Sister Margaret Character Analysis

When African Americans were first brought to the United States, they brought the tradition of griots with them. They were the so-called keepers of history and storytellers who recounted the events and narratives of their people. When the Africans were taken from their homes and shipped off to America, they were stripped of their cultural literacies; they were not allowed to read or write in their native languages. Africans in America derived new ways to communicate and understand their new surroundings. African Americans were introduced to Christianity by their slave masters and were given Bibles. Slaves would use the Bible to learn to read, and their slave masters would allow it because they were learning about Jesus. Slaves could go to church

For many blacks, there was a period when the preachers of the black churches were looked at as supreme beings because they were “anointed by the Lord”, and when it came to black pastors they were often treated well by the white folks as well because they were doing “God’s work”. In The Amen Corner, Margaret not only preaches in her church, she basically lives there as well because she has a storefront church. Margaret’s church congregation follows Margaret’s direction unfalteringly and blindly. Sister Margaret uses her sermons to underhandedly criticize the people in her congregation, for example Margaret states in her first sermon that one shouldn’t drive a liquor truck on the weekends because it is sinful, here she is talking about one of her members Brother Boxer, who recently got a job driving a liquor truck to make more money. The tone and rhythm of Margaret’s sermons are laid out in a fashion where it’s musical and rhythmic. This type of musical, rhythmic speaking is very popular in the black church. Black preachers use this method of speaking to get the congregation to engage with them as they give their sermon. Along with this rhythmic speech there is music in general. Will add more textual evidence