves that black skin color of Africans
is sign of inferiority. Mr. Slater, however, suggests Captain Slater to use the Black women
as a “belly warmer” which means that this time he regarded the Blacks as a human. This
attitude of crews leads to interracial breeding between white and African women slaves.
Thomas Jefferson, the originator of the theory that individuals have human rights, abused
women slaves and ended up hiding the children he have made.

Three symbolical foreshadowing are present in the movie. Omoro Kinte, Kunta’s father,
teaches “Never run towards any dangerous animal” when Kunta lost his sheep by a
cheetah’s attack. This foreshadows that Kunta will lose something by a dangerous animal,
which represents the colonists. Another incident foreshadows Kunta being caught by
Americans. While performing a mission from Kintango to catch a bird alive, Kunta
accidentally observes several Africans captured by slave traders with his hands holding the
bird. The catching of two different kind is present in this case. The last foreshadowing is in
the lines of the wrestler who Kunta meets during his manhood training. The wrestler
compares Kunta with a brave hog that usually end up being eaten by hunters. Hunters
symbolizing the traders, the last foreshadowing gives a sense to the audience that Kunta
will be caught by the colonists.
The film shows highly civilized Mandinkan people through the everyday life and customs
of their village. The tribesmen believe in Islam originated from Middle East and spread to
Africa by trading. Kunta’s father says “Good, or not good, that is for Allah to say,” when
Kunta born. In addition, the boys in manhood training are forced to do circumcision, one of
the customs of Jews. This leads to an assumption that Africans might have been influenced
by Jews or the custom had passed to West Africans through Islamic beliefs. Regardless of
where the custom and religion came from, Islam is an advanced religion and the
Mandinkans, therefore, are not barbarians. In addition, Kintango emphasizes how valuable
a human life is, and teaches the boys that fight that is resolved without killing is the best
fight.
As present in most societies, men are regarded to be superior to women in Mandinka.
Kunta, after completing his manhood training, warns “Women should not tell men what to
do” to his mother who tells Kunta to thank his father. Male chauvinism relates to value of
Mandinka of respecting those who are strong. Boys set their target on being strong.
Kintango says “A weak person is a danger to his family, to his village, and to his tribe,” and
“You will never be allowed to marry. For the offspring of such men will be weak, and
unworthy of our people,” showing that strength is necessary and it is highly valued in the
tribe.