Today in class we discussed the chapter, “My children
were like phantom limbs”. Several themes were apparent throughout the chapter.
The first theme that was analyzed was motherhood. Aminata becomes a mother
once again and we as readers are able to see her motherly instincts begin to
show. This is seen in the quote, “You need to know where it’s safe to go, and
where it isn’t” (Hill 373). This was a lesson that Aminata taught May. She believes that
she as May’s mother has a duty to teach her all the lessons that she can. Another
theme that was discussed was betrayal. Aminata believes that she can trust the
Witherspoon’s but in the end they betray her. This betrayal is seen when
Aminata goes back to the Witherspoon’s to pick up May but instead finds that
they and May are gone. She learns from Theo McArdle that they took May, and
left on a ship for Boston. A third theme that was explored in this chapter was
segregation. This segregation is seen in the riots that occurred in Birchtown
and Shelburne. The blacks of Shelburne had trouble finding work, and they
accepted low wages so they would be hired. This upset the disbanded soldiers
who were living in Shelburne who felt that the blacks were depriving them of
work. This therefore caused a separation between the whites and blacks of
Shelburne. The themes explored in this chapter aid in the development of the
book.
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