Hope In Sharon M. Draper's Copper Sun

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“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence” - Helen Keller. When faced with a challenge, it can be easy to revert to a state of fear and doubt. In Sharon M. Draper’s novel, “Copper Sun” Amari is a 15 year old African American female who is painfully torn away from her family by white slave traders. She is forced to work on a plantation and witness things that no person, let alone teenager should ever have to go through. What gets Amari through this, however, is that she is still able to cling onto what little hope she has left. Illusive dreams of hope encouraged by a friend can help to sustain one during a time of hardship because it gives one something to look forward to. Throughout the novel, Amari is faced with many problems and struggles that she has to endure. She boards the “death ship” on a dreadful trip to the Americas from her original home where she realizes things will not be the way that used to. There are absolutely no …show more content…
Of course, Amari’s first instinct is to get very panicked and worried about what this huge man is about to do to her. Instead of beating her like she thought, he tries to help her by teaching her the native language of where they are going. He offers her some water and food to help her feel better, calling her his child. “She nodded slightly, and very gently, considering the size of the man, he gave her a dipper of water. It was cool and fresh, and she drank it thirstily” (Draper 52). Even though it seemed at the moment that everyone was just trying to make her life miserable, this man came along and not only helped out Amari, but went against his own people to make sure she was okay. This shows Amari that some people are not there just to make her feel terrible, but some actually care which helps her to lighten up and feel significantly
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Hope In Sharon M. Draper's Copper Sun

Sharon M. Draper’s Copper Sun included many impactful quotes that affected the characters and their ideas, most quotes revolving around hope, as one of the main messages of the novel is that hope is necessary for one to live and be motivated. First, Afi was preparing Amari for the slave trade while they were arriving on the shores of the United States, Afi told Amari, “Find beauty wherever you can, child. It will keep you alive,” (Draper 64). To explain, Afi wants Amari to only focus on the pleasant…

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