Alistair Campbell “Anansi” [by Julie Tagg, April 03, 2024]

Antagonists, protagonists, and main characters

The play centers around a young girl who is on board a ship as a slave. At the beginning of the story, the girl is hopeless and distraught due to the system of slavery that she finds herself in. However, as the play progresses, she develops the courage and strength to cope with her situation, becoming the protagonist of the play.

Another main character in the play is a woman who embodies the spirit of goodness and strength. She helps foster the changes that are necessary for the survival of the girl. The woman is a beacon of hope amidst the darkness of the situation, and her character is essential to the story’s development.

Boy is also a significant character in the play. His concern for the African slaves contradicts the values of the antagonistic European slave masters. Through his character, the play explores the theme of morality and how it can be challenged in difficult situations.

Anansi, the hero in the play, adds symbolic value to the story. Although he lacks morality and uses unorthodox methods to succeed, he represents the soul of the West African slaves. His character reminds us of the struggles that the slaves faced and the ways in which they had to adapt to survive.

Overall, the play is a powerful exploration of the themes of slavery, survival, and morality. It is a poignant reminder of the struggles that many people have faced throughout history and serves as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

Use of language

Campbell uses language to allow his characters to show their ideology, prejudices, cunning and humour. The Girl shows her cultural ties and fears of being removed from her homeland when she says to Woman, “They threw us in a canoe, bigger than the biggest war canoe of our tribe.” She also refers to Anansi as “our Anansi.”

The playwright also uses Biblical allusion to show the Sailor’s bias towards the Africans. The sailor trivializes the Boy’s sensitivity towards the slave Girl when he says, “The good book says that men were given to rule over beasts.” The Sailor also refers to her words as “heathen tongue”. When the Boy displays sensitivity towards Girl and tells her not to cry, she sings, “Yesterday this time me am yum Tiger fat …”.

Despite the fact that the characters exist in separate worlds, with different cultures and languages, their lives still seem disconnected and alienated. However, the character of Anansi provides a refreshing change, as he uses an amusing language style that draws us in. Anansi’s clever use of rhyming couplets is particularly intriguing, as we eagerly anticipate what his plans for Snake and Tiger might be. This kind of literary device adds depth and humor to the story, and makes the characters more relatable and enjoyable to read about.

He says:

“Now master snake is a clever man But I will catch him if I can.”

“Salt and pepper, herbs and spice Tiger fat is nice, nice, nice.”

His wit also provides us with humour. In order to get Crab’s sympathy and give him the name of Her at the ‘River Scene’ in the ‘Forest Stories’, he says:

“Boo Hoo Woo is me. How will I ever survive until the end of the week?”

Alistair Campbell also uses Anansi to highlight the shortcomings of other characters through his sarcastic remarks. In the ‘Forest of stories,’ Anansi tells Tiger, “Thinking? Well, that’s a big change for you …”