Women In Sharon Draper's Copper Sun

‘“I s’pose you gotta keep on makin’ yourself useful in Massa Clay’s bedroom-that be all any slave women can do,’ Cato explained” (Draper 134). In “Copper Sun” the author, Sharon Draper, makes it possible to understand how poorly black African women slaves were treated. The women slaves were used and abused for their masters own benefit. This quote explains how even the male slaves know that the women are mostly rapped by their master. Amari was Clay's birthday present. She goes to Master Clay’s room at night, and he rapes her. She has no choice but to go along with it. The slaves aren't thought of as people, but the men use the women for something that only another human could do. When the women are bought from slave auctions, the masters buy

The women were treated very cruelly on their boat ride to America and at the slave auction. “The women’s dehumanization and abuse started before they even got to America. A soldier grabbed Amari roughly and pushed her towards that door. He forced her to the ground and then kicked her in the direction of the passageway” (Draper 30). Draper wants the reader to understand how the soldiers treated the slaves. Amari was pushed around by a soldier; he treated her like she wasn't even human. Draper explains how the slaves were pushed around and treated like animals. The men didn’t even care about their terrible actions towards the women. Draper wants the reader to understand how horrible the slaves, especially the women were treated even before they were bought. This quote helps to prepare the reader for the other tortures of the women. The boat ride over to America was a very long, torturous voyage for the women. ‘“Now you dance! Dance! Dance, you monkeys, dance!’ Most of the female captives had on very little clothing. They watched the woman closely, sometimes touching their bodies. The women knew what the men were looking for”’ (Draper 46). Draper wants the reader to understand how horribly the women were taken advantage of. When the women were first on the boat they were sent to the deck. The sailors blasted them with salt water and forced them to dance. The author included

Amari was serving a dinner for the Derby with Polly and Lena; she made a little mistake and was brutally punished.

“You stupid black wench!” he roared. “Lena, go get my whip!” Polly gasped at the same moment as Amari did. Polly knew that Lena had no choice but to obey. She returned quickly and handed it to Mr. Derby, never looking at him directly. Coiled like a snake, the whip was made of leather. Mr. Derby grasped the handle, drew his arm back, and fiercely brought the braided lash of it across Amari’s back. She screamed twisting with pain at his feet. Again he beat her. And the tip of the lash was laced with wire.

Polly inhaled and held her