The Role of Historical Context in The Moor’s Account by Laila Lalami (2014)
The Role of Historical Context in The Moor’s Account by Laila Lalami (2014)
Expanding the Roles:
The Moor’s Account by Laila Lalami reimagines the life of Estebanico, one of the first Africans to set foot in America in the 16th century. The novel combines historical events with personal narrative, shedding light on themes of colonialism, identity, and survival. For literature students, this book offers an excellent example of how historical fiction can illuminate forgotten histories and marginalized voices.
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Colonialism and Its Impact on Identity:
Through Estebanico’s narrative, Lalami provides a deep exploration of how colonialism shapes identity, culture, and the human experience. Students can analyze how Lalami uses Estebanico’s journey to explore the effects of colonization on individual identity and the broader consequences of European expansionism. -
The Role of Historical Fiction in Reclaiming Voices:
The Moor’s Account serves as a reclamation of a historical figure whose story was largely erased by history. Literature students can explore how historical fiction serves as a tool for reclaiming marginalized voices and shedding light on perspectives that have been ignored or overlooked in traditional history.
What We Learn:
The Moor’s Account offers literature students an understanding of how historical fiction can provide new insights into well-known historical events while also challenging dominant historical narratives. It’s an invaluable text for exploring colonialism, identity, and the power of personal storytelling in history.
Final Thoughts for Literature Students:
Each of these novels plays a vital role in illustrating various aspects of human experience, from the psychological depths of adolescence and memory to the socio-political effects of colonialism and authoritarianism. For literature students, analyzing these works provides an opportunity to engage with complex themes like identity, survival, loss, and the distortion of the past. Additionally, these novels showcase the importance of setting, historical context, and the characters’ internal struggles in shaping compelling narratives.
These works help students develop critical thinking skills by challenging them to explore deeper meanings in literary texts, and they provide valuable lessons in the power of narrative techniques like unreliable narration, symbolism, and the interplay between personal and historical identity.
