Seven Stages of Grieving and Longest Memory

1. Summary

1.1`Context

1.1.1 The Seven Stages of Grieving

The European colonisation of Australia commenced in 1788. Despite an estimated 750,000

Indigenous people inhabiting Australia at the time, the colonists were led to believe the land was
terra nullius (‘no one’s land’) following Lieutenant James Cook’s 1770 voyage around the Australian
coast wherein he declared it as such. Colonisation brought to Indigenous people an oppressed
existence which many consider still exists today. It is estimated at least 3 out of 4 Indigenous
Australians did not survive colonisation.

While an attempt was made in 1835 by pastoralist and explorer John Batman to form a treaty with
Indigenous people, this was not recognised by the then Governor Richard Bourke. By 1911, laws
were passed in each Australian state that handed total control over the lives of Indigenous
Australians to governments. These laws stated where Indigenous Australians could live and work
and made all children of Indigenous Australians wards of the state. During the two World Wars,
many Indigenous children, known today as the ‘stolen generations’, were forcibly removed from their
families and raised in institutions.

A formal process of reconciliation, a recommendation from the 1991 Report of the Royal
Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, took place during the 1990’s. The aim of
reconciliation was to raise awareness among non-Indigenous people of the legacy of the past and
continued policy failures that have affected Indigenous people and contributed to their disadvantage.
Disadvantage as seen in their poorer outcomes in health and higher rates of unemployment,
imprisonment, homelessness, substance use and family violence.

‘The lives of Indigenous Australians today are affected by what has happened to us and our
ancestors over the past 230 years since Europeans arrived. This can be hard for non-Indigenous
people to understand, particularly if you haven’t learned much about Australian history at school.
When people have some knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and the history
of our contact with non-Indigenous Australians since 1788, they have a much better feel for our
achievements and our persistent problems. They are more likely to share our pride and to want to
improve relationships between us as fellow Australians.’ (Professor Mick Dodson AM, Australian of
the Year 2009)

Just prior to the release of The 7 Stages of Grieving, the concept of seven stages of Aboriginal
history, coincidental to Kubler-Ross’s model of the seven stages of grieving, was gaining currency in
academic circles in Queensland. While participating in the funerary rites after the death of his
grandmother, Wesley was struck by the concept and together with Mailman wrote a one-woman
show about grief and hope for reconciliation in which the stories of different Indigenous people from
the region are interwoven. The collaboration involved Wesley and Mailman reflecting on the process
of Indigenous grieving and the complexity of the process can be seen in the different forms of the
play integrating personal with community grief.

The play was received by mixed reviews in Australia in 1995 but was well received in London, UK. It
was re-staged in 2006 and 2008 by Ursula Yovich and in 2010 by Lisa Flanagan.

1.1.2 The longest Memory

D’Aguiar is part of a younger group of talented Black British writers and critics including David
Dabydeen and Caryl Phillips who bring to their novels a multi-layered awareness of the aesthetic,
cultural, literary, and political debates surrounding race and representation. His first and most
critically acclaimed work was The Longest Memory, a gripping novel that plays with voice and time,
documenting life on a plantation during a time of slavery.

The Longest Memory is narrated through different characters including: a slave, his son and
granddaughter, a cook, a plantation owner and his daughter, the plantation owner’s workers, the
overseer and the overseer’s son. A further voice comes from the editor of the slavers’ journal, The
Virginian. These differing accounts offer a combination of emotional and intellectual responses to the
same events. Each are presented within the philosophical construct of the character and reflect both
the saddest of times and a glimmer of hope. The myriad of views give colour and rich depth to the
novel showing dimension to an often oversimplified time. The retelling of events from various points
of view, as D’Aguiar himself acknowledges, creates a circular structure. In many ways the text
repeats like a sad memory, never letting the reader fully move on without a chance of it intruding on
the mind again, after all ‘memory is pain trying to resurrect itself’.

Fred D’Aguiar’s books of poetry and fiction have been translated into a dozen languages with his
works, The Longest Memory and Dear Future, well received for their intensity and intelligence. The
Longest Memory won the Whitbread First Novel Award despite critics contending that D’Aguiar’s
experimentation with narrative form caused his works to suffer from a lack of focus and depth. The
counterargument suggests that D’Aguiar is a pioneer in the modern storytelling phenomenon
regarding slavery in the United States. Before the era of Black Lives Matter, of harassment in coffee
shops, of President Trump, who has been both overtly racist and also dismissive of racism, and of
the disappointment at the first black president having been able to make little real change to poverty,
criminalisation and exclusion, D’Aguiar finds the central nerve of reflective stories about slavery.

Like 12 Years a slave, Feeding the Ghosts and The Bluest Eye, this text pulls no punches and lets
the audience sit in the realisation of the author naming something African Americans work hard to
avoid, how lonely they are to still live in a foreign land. Karla Holloway, professor of English at Duke
University, says ‘The irony is that the loneliness, is our collective legacy. We work hard to escape
and slip past that loneliness, but inevitably we are captured, again, by the wake of slavery, a tidal
wash as reliable as moonrise’.
 2. Settings

2.1 The Seven Stages of Grieving

A large block of ice is suspended by seven strong ropes. It is melting, dripping onto a freshly turned
grave of red earth. The performance area is covered in a thin layer of black powder, framed by a
scrape of white. Within the space there are projection surfaces. Initially unseen to the audience, a
suitcase containing photographs is inside the grave.

Words and images are projected onto the performance space which enables context and adds depth
and meaning and helps the audience comprehend the play as it moves across time and place. A
projection of ‘1788’, drawing on the historical and social context, takes us immediately to the arrival
of the First Fleet, while projecting the letter ‘Z’ on the young girl is a clever, symbolic way to show the
forceful imposition of English language on Indigenous culture. The projection of words throughout
the play gives the audience an insight into the woman’s emotional state without explanation,
showing not telling.

The play has few but effective props that are primarily symbolic. The ice, the suitcase and
photographs, the wooden cross, red earth and the eucalyptus leaves are all laden with meaning and
allegory but the meaning of these symbols alters throughout the performance. The melting ice is
always there and at times resembles the tears of a people grieving for their land and culture or the
melting of Indigenous people’s culture or the coldness of white Australia.

Family heritage and Indigenous culture is emblematised through the suitcase and photographs. A
case of a people’s stories and grief is waiting for the time to express itself in a positive, caring
environment, waiting for reconciliation. The wooden cross and earth work effectively to capture the
loss and death as well as land ownership and Aboriginal land rights. The eucalyptus leaves are a
connection to nature, earth and ritual.

The colours of the floor, reminiscent of tribal paint, black powder, red earth, and a scrape of white
can be seen as a relentless infringement of the white settlers and white culture on the red land and
black people who are original inhabitants of the land.

2.1.1 The Longest Memory

While it references a past generation, the main narrative of The Longest Memory takes place on a
Virginian plantation in the period before the American Civil War, between 1790 and 1810. The
Northern states of a young United States have industrialised early, the Southern states have relied
heavily on agriculture. The area is seen as a great opportunity for individuals and companies to
capitalise on new unexplored farmland. In an era of slavery, it is not long until the south calls upon
slaves to be used for manual labour to ensure economic viability of the cotton, sugar cane and
tobacco plantations.
Virginia’s first Africans arrived at Point Comfort, on the James River, late in August, 1619. There, ‘20
and odd Negroes’ from the English ship White Lion were sold in exchange for food. Certain laws
regarding slavery of Africans had been passed in the seventeenth century and codified into Virginia’s
first slave code in 1705, about 100 years before the main action of The Longest Memory. The
General Assembly of Virginia had decided that any child born to an enslaved woman would also be
a slave. As a result, slaves faced the possibility of life servitude. Alongside the slave trade in Virginia
were approximately 4000 white indentured servants working to pay back loans for their passage
money to Virginia.

During the time of the narrative, many in the United States are unhappy with the ideology of slave-
holding. The abolitionist view is held by some individuals but is discouraged by society. It will not be
until around ten years after the death of the novel’s protagonist that the abolitionist sentiment
becomes increasingly popular, coalescing into the abolitionist movement. The movement will
demand the immediate emancipation of all slaves in the United States, culminating in the fight for
their freedom and the end to all racial inequality.

Meanwhile, also gaining momentum is the Protestant movement known as the Second Great
Awakening which renews the public’s interest in morality and sin. This strengthens the abolitionist
movement’s claims that slavery is immoral, in contrast with those who believe that Christianity and
slavery were not incompatible.

The deep economic and political tensions between the North and the South will lead, decades later,
to the American Civil War (1861-1865). The abolition of slavery in Virginia will occur by 1865, with
the end of the American Civil War (1861–1865) and the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the
US Constitution.

3. CHARACTERS

3.1 The Seven Stages of Grieving

Character Name Character Description

single actor A single actor presents this piece that lasts

for about one hour. The play consists of a
number of short scenes performed by a
single actor who portrays an individual’s
perspective on historical events. The
character who shares her experiences is
both an individual in her own right and
someone who also represents others,
voicing their experience. The actor employs
different forms and styles to change
perspectives. These include monologues
 where a single actor addresses the
audience, often retelling stories from her
life, some traditional songs in language, and
mime. The use of different technologies
such as words projected on a surface add
depth to the piece. The tone varies, driven
by both the content and the style. Styles
drift from colloquial soliloquy to stand-up
comedy to court reports.

The actor tells the story of a collective

people but the audience can specifically
hear the events surrounding select people.
These include the nana, a grandmother who
has passed and who triggers the reflection,
and other members of the actor’s family
including her father, brother and Aunty
Grace. Significant historical events are
referenced through a women from the
stolen generation era, a young man called
Daniel Yocke and protest marchers. Above
all, the woman’s own experience is palpable
throughout the play.

3.1.1 The Longest Memory

Character Name Character Description/Analysis

The owner of the plantation, Mr

Mr Whitechapel Whitechapel, who inherited the plantation
from his father, is a moderate man who
exercises restraint when dealing with his
staff and slaves. He is a mix of the old and
new; he believes in showing respect to the
slaves he owns, though not enough to show
they are equal such as that they should be
able to read or talk with his daughter, just in
how they should be treated. This view is at
odds with other plantation owners. A self-
confessed Christian man, Mr Whitechapel
believes the teachings of the church are
congruent with slave-holding, also not a
 view held by all. Mr Whitechapel has some
inkling that the future will be different for
slaves, that one day they may be paid
workers and that white women and black
men may walk together, but those days
have not yet come to Virginia. He is a proud
family man who believes in preserving his
reputation, as seen by his desire to marry
off the guilt and suspicions of Sanders
Senior, remove his daughter from Chapel’s
company and defend his honour at the
Gentlemen’s Club.

Perhaps the most progressive character in

the novel, Mr Whitechapel’s daughter Lydia
Lydia Whitechapel looks toward the new world and finds
herself out of place in her current situation.
She teaches Chapel, a child born to the
slave cook, to read and eventually falls in
love with him. She plans to escape to the
north where she and Chapel can live
together after they are banned from
associating together by Lydia’s father. Her
progressive views are expressed in a series
of letters to The Virginian where she
advocates for paid workers rather than
slaves and mixed marriage. A letter brings
derision from the editor and Lydia’s new-
world views innocently add to Chapel’s
demise in a similar way that Whitechapel’s
plea deal also backfires. They are alike in
their love of Chapel and their inability to
help him in the current world of slavery.

A representation of the old traditions of

slavery, Sanders Senior is a man filled with
Sanders Senior deep hatred for the Africans. He has a
tendency for cruel treatment and has to be
kept in place by others. After the death of
his wife, his loneliness and depression
leads him to rape the young cook while she
is in his place. He rapes her again after she
has marries the slave Whitechapel and he
is fined for the attack. Mr Whitechapel
forces him to remarry to control the
situation.

Although he seems to mimic his father

Sanders Senior’s violent ways, there
Sanders Junior appears to be at least some form of
reflection shown in Sanders Junior, a
thawing of the hatred possessed by his
 father and a glimpse of the new world
approaching. His gift of a jacket to cover
Chapel’s body after he passes is a glimpse
of his sensitive side. He offers no formal
confession but there seems to be regret that
he was the one to deliver the lashes that
would take Chapel’s life although he is not
willing to accept that Chapel could be his
half-brother.

An old slave who has spent most of his life

on the plantation and fathered twelve
Whitechapel daughters, Whitechapel is the stepfather of
Chapel, with his second wife Cook.
Whitechapel has earned the respect of
overseers and plantation owners as
someone who will offer no resistance and
understands his place as a slave. His view
is at odds with Chapel and others who
believe that resistance or fleeing are
options. His long life has brought him
misery and regret, shaped his face and
wearied his soul. He is at times respected
and loved but his decision to reveal
Chapel’s whereabout after he flees,
resulting in Chapel’s capture and death,
brings derision from his family.

The son of Cook, after her rape by Sanders

Senior, is loved and raised by Whitechapel
Chapel and Cook. He emblematises the rebellious
slave who is pining for more, a contrast to
his stepfather’s submission. This erupts into
a love relationship with Lydia, the daughter
of the plantation owner, who teaches him to
read. With a view to meeting Lydia in the
north after his mother has died, Chapel
flees but is caught and returned to the
plantation. He is painted as a loving boy
with true affection for his mother and
genuine love for Lydia. His unauthorised
education from Lydia elevates him, in her
eyes, above the suitors that her father
would have her marry.

Cook is Whitechapel’s second wife and

Chapel’s biological mother after her rape by
Cook Sanders Senior. Resurrected from her
defilement by Whitechapel’s love, Cook
believes that she has a chance with
Whitechapel and their son. She enjoys
cooking for them and is happy with her life.
 A progressive and thoughtful character, she
refrains from disclosing Chapel’s secret of
learning to read believing in a brighter future
for him. She is proud of Chapel and
facilitates his meetings with Lydia after Mr
Whitechapel has forbidden contact.

4. SCENE BY SCENE ANALYSIS

4.1.1 The Seven Stages of Grieving

SCENE NAME SCENE ANALYSIS QOUTES

The prologue follows the

appropriate Aboriginal
Scene 1: Prologue protocols of respect for
the dead indicating to the
audience that the play will
respect and uphold
cultural traditions. It warns
of the possibility of
hearing about or seeing
dead people. The reason
that many Indigenous
groups are sensitive to
naming or showing
pictures of the dead is
that traditional law across
Australia suggests that a
dead person’s name
could not be said
because it would recall
and disturb their spirit.
After colonialism, this law
was adapted to images
as well. In some areas,
families may determine
that a substitute name
such as ‘Kwementyaye’,
‘Kunmanara’ or ‘Barlang’
may be used instead of a
deceased person’s first
name for a period. This is
also known as a
‘bereavement term’.
 Perhaps unintentionally, a
very sombre tone is set
by the prologue.

The first scene relies

heavily on emotion to
Scene 2: Sobbing convey meaning; a
Scene 2 Quote
sensory appeal to the
auditory, familiar in that it ‘Absence, nothing,
will connect with nothing – highlight
audiences, sobbing. It despair and deep grief.
introduces the idea of Grief … grieving …
grief as the sounds of nothing, nothing, I feel
sobbing becoming a nothing.’ (Scene 2)
wailing noise and
eventually subside with
lights revealing a woman
Scene 2
on stage. The metaphor
of light and dark suggests ‘Grief … grieving …
revelation as the plight of nothing, nothing, I feel
an Indigenous woman is nothing.’ (Scene 2)
recognised. The
projection of words
synonymous with grief
and loss including
‘sorrow’, ‘pain’, ‘mourn’
and ‘lonely’ are shown to
indicate the state of this
Indigenous woman who is
not so much a single
character but an
‘everywoman’, and
symbolic of Indigenous
people.

The character displays

the respectful act of ritual
Scene 3: Purification purification. The woman
lights eucalypt leaves and
then after the flame
subsides to smoke, she
waves the smoking
leaves and asks for
permission to tell her
story. Storytelling is a
long tradition of many
Indigenous communities
but stories are regulated
and some are restricted
to ‘men’s business’ or
‘women’s business’ and
some need permission to
 be told to other groups or
communities. The
language is traditional
and ensures a sense of
the character’s culture
and perhaps defiance of
white culture.
This scene is delivered in
Scene 4: Nana’s Story the style of storytelling,
the oral tradition, and is
also about the
transmission of
memories.
The performance area is
flooded with colour. ‘The
only thing black at a
funeral should be the
colour of your skin’, is
uttered. A gathering has
occurred that represents
generations: Nana, the
older ones, the character
herself, younger cousins
in floral dresses and kids
grabbing videos. A story
of the older generation is
lost as Nana held so
many memories and
stories.
The funeral and the way
the community responds
in times of death helps
the audience to
understand and recognise
the commonalities
between two cultures.
The god-fearing, church
going description of Nana
helps narrow the cultural
divide. The fact that there
are so many people, 400,
at the service reveals the
impact of one older
person on many. White
neighbours watch the
activities of the five
houses filled with
relatives, ‘gamin’ (faking,
joking) that they are
Scene 4 Quotes
‘My grandmother was a
strong God-fearing
woman who, at the age of
sixty-two, was taken from
us, passed away, moved
on, gone to meet her
maker, departed this
world, slipped in to her
eternal sleep, her final
resting place, laid to rest.’
(Scene 4)
‘The whole family came
together for meals.’
(Scene 4)
‘… gave her tithe to the
church and was visibly
nervous at the mention of
“gubberment”.’ (Scene 4)
‘Sometimes you felt like
crying …, and sometimes
the joy of being there was
enough to forget, even for
the briefest moment, the
reason.’ (Scene 4)
‘The neighbours would
watch from the safety of
their kitchen window.’
(Scene 4)
‘She took so many stories
with her to the grave.’
(Scene 4)
 watering a garden. They
do not interfere but do not
fully understand either.

The description of Nana’s

death includes eight
euphemisms for death,
hints at the many ways a
person can die: spiritually,
culturally, physically.

Another culturally
common occurrence
Scene 5: Photograph around funerals includes
Scene 5 Quotes
Story photographs. It is a
human experience, not a ‘The room is full of
culturally exclusive photographs … A
experience. Memories are testimony to good times,
maintained through a constant reminder.’
photographs and links the (Scene 5)
past to the present. In this
case, photographs which ‘With an unspoken
cannot be seen once the gesture we remove the
person dies, ‘the picture of my nana from
nameless ones’ are her commanding position
placed in a suitcase … and without a sound
which is pushed under push her in to the
the staircase. Although shadow.’ (Scene 5)
true to tradition, it does ‘Everything has its time.’
hint at a break with elders (Scene 5)
and loss.

After touching the ice, the

actor steps back and
Scene 6: Story of a exclaims ‘Oh my sousou!
Scene 6 Quotes
Father (my chest)’. The pain she
is experiencing comes ‘I’m trying to deal with
from exploring the Dad’s death. He hasn’t
importance of family died yet.’ (Scene 6)
connections in this brief
monologue about her ‘He hasn’t stopped
father. The fact that her fighting since ’67.’ (Scene
father is only 45, a 6)
relatively young age to be ‘The pain comes in here, I
perceived to be near cry and cry until I can’t
death, reminds the feel anymore. Numbed.’
audience of the disparity (Scene 6)
in life expectancy
between Indigenous and
 non-Indigenous
Australians. There is ‘It’s inevitable.’ (Scene 6)
some relief that even
‘The one thing that I find
though death stalks her
comforting about death is
father, the character
that other people die too.’
knows death will claim
(Scene 6)
everyone and lists some
names of prominent
people that have
discriminated against
Indigenous Australians.
There is also hope as the
actor realises that they
will never have to live
through what their father
has been through.

This is a visual
interaction. Family
Scene 7: Family portraits are projected on
Gallery stage emphasising the
importance of family and
continuity with the dark
past, ancestors having
passed through genocide,
stolen generations, pain
and adversity.

A traditional dance that

uses the Kamilaroi (Murri)
8. Black Skin Girl language and includes
dance as a means of
storytelling. The dance is
interrupted by projections
of letters on to the actor
starting with ‘A’ and
proceeding through the
alphabet. At first this
symbolism of forced
education and
assimilation is treated as
fun. However the
character becomes weary
and then distressed by
the changing letters.
Finally the letter ‘Z’, the
end of her culture, is
projected onto the actor’s
bare skin. Assimilation
has taken everything.
 Verse is utilised in this
scene to demonstrate the
Scene 9: Invasion impact of colonisation on
Poem Indigenous Australians.
The poetry displays a
woman’s response to
having her children
forcibly removed as part
of the Stolen
Generations. Still topless
from the previous scene,
she is vulnerable. Her
innocence is highlighted
as she shows respect to
those who come to her
house. Their despicable
act, deceptively framed as
a friendly visit through the
front door, is full of brutal
violence as they remove
the children. The children
are taken and stripped of
their culture, the woman
left bereft among the
sacred landscape.
Cloaked in humour and
colloquial language, the
Scene 10: 1788 woman rebukes the first
fleet for parking in the
harbour. Her comment
that they are ‘taking up
the whole harbour’
foreshadows their
uninvited settlement that
will reach the corners of
Australia.
A brief section of
monologue is delivered
Scene 11: Murri gets a as stand-up comedy
Dress recounting experiences of
discrimination. A clear
commentary on the
inequitable treatment of
Scene 9 Quotes
‘They come in the front
door.’ (Scene 9)
‘I invited them in, they
demanded respect.’
(Scene 9)
‘They sat in my father’s
seat.’ (Scene 9)
‘Without warning.’ (Scene
9)
‘One took a handful of my
hair and led my head to
their knee … washed his
face in my blood ..
ploughed my feet. My
feet.’ (Scene 9)
‘My children stolen away
to a safe place.’ (Scene
9)
‘I lie painfully sleepless. In
a landscape of things I
know are sacred.
Watching unsympathetic
wanderings.’ (Scene 9)
Scene 10 Quote
‘You can’t park that there!
You’re taking up the
whole harbour. Go on,
get!’ (Scene 10)
Scene 11 Quotes
‘Have you ever been
black? You know when
you wake up one morning
 Indigenous people, the
monologue covers the
suspicion others may
have of them as security
is heightened in shops,
blame is attributed to
them as someone who
‘budgied’ in the elevator,
and the stereotyping of
simple actions which are
attributed criminal status.
The humour is
entertaining while subtly
conveying the racist
attitudes of many white
Australians. The use of
repetition – police, army,
fire, UN, sniffer dog –
shows the unbalanced
response Indigenous
Australians may receive
in comparison to others in
the same situation.
and you’re black?’ (Scene
11)
‘You get a lot of attention,
special treatment from
being black.’ (Scene 11)
‘Keep an eye on the
nigger.’ (Scene 11)
‘… policemen, firemen,
army, fucken UN and that
same sniffer dog.’ (Scene
11)
‘Thinking that tomorrow
will be a better day, I go
to bed. … I wake up,
looking in the mirror… I’m
still black!’ (Scene 11)

Grace, an expatriate aunt

who moved to England
Scene 12: Aunty and lost touch with her
Grace roots, is introduced in a
soliloquy. A further
comment on cultural
dislocation, Grace returns
for the funeral and
laments how much she
has missed. After a visit
to the grave, Grace is
said to have emptied her
suitcase and filled it with
soil; symbolically leaving
behind the trappings of
new-world ideas and
packing red earth into the
suitcase in an attempt to
restore culture and
country.
Scene 12 Quotes
‘She wasn’t going to stay
with the rest of us. That
was very clear.’ (Scene
12)
‘Dad said she was stuck
up and wasn’t really
family.’ (Scene 12)
‘She doesn’t have much
luggage.’ (Scene 12)
The woman begins to fill
the suitcase with red
earth from the grave.
‘Crying, at last crying.’
(Scene 12)

Scene 13 shifts
Scene 13: Mugshot dramatically from the Scene 13 Quotes
emotive to the detached
as a court report covering ‘The group was followed
 the facts surrounding a by Domrow and Harris …’
death in custody is read. (Scene 13)
A factual account of a
traumatic event, it ‘Harris made a series of
contains both the broad calls on the police radio
issue of Indigenous seeking assistance …’
deaths in custody and (Scene 13)
specifically the real-life
The woman finally breaks
case that involved Daniel
out.
Yocke, a Murri dancer.
The seriousness of the ‘People called him
issue is at the same time Boonie!’ (Scene 13)
found in the factual tone
but lost in the context. ‘The people at the watch
The issue needs reporting house didn’t know what to
but how can the loss of a do so they called the
life be summed up in a ambulance.’ (Scene 13)
neat report.
‘They took him to the
The report outlines how a Royal Brisbane Hospital
group of youths were pounding and pushing his
drinking in a park, then limp body.’ (Scene 13)
subsequently arrested
and transported to the
watch house. The youth
in question arrived in a
serious condition and
police called an
ambulance,
emblematising the
passing of blame. The
youth was taken to
hospital but was unable to
be resuscitated. There is
a brief section about the
struggle for life that
appears to be improvised
and not directly from the
report. This reminds the
audience of the sanctity
of life.

The Woman recounts her

experiences at an
Scene 14: March Aboriginal protest march
Scene 14 Quotes
in Musgrave Park in
Brisbane. Musgrave Park ‘Thousands … stretched
had its own Aboriginal out … Were not fighting,
Tent Embassy and has were grieving.’ (Scene
been the site of several
 protest marches over
Indigenous sovereignty.
In this instance, the
woman recalls how as a
family they had silently
marched but the media
had reported the instance
as defiant and traffic
stopping. A glib
comparison to other traffic
stopping events, such as
a Christmas parade,
shows media bias and the
common reaction to
protests.
14)
‘If you feel like fighting, if
you feel like yelling, grab
it in your hand and show
your grief, lift it up and
show the world.’ (Scene
14)
‘We come from a long
tradition of storytelling. Is
this the only way we can
get our story told’ (Scene
14)
‘Don’t tell me we’re not
fighting! Don’t tell me we
don’t fight most of our
lives.’ (Scene 14)

In a silent, mime-like
piece, the actor grieves
15. Bargaining for the loss of land by
Scene 15 Quote
hammering two pieces of
wood together as a cross. ‘What is it worth?’ (Scene
As she places it next to 15)
the grave the words ‘For
Sale’ can be seen. This
challenges mainstream
society to consider what
may be lost as a result of
capitalistic ways. From
colonialism to modern
economic society,
Indigenous people and
lands have paid a price.
The question is how
much? Can white people
put a price on progress if
that price is land rights or
Indigenous lives. There is
a dichotomy between the
sacredness of land in pre-
colonial times and
desecration of the land
after white settlement.

Home story examines the

importance of cultural
Scene 16: Home Story customs of moiety, totem
Scene 16 Quotes
 and skin names. In a
story that was told to her
as part of a line of inter-
generational women
passing information, the
character explains the
intricacy of traditional
systems of kinship
including family and
marriage. An analogy is
shown through piles of
dust representing clan,
family and moiety
obligations. A question is
put to the audience to
imagine if one group were
to be removed from this
balanced arrangement,
while an aggressive
sweeping away of one
portion ends the scene
leaving the audience
aware of the impact of the
atrocities that have
occurred in history.
This monologue, retelling
the protagonist’s
17. Story of a Brother experiences relating to
her brother’s arrest,
emphasises the cycle of
crime and discrimination
which can begin with a
small misdemeanour. The
outlined cycle that began
with a small incident and
escalated is accompanied
by the idea of shame, an
element that may be
misunderstood by white
audiences. Shame is an
integral part of Indigenous
society. The cycle starts
with a fine which cannot
be paid, then more
trouble, no money for car
registration, more trouble,
despair, drinking etc.,
ending in a family
wondering where this will
end.
‘Now I want to tell you a
story. Ill tell it how it was
told to me.’ (Scene 16)
‘This pile here is the land,
the source, the spirit, the
core of everything. Are
you with me on that?’
(Scene 16)
‘And this one here is
about culture, family,
song, tradition, dance.
Have you got that?’
(Scene 16)
‘Now imagine when the
children are taken away
from this. Are you with
me?’ (Scene 16)
‘The woman flays her arm
through the remaining
large pile and circle
destroying it.’ (Scene 16)
Scene 17 Quotes
‘… some other black lad
had done something
wrong … all them Murri
boys look alike.’ (Scene
17)
‘So with my brother’s
sense of justice… he
pushed the police officer.’
(Scene 17)
‘Shame.’ (Scene 17)
‘They charged him – as if
he wasn’t charged
enough.’ (Scene 17)
‘But when Dad went to
pick him up from the
watchhouse in the middle
of the night the shame
 was palpable.’ (Scene 17)

‘This is how it starts, the

cycle.’ (Scene 17)

‘No matter how clean our

clothes are. No matter
how tidy we keep our
house .. how hard we
work … we are black.’
(Scene 17)

‘The story hasn’t finished

yet.’ (Scene 17)

Linking to the title and

reminding the audience of
Scene 18: Gallery of the structure of the play, a
Sorrow series of images are
projected with the theme
of the Aboriginal phases
of history. A
contemporary theory that
was adopted to show the
impact of colonialism the
phases include;
Dreaming, Invasion,
Genocide, Protection,
Assimilation, Self-
determination, and
Reconciliation.

After painting herself, the

actor opens the suitcase
19. Suitcase Opening and scatters the red soil
and family photographs
across the floor. Images
of land and portraits are
projected to symbolise
the interconnectivity of
people and country. The
actor leaves and the
images continue showing
a rich history of people
with an intense
connection to time and
place.

The actor returns and four

words are projected:
20. ‘Wreck’, ‘Con’, ‘Silly’ and
Scene 20 Quotes
 ‘Nation’. A smart play on
words that could
Wreck/Con/Silly/Nation
phonetically resemble
‘reconciliation’. The words
are considered in terms of ‘Boats ready for
history. The wreck or departure. If you don’t
mess made by white want to stay.’ (Scene 20)
arrival, the con or swindle
perpetrated on the ‘My nation knows my
original inhabitants, and identity. A sun, A land, A
the contrast between silly people, travelling.’ (Scene
pride and belonging to a 20)
nation.

Following on from the

previous scene, the actor
Scene 21: Everything addresses the audience
Scene 21 Quotes
Has Its Time conceding some people
she knows would write it ‘What does it mean when
like that. The words are some people can even
replaced with a single read or write the word?’
word ‘reconciliation’. (Scene 21)
Consideration is given to
the fact that this is not just ‘Everything has its time.’
something to write, it is an (Scene 21)
action that needs to take
place. ‘Everything has its
time’ is uttered as she
packs the suitcase again.
The idea is invoked that
reconciliation is not yet
here, it is travelling, and
will arrive at the right time,
when people are ready.

The actor holds the

suitcase and discusses
Scene 22: Plea with the audience that
these are her stories, her
people, her land, and that
what has happened has
caused so much grieving.
She is concerned that
with all the grieving, her
heart is growing hard.
Thoughts about grief and
its need for expression
frame the play as an act
of storytelling, and she
concedes when she
cannot cry any longer that
she can still perform. The
Scene 22 Quotes
‘You know there has
always been this
grieving.’ (Scene 22)
‘Grieving for our land, our
families.’ (Scene 22)
‘I am scared my heart is
hardening.’ (Scene 22)
‘These are my stories.
These are my people’s
stories. They need to be
 suitcase is placed at the
feet of the audience. A told.’ (Scene 22)
plea. What will they do
The woman places the
with the grief? Will they
suitcase down at the feet
join in? Will they act?
of the audience. (Scene
22)

The final scene returns to

the beginning of the play.
Scene 23: Relief The woman looks up as if
Scene 23 Quote
in gentle rain and
exclaims she feels ‘Nothing. I feel nothing.’
nothing, nothing, nothing. (Scene 23)
It gives a sense of the
cyclic nature of grief. It
also has a sense that
after all the events
discussed, all the grief, all
the injustices described,
little progress has been
made. This is in contrast
to later versions that
ended with the scene
‘walking across bridges’,
the reconciliation march
of 2000 or other versions
ending with the Rudd
sorry speech. The original
perhaps leaves the
audience with less hope.

4.1.2 The Longest Memory

CHAPTER NAME CHAPTER ANALYSIS QUOTES

Continuing from his

Chapter 1: prologue, Whitechapel Chapter 1 Quotes
elaborates on his sorrow.
Whitechapel
His description of himself ..bags under his, eyes are
as ‘sour-face’ and of the sacs of worries, witnesses
deep cracks that have of dreams, nightmares
formed as a result of and sleep from which a
years without laughing or man should not be
smiling show that his allowed to wake.
discontent is not new or (Whitechapel, Chapter 1)
light. His face is ploughed
with sorrow and the bags A simple lesson in
under his eyes are obedience was all that my
described as sacks of boy required. He needed
worries and witnesses of to know his station sooner
nightmares. He has ‘seen rather than too late. I
enough for one lifetime, believed some
several lives’. punishment would do him
good because it would
The description of the keep him alive by driving
whipping of his son any notion of freedom
Chapel appears to be the from responsibility.
final misfortune that (Whitechapel) Chapter 1
Whitechapel can handle.
Yet in many ways he was There is no way this
already shattered and this nigger is not going to face
event is simply misery the usual punishment for
upon misery. The his crime. (Sanders
whipping takes place after Junior) Chapter 1
Chapel has fled the
The first lash ripped a
plantation. Chapel is
hole in my head and I
captured and returned to
screamed for my son,
the property. Sanders
who fell silent as the
Junior flogs the runaway
grass and trees.
despite protestations from
(Whitechapel) Chapter 1
the plantation workers
and an offer from But he was gone halfway
Whitechapel to receive into it all. (Whitechapel)
the lashings in place of Chapter 1
his son. Whitechapel
recalls how there is an Everyone without
exchange during the exception blames me for
whipping. Chapel is ‘gone the death. (Whitechapel)
halfway into it all’ and Chapter 1
stops screaming. At this
time, Whitechapel
changes. His long held
belief that if you show
your master the best of
you, you will in return get
respect, is shattered.
Instantly he loses his
place in the world. His
family, which constitutes
most of the plantation
slaves, turn on him and
blame him for Chapel’s
death. It had been against
the wishes of his family
 that Whitechapel,
pleading and trading on
his goodwill with Mr
Whitechapel, had
exchanged information
about his son’s
whereabouts for his son’s
safe return.

Mr Whitechapel is away
from the plantation when
Chapel is returned for his
punishment. Sanders
Junior is furious about
chasing Chapel and
believes the ‘boss said he
would be made an
example of to discourage
further runaways’ and
commences 200 lashes.
The wounds from the
lashes take their toll and
Chapel dies.

Changing the point of

Chapter 2: Mr. view, the incidents are Chapter 2 Quotes
revisited from the
Whitechapel
perspective of Mr Did you think you were
Whitechapel, the better schooled in the
plantation owner. Upon management of a slave-
his return to the holding than I? (Mr
plantation, he learns of Whitechapel to Sanders
the whipping and Junior) Chapter 2
subsequent death of
Whitechapel’s son, Fatten up slaves too
Chapel. Mr Whitechapel much with large regular
is furious. He has an meals and decent
unusual and somewhat quarters (Other plantation
broadminded approach to owners about Mr
slavery. A view that is at Whitechapel) Chapter 2
odds with Sanders Junior.
Mr Whitechapel inherited Such rough handling
the plantation from his provides rougher
father who had employed responses. (Mr
Sanders Senior as an Whitechapel) Chapter 2
overseer to the slaves. First and foremost as
Now Mr Whitechapel and subjects of God though
Sanders Junior represent blessed with lesser
another generation of faculties. (Mr Whitechapel
slave owners and
overseers. Unlike many about slaves) Chapter 2
previous slave owners, Mr
Whitechapel is reluctant God should guide us in
to engage in any ‘brutal our dealings with slaves
form of management’. He as he counsels us in
scolds Sanders Junior for everything else. (Mr
the breach of his position Whitechapel) Chapter 2
and berates the overseer
for thinking he was ‘better
schooled in the
management of slave-
holding’. Here the two
forms of slave-holding
ideology are raised
whether the slave afraid
of ‘brute force’ or the
‘happy slave’ would be
more effective. In a
similar way, Whitechapel
had previously
expounded the two ideas
held by slaves debating if
the ‘rebellious’ slave or
the ‘subjugated slave’
would have a better life.

On top of demanding
payment for the value of
the runaway, Mr
Whitechapel touches on
the history between the
three families. Mr
Whitechapel reveals that
Chapel is not really
Whitechapel’s biological
son but the outcome of
Sanders Senior’s rape of
Whitechapel’s second
wife, Cook. Sanders
Junior appears to weaken
as he learns he has
beaten his half-brother to
death. Intersecting in that
scene is Whitechapel,
being true to his
character, who keeps his
word and does not
divulge the secret as he is
sworn to secrecy even as
the whipping progresses
and Sanders Junior, true
to his character, beats a
 slave, his own half-
brother.

The third viewpoint

Chapter 3: Sanders offered is by Sanders Chapter 3 Quotes
Senior and fills part of the
Senior
backstory. Following the Wrong to look at a slave
revelation from Mr girl and feel like a man?
Whitechapel that Sanders (Sanders Senior) Chapter
Senior had sexual 3
relations with Cook, the
slave, and is in fact The word of a white man
Chapel’s biological father, is worth that of how many
Sanders Senior’s diary slaves? (Sanders Senior)
serves as a testament to Chapter 3
these events. The diary
entries elucidate a time Cook is his wife, whatever
when he is lonely and the outcome, he loves
bored without his wife. In her. (Whitechapel)
this space, temptation Chapter 3
approaches and he What good is a fat slave
questions if he is ‘wrong to anyone but himself …
to look at a slave girl and Cattle need fattening not
feel like a man?’ After slaves. (Sanders Senior)
unsuccessfully trying to Chapter 3
lure Cook to his room, he
seizes an opportunity to
drag her in there and
have his way with her. He
immediately threatens her
to remain silent. Cook
complies with this
demand. However, as
time goes on Cook
marries Whitechapel and
after she is raped by
Sanders Senior a second
time, breaks her silence
and Mr Whitechapel and
Whitechapel are
informed. Sanders Senior
is summoned by Mr
Whitechapel and although
believing ‘the word of a
white man is worth that of
how many slaves?’
Sanders Senior
confesses and receives a
fine for the action. He is
forced to apologise to
 Cook and Whitechapel, a
moment that Cook
reflects on later as an
incredible occurrence that
endears Whitechapel to
her.

Cook’s baby is born and

although Sanders Senior
concedes the boy
‘resembles my son in all
but colour’ the child is
raised by Whitechapel
and Cook as their own.
Emblematising the plight
of the poor white worker,
Sanders Senior is
presented with a series of
choices: flee and admit
guilt after which he would
never be employed again,
or marry a woman chosen
by Mr Whitechapel
against his will. He
chooses the latter.

Sanders Senior firmly

believes that he is
vindicated in bringing the
stick to the legs of slaves
because he believes they
are full of tricks and try to
evade their duties. The
contrast between his view
and that of Mr
Whitechapel’s more
merciful approach
signifies the change of
time and the introduction
of the abolitionist
movement.

This brief chapter, which

shows the point of view of
Chapter 4: Cook Cook, is tragic in that it
Chapter 4 Quotes
contains the
heartbreaking details of After he laid his hands on
Cook’s rape but also me I wanted to die.
some small hope after the (Cook) Chapter 4
birth of Chapel. The
reader already A pure wife no longer
 understands that Cook’s
hope will be unrealised as pure. (Cook) Chapter 4
Cook dies before Chapel
and Whitechapel.

In poetic form, the next

Chapter 5: Chapel point of view encountered Chapter 5 Quotes
is Chapel’s as he pays
homage to his mother ‘With her gone nothing
being ‘an angel without could keep me there –
wings’ and considers his father I am running I feel
relationship with Lydia. joy not fear’.
Chapel’s rhyming
couplets give an account ‘A pure light’. (Chapel,
of his affection for his about his mother)
mother laced with a story Chapter 5
of how he and Mr
Whitechapel’s daughter The words she sang them
Lydia met. Chapel recalls I heard a choir .. one day
how he had become she stopped me and
enamoured with Lydia called out of the blue, now
and her reading, and you can read you must
soon asked if he could learn to write too. (Chapel
learn to read. Sworn to and Lydia) Chapter 5
secrecy as a slave was The first learns from
not to be educated, Lydia mistakes which earn him
had agreed to help but whip and fist, .. the
when her father second listens and what
discovered the union, he does not, then acts.
beat Chapel with his belt (Whitechapel) Chapter 5
and made them swear
never to see each other With her gone nothing
again. The lyrical poetry could keep me there –
in contrast to Sanders father I am running I feel
Senior’s awkward diary joy not fear. (Chapel)
entries suggests that Chapter 5
eloquence and civility are
not far from the slave if
nurtured.

Chapel contemplates the

two types of slaves: those
that learn from the
mistakes that incur
consequences like the
whip, and those who
despite all they see and
hear do not learn.
Whitechapel senses
Chapel is not learning
and endeavours to keep
an eye on him. However,
 as Cook dies of fever the
two mourn in silence and
Chapel slips away.
Objectively written in the
Chapter 6: rare perspective of a
second person narrative,
Plantation Owners
this chapter follows Mr
Whitechapel as he
attends the Gentlemen’s
Club. He knows the
patrons of this club,
plantation owners, will
‘ridicule’ him due to the
recent flogging and death
of Chapel, hypocritical in
light of his lenient
ideology regarding
slavery. Mr Whitechapel,
who represents the new
progressive ideas that will
fuel the abolitionist
movement, meets the
entrenched patrons with
their traditional views of
slave-holding.
The debate starts with the
expected criticism of Mr
Whitechapel who
responds that a single
death does not mean he
is like them. They chide
him, asking him to admit
that the brutality made
him ‘feel alive’ and
accusing him of eating
with his slaves one day
only to beat them the
next. Mr Whitechapel’s
response includes an
explanation that this was
simply ‘a lesson that went
wrong’ and a synopsis of
his beliefs. He explains
that he treats his ‘slaves
with humanity’ and
promotes ‘the teachings
of Christ’, while he
‘practises slavery’
Chapter 6 Quotes
Mock me all you want. It
was a lesson that went
wrong. (Mr Whitechapel)
Chapter 6
Give them your cruelty,
and perhaps they’ll
survive your whip.
(Plantation owners)
Chapter 6
Admit you felt alive for the
first time in your life
Whitechapel. (Plantation
owners) Chapter 6
I treat my slaves with
humanity. (Mr
Whitechapel) Chapter 6
I promote the teachings of
Christ and practise
slavery. I do not practice
slavery and hide my
beliefs. (Mr Whitechapel)
Chapter 6
We are all of us
Christians of one sort or
other. But you,
Whitechapel, you promote
the African at the expense
of your own white
Christian brother.
(Plantation owners)
Chapter 6
You can’t mix God with
the slave business. God
is for us, not them.
(Plantation owners)
Chapter 6
 simultaneously. He even
goes as far as suggesting
if slaves were free and
paid that those slaves
would be friends rather
than enemies. The Club’s
patrons stand by their
conviction that you can’t
mix God with the slave
business as they believe
God is with them and not
the slaves. Their
traditionist attitude is on
display as they maintain
the need for a ‘firm hand’
and not to ‘upset
everything that works’.

This chapter as told by

Lydia reveals both the
Chapter 7: Lydia perpetuation of slavery
Chapter 7 Quotes
and its upcoming demise.
Instinctively, she knows I take his hand, hop
that her interactions with closer to him, .. and point
Chapel are forbidden and his index finger to each
forces him to swear upon word as I say it. (Lydia)
a bible that he will not tell Chapter 7
anyone that she is
teaching him to read. This I recline in my chair and
subjugation through let his voice cascade over
withholding education is me. (Lydia) Chapter 7
an inherited W Your name begins with
contemplation. However this letter, Mine too.
Lydia embraces the (Lydia) Chapter 7
progressive future and is
willing to teach him. The
eloquent style of the
chapter highlights her
own education. Gradually,
a sincere friendship forms
hinting once again that
the key to equality can be
found in books and
education.

More reflections from

Chapter 8: Cook Cook see her consider Chapter 8 Quotes
her work as cook for the
house and cook at home, All my life two pots are
bringing life to the never empty …. I
 metaphor of the pot. sometimes take from one
Although the ingredients to fill the other … My
and the exterior quality masters pot is full of the
may be different, there is sweetest things … but I
love in cooking for her prefer my own. (Cook)
family and in some way Chapter 8
she sees similarities
between her life with Inside is pride, not fear,
Whitechapel, whom she not yet just pride swelling
considers saved her, and in my chest and filling my
those in the plantation heart. (Cook) Chapter 8
owner’s house.
… books and slaves to do
On top of this reflection, not agree. (Cook, on
after discovering Chapel Whitechapel’s anticipated
and Lydia’s secret, Cook response) Chapter 8
decides to refrain from
telling Whitechapel that
Chapel can read. Her
reasoning is that he is not
ready for that progressive
idea and holds a
traditional view regarding
a slave’s lot in life. She
anticipates Whitechapel’s
resistance and prohibition
of the encounters.

A continuation of Lydia’s
account of her time with
Chapter 9: Lydia Chapel sees the progress
Chapter 9 Quotes
they have made with
Chapel reading and In love with a slave.
interacting with her as an (Lydia) Chapter 9
equal. Lydia realises she
has fallen in love with Must never see the light
Chapel. The tranquillity of day together, must
and progress of the never read together, nor
relationship is write, not sit together, …
immediately shattered nor speak of these wicked
when Mr Whitechapel secret meetings to
learns of the secret anyone. (Mr Whitechapel)
meetings. He immediately Chapter 9
bans the meetings Might be possible in the
however Cook finds a future. (Mr Whitechapel)
way to circumvent his Chapter 9
strict instructions that they
not see or write each
other. She proposes that
they meet in the dark, sit
back to back and
 converse. Cook believes
in a future where the two
might be able to spend
time together, perhaps
inspired by Chapel’s
reading ability. Mr
Whitechapel also
concedes that there may
be a time when Africans
can meet with Whites, but
that time had not yet
come. These progressive
views are a slight glimmer
of hope in a dark world.

A continuation of Lydia’s
recount includes the
Chapter 10: Lydia incongruence between
the expectations placed
upon her by family. which
include deportment
lessons aiming to
produce a ‘fine young
woman’, and her secret
love for Chapel. The two
worlds contrast in a
procession of eligible
suitors paraded before
Lydia who still sees
Chapel as having more
wit, intelligence,
sensitivity and charm. The
chapter reveals details of
their secret meetings and
a plan hatched for the two
‘star crossed lovers’ to
meet further north where
reports have been
received of white women
walking with black men.
The relationship is
reminiscent of
Shakespeare’s Romeo
and Juliet.
Chapter 10 Quotes
Chapel says nothing to
me. Our hands explore
each other in the dark.
(Lydia) Chapter 10
I hold each of them up
beside Chapel to see how
they compare, no one has
his wit, intelligence,
charm and sensitive
nature. Not one. (Lydia)
Chapter 10
When it comes to the
rights of slaves I part
company with every one
of them. (Lydia) Chapter
10
My pretty head shouldn’t
be preoccupied with
improving the lot of
slaves. (Potential suitor to
Lydia) Chapter 10

In a further change of
Chapter 11: The style, this chapter is Chapter 11 Quotes
presented as a series of
Virginian
articles or editorials from Are we to attribute to
a paper called The slaves all the qualities we
Virginian. Already credit to ourselves as
referenced as a reliable
source of information by human beings? I think
slave owners, these not. (The Virginian)
entries promote a sense Chapter 11
of discussion on slave-
holding but ultimately Slavery is a business.
draw a traditional Christianity is a faith.
ideological standpoint. Slavery answers to our
The entries, from a first physical and material
person perspective, invite wellbeing; Christianity
feedback and critique the looks after the hunger of
standpoint of those that the soul. (The Virginian)
have joined the Chapter 11
discussion including Miss
Once we extend Christian
L, most likely Lydia. As
values to include slaves
the editorials cover the
we then throw into
period of events common
question the very basis of
to other chapters, there is
our forced enslavement of
reference to the mutual
them. (The Virginian)
events combined with a
Chapter 11
discussion on the
ideology raised by Too much attention is
characters thus far. paid to the plantation
owners and to the slaves
In a somewhat pompous
at the expense of that
tone, the editor’s own
level of poor whites who
view is expressed and he
have to work for the
clearly believes that
former in close proximity
slaves should not be
to the latter. (The
attributed the qualities of
Virginian) Chapter 11
humans. The issue of
Christianity and slavery is There is no sight more
raised but dismissed as perfidious than that of a
entirely separate entities: white woman with a black
one material and man. (The Virginian)
business, one spiritual Chapter 11
and of faith. The
conundrum for the editor
appears to be that if you
apply human and
Christian values it would
cause confusion and
force questions about the
entitlement to enslave
Africans.

Further discussion is
given to the dichotomy
between slaves and poor
white workers. The lack of
clear financial gap
troubles some. Further to
this, the notion of paying
 Africans as an economic
model is tabled by Miss L
and considered as
intelligent but when Miss
L continues to push
progressive ideas and
suggests white and black
relationships, the editor is
quick to dismiss her.
Whitechapel has twelve
daughters and a step-
Chapter 12: Great son. These are born into
Grandmother slavery, marry and have
children, making up a
large percentage of the
slave stock of the
plantation. One of
Whitechapel’s
granddaughters
contemplates her life on
the plantation and
interactions with
Whitechapel. The
chapter’s title, Great
Grandmother, links the
generations and prefaces
the ‘long memory’ that
lingers for some slaves:
that memory of a
homeland they have
never seen or stepped
foot on. The great-
granddaughter’s longing
for Africa is abhorrent to
Whitechapel who tells her
to make her dreams in
the current place and
time. This dismissal hurts
the girl and shows once
again the contrast in
views held by the other
slaves and Whitechapel’s
traditional submissive
view that unfortunately, in
retrospect, has not served
him well. This is
accentuated by the great-
granddaughter’s
recollection of the night of
the beating where she
Chapter 12 Quotes
He said what did I want to
do something silly like
dreaming about Africa for.
(Whitechapel to great-
granddaughter) Chapter
12
One day he was playing
… next day he was
marching… several days
after that he was facing
the sea. No one lifted a
finger to help….
(Whitechapel to great-
granddaughter) Chapter
12
You dream about
something you don’t know
make your dreams here.
(Whitechapel to great-
granddaughter) Chapter
12
We were all eager to go,
not to watch a beating
that should not be
happening in the first
place but to see the face
of the old man who made
it possible. (Great-
granddaughter) Chapter
12
 admits they went to see
how Whitechapel would
react to a beating he had
caused.

After the height of all the

Chapter 13: events and fervent
discussions on the two
Sanders Junior
types of slaves,
Christianity and slavery,
and the two styles of
slave management, the
final words of this chapter
and epilogue are mostly
of regret. They return the
reader to the tone set in
the beginning in an
imitation of how memory
can cycle one through
events without effecting
any change. To this end,
the chapter contains the
musings of Sanders
Junior. He has the
obligation to take care of
Whitechapel’s dead body.
Sanders Junior is
adamant that Chapel is in
no way his half-brother
but the child of a slave
and that he died as a
result of the other slaves
not checking Chapel’s
impetuous nature.
Chapter 13 Quotes
He did not demonstrate
an ounce of your common
sense. His spirit was wild,
you’re tame. (Sanders
Junior to Whitechapel)
Chapter 13
I see nothing of my father
in him not of myself.
(Sanders Junior to
Whitechapel) Chapter 13
What did you do wrong
old man? (Sanders Junior
to Whitechapel) Chapter
13
If you were white I would
have wanted you as my
father. The jacket is
rightly yours. (Sanders
Junior to Whitechapel)
Chapter 13

His final comments that

‘slave-holding is a
business’ removes the
human from the equation
but there is a sense that
he is working hard to
avoid regret. Offering his
jacket as a symbol of
contrition he is still unable
to take responsibility for
the death of Chapel. In a
proffer of some respect,
coming far too late for
Whitechapel, Sanders
Junior concedes that
were Whitechapel white
he would have wanted a
 father like him.
The epilogue contains the
words that Whitechapel
Epilogue: would have liked to say to
Forgetting Chapel but regrettably did
not find the occasion,
robbed of time when
Cook was dying. He
admits he knew of
Chapel’s desire for Lydia
but thought it would pass,
interjecting that he thinks
he was simply insufficient
as a father. He feels as
though he has been
wrong all his days and is
tired. Whitechapel
questions the existence of
hope, whether the master
will rule forever or
whether change will
occur. Even if it did, the
years he has seen would
take several lives or
another hundred years to
mend. A sombre parting
thought.
5. MAIN IDEAS
5.1 Themes
Key Statements THE SEVEN THE SEVEN THE LONGEST MEMORY
STAGES OF STAGES OF
GRIEVING GRIEVING
ANALYSIS QUOTES ANALYSIS
5.1.1 MEMORY
Epilogue
I am insufficient.
(Whitechapel) Epilogue
Her name is a young man
dreaming. (on Lydia,
Whitechapel) Epilogue
I have been wrong all my
days. (Whitechapel)
Epilogue
Too much has happened
to put right. I would need
another life … to unravel
this knotted mess.
(Whitechapel) Epilogue
Nor can the master hope
to rule the day and the
night forever.
(Whitechapel) Epilogue
Memory is pain trying to
resurrect itself.
(Whitechapel) Epilogue
THE LONGEST
MEMORY
QUOTES
● Memory Memories belong to ‘I miss my Whitechapel’s greatest Memory hurts. Like
impacts the the individuals grandmother. She took battle is eventually against crying. But still and
present in portrayed within The so many stories with his own memory. He feels deep. Memory rises to
both texts, 7 Stages of Grieving her to the grave.’ he has lived too long, seen the skin then I can’t be
and and also to the (Scene 4) too much and that memory touched .… Don’t make
torments collective. Some is simply pain resurfacing. me remember. I forget
the memories like the A collection of images He aims to bury the as hard as I can.
protagonists stories go with Nana, appear, depicting the memory. In a comparison he (Whitechapel) Prologue:
● Each have some are passed phases of aboriginal says that memory is like Remembering
their own from generation to history.. Dreaming, crying, an event that he
painful generation, a timeline Invasion, Genocide, described as being able to Memory is pain trying to
memories: of pain and grief from Protection, take over, shake and the resurrect itself.
death of 1788 until the Assimilation … (Scene thump the body. Memory (Whitechapel) Epilogue:
immediate present. Collected 18) has taken a toll on his body, Forgetting
loved ones, like photographs in his eyes have seen too
injustices to the suitcase, stories much and his head is too
themselves of family, tradition heavy, he craves rest. Other
and those and culture are held memories he has long
around in the memory with buried; memories of Africa
them the pain of the past. are scarce and dreams of
● Both the Even when the land of his childhood are
novel and characters escape deliberately discarded even
the play the situation, the link discouraged in others. The
depict the to the past is still destructive element of
idea of a present. Aunty Grace memories is also seen in
collective returns from England Sanders Seniors as memory
memory and although she of his wife drives him into
passing holds out for some depression and despair
from time eventually leading to his despicable
generation succumbs to the behaviour in raping Cook.
to shared memory of the
generation family and land,
like stories emptying her own
with belongings from the
individual case and filling it with
memories, red soil. The only
value laden reflections that bring
and having relief are fond
an impact memories that involve
on the next family; trophies and
generation. pendants from
sporting
achievements are
placed in the room
with photographs of
birthdays. weddings
and fun occasions
which adorn the walls
at Nana’s house.
Memories will serve
as a constant
reminder, a testimony
 to good times, that it
is not all bad, there is
always family.

5.1.2 GRIEF
● The Individual and ‘I lie painfully Silent grief shapes They begged and cried.
ultimate collective grief sleepless. In a Whitechapel’s face until he The night was torn apart
message shapes the narrative landscape of things I is known as ‘sour face’. He by their grief. (about the
conveyed of the play The 7 know are sacred. can’t remember when he Slaves) Chapter 1
from the Stages of Grieving. Watching last laughed. The grief that
exploration Emblematised unsympathetic he suffers from the loss of Too much has
of individual through the woman wanderings.’ (Scene his wives and his children happened to put right. I
and who lays sleepless 9) has taken a toll. would need another life.
collective among the sacred Communally, the slaves are (Whitechapel) Epilogue:
grief in both things after her ‘Our cultures that have impacted by grief; ‘The night Forgetting
the novel children have been been denied us. But was torn apart by their grief’
and the play stolen, the play we have been taught when Chapel is receiving his The eyes see their own
is the shows that grief is as to cry silently.’ (Scene lashes. The grieving is death and do not flicker.
cumulative much about loss of 22) expressed simultaneously The mouth tastes death
impact of culture and tradition for the individual as much as and does not move.
grief. as it is about loss of ‘Grief, grieving, sorrow for the situation. Grief as (Whitechapel) Epilogue:
● Years of life. When a person loss death pain.’ lashes tear at a boy’s skin Forgetting
individual passes there is (Scene 2) and grief at the oppression
grief and obvious and and disparate power
generations understandable grief structures that continue to
of collective shown by the family. allow it. After Chapel’s
grief have They gather and death, grief takes over
all taken grieve but the dead Whitechapel. Halfway
their toll – person is free to go through the lashings the boy
physically, on, not to be recalled is gone and Whitechapel’s
emotionally through photographs spirit too has surrendered.
and or mentioning of their The only relief for grief will
culturally. name, able to pass, be death, something that
● The texts respected, to the next Whitechapel longs for.
concede life. However culture There is no mention of
that grief is is lost forever, like the Lydia’s grief after the death
a shared arm destroying the of her friend Chapel. Her
human sand piles grief and Sanders Senior’s,
experience representing the after the death of his wife,
and irreversible damage are confined to their
emphasise of colonialism on individual loss.
the Indigenous culture.
compoundin The grief about loss
g impact of of culture follows
power generations. In a
imbalances, similar way, one
racism and small event is shown
cruelty on to trigger grief across
grief. many. The protest
marchers are silent,
grieving, after another
 death in custody. A
collective grief is
driving them from
events that have
been imposed upon
their culture and life
since 1788.
Eventually the
woman ends the play
with the effect of grief
overcoming her.
‘Nothing, nothing, I
feel nothing.’

5.1.3 RACISM
AND EQUALITY

● Both texts The 7 Stages of ‘Have you ever been Equality in The longest Africans may be our
present a Grieving covers a black? You know Memory is not just about inferiors, but they exhibit
world so struggle for equality when you wake up freedom, it is about having the same qualities we
historically that spans hundreds one morning and the same status, rights and possess, even if they
entrenched of years. It involves you’re black?’ (Scene permissions as any other are merely imitating us.
in inequality presenting a series of 11) group. The very (Mr Whitechapel,
that they events that highlight fundamentals of slavery and Chapter 2)
show little inequality such as the racist pillars that support
hope for when it is expressed ‘The one thing that I the ideology ensure that no There is no sight so
equality. through racism, as find comforting about slave receives an ounce of perfidious than that of a
● Both texts discovered by the death is that other equality. The general view is white woman and a
present a Murri girl when people die too.’ that Africans are an inferior black man. (Editor, The
world so getting a dress – (Scene 6) race and that any quality or Virginian) Chapter 11
historically ‘special attention’ skill shown is through them
entrenched security and police mimicking their overseers
in inequality keep an eye on her and owners. Whitechapel
that they based on her ‘black finds that even having
show little skin’. It involves a knowledge of his son’s
hope for fight for equality in whereabouts frustrates the
equality. education, with the plantation owner as it is
● Cook is commentary that perceived as a sign that he
bolstered by reconciliation can might be equal. When a
seeing only be achieved young Sanders Junior
Chapel read when all people can questions equality, declaring
and refrains actually spell the that Whitechapel can tie a
from telling word. Ultimately, as knot that his father cannot, it
her conveyed in the play, is treated as a joke. Lydia
husband in equality is not about and Chapel are idealistic in
a hope that assimilation or their view that Chapel may
it may lead sameness but the be equal, spurred on by his
to equality. equal right to practice success in reading. The key
● In the play, culture and one’s own to equality lays hidden in
the woman traditions. education which is usually
presents forbidden for slaves. Lydia
the suitcase pursues her quest for
to the equality and writes to The
audience Virginian but finds an
offering attitude that is congruent
them a with the majority of society,
chance to completely contrasting her
consider own. The only glimmer of
equality. hope comes from Mr
Whitechapel who sees that
equality may be reached in
the future however he does
little to implement it despite
his leniency when dealing
with slaves.

While some characters

in The Longest Memory,
such as Lydia and Chapel,
argue that blacks should
be granted the same rights
as whites, most of
eighteenth- and
nineteenth-century
Virginian society proves
hostile to the concept of
equality, preferring instead
to believe that blacks are
inherently inferior. Racism
determines the nature of
economic and social
relations between whites
and blacks. Such
entrenched inequality sets
a fragile foundation for the
nation’s present and
future, as it remains
uncertain how society
might handle the long-
lasting effects of
discrimination and
oppression. The novel’s
prophetic interrogations of
the future foreshadow the
difficulties that American
society will face in
reconciling Northern and
Southern mindsets and,
more generally, in allowing
blacks and whites to
prosper side by side.
Despite being learned
behavior, racism corrupts
everyone—including
members of the
oppressed, black minority.
Racism is not innate, but
rather comes from
observing and abiding by
societal dynamics. As a
young boy, the
overseer Sanders
Junior asks his
father, Sanders Senior,
about racial inequality: “he
asked me why they were
dark and we were bright.
His word ‘bright.’” The child
realizes that the division
between people’s skin
colors is arbitrary, following
no logic that he can
perceive. In this way, it
becomes apparent that he
has to learn to consider
blacks not only inherently
different from him, but also
inferior. His later
adherence to a strict code
separating whites and
blacks in terms of
superiority and inferiority—
evident in his punishment
of the runaway slave,
Chapel—shows that
societal dynamics can
shape even a previously
skeptic young boy’s
behavior for the rest of his
life.
Racism is so prevalent that
even slaves can find
themselves participating in
this ideology. “There are
two types of slave: the
slave who must experience
everything for himself
before coming to an
understanding of anything
and he who learns through
observation,” Whitechapel 
explains, concluding that
the first slave (the
rebellious one) is wrong
and bound to experience
trouble, whereas the
quieter, more obedient
slave can live a peaceful
life. Whitechapel does not
necessarily believe in the
inferiority of blacks, but he
does believe that slaves
must learn to accept their
position in society. In this
way, he effectively accepts
the inferior social and
economic position that is
given to blacks, seemingly
without questioning it on a
moral level.
This understanding informs
Whitechapel’s entire vision
of life. Instead of
considering that his son
should be independent as
a human being,
Whitechapel believes that
it is only because of
Chapel’s biracial nature—
the result of Sanders
Senior’s rape of Cook—
that he can claim the right
to rebellion. “You were
born half a slave, half the
master of your own
destiny,” he says in an
imaginary dialogue with his
son. “Shall I tell you about
your blood? That two races
are distributed evenly in
it?” Whitechapel abides by
the narrow division of
humans into two races,
which he believes
determines an individual’s
right to freedom.
Whitechapel’s
understanding of his son’s
rebellious nature does not
depend on universal
freedom, but on an
acceptance of race as a
determining factor in
people’s minds and
attitudes.
While some people
attempt to overcome such
divisions between blacks
and whites, their efforts
often seem bound to fail.
For slaves, running away
and escaping slavery is
likely to get them killed.
Among her fellow white
Southerners, Lydia’s
efforts to open a dialogue
about slavery with the local
newspaper, The Virginian,
fails from the moment she
mentions the possibility of
interracial relations,
which the editor considers
heinous and unacceptable.
It becomes obvious that
the only possibility for
Lydia and Chapel to live
happily is to escape to the
North.
These various experiences
underline the idea that
racism is a deeply-rooted
problem, affecting the
social and economic fabric
of society. Such
entrenched divisions lay
unequal foundations for
society’s future. In the
novel, characters reflect on
the difficulty of handling
the social and economic
legacy of slavery,
prophesizing the harmful,
long-term effects of
violence and discrimination
against the country’s black
population. Whitechapel,
for example, foresees a
depressing future in which
society simply reproduces
the same dynamics of
oppression and inequality
over time: “The future is
just more of the past
waiting to happen.” His
very name—Whitechapel,
the same as his master’s—
suggests that oppression
is inherited, generation
after generation, and that
little can be done to
change it.
Other people believe that
change will only happen
through tension and
conflict. Responding to a
letter that Lydia sent to the
newspaper, the editor
worries about the legacy of
interracial relationships:
“what will become of the
offspring from these
heinous alliances? Where
is their place in these
States when they see
themselves as our equal
and feel it too because the
blood courses through
their veins?” The racist
editor proves prophetic in
his anticipation of racial
tensions, as he imagines
that the fight for African-
Americans’ equality and
socio-economic “place” in
society will involve
grappling with centuries of
violent discrimination.
However, other characters
are more optimistic.
Despite benefiting directly
from slavery, Mr.
Whitechapel believes that
the expansion of slaves’
rights, perhaps to the point
of freedom, “might be
possible in the future.”
 Even the intolerant, racist
editor in The
Virginian admits that racial
dynamics might change.
Commenting on Lydia’s
views, he writes:
“Whatever we may think of
this young lady’s opinions
we must grant that she
demonstrates intelligence
and certain advantages
that go with being young,
namely an unmitigated
idealism. This is as it
should be. It is the young,
after all, who hold
dominion over the future.”
As bleak as the present or
the future might seem, the
novel concludes,
society is capable of
changing, however slowly
or violently these changes
might occur. As history
proves, through the later
Civil War and the ongoing
struggle to achieve
equality between blacks
and whites, no change is
ever perfect or complete.
Rather, each generation—
the idealistic “young”—
must fight to solve the
problems of their time and
defend their dream of a
better future.

5.1.4 FAMILY
RELATION
SHIPS

● Family is Family is a central, The woman makes a All my life two pots are
the last integral part of life in circle around a pile. Generational differences are never empty. One is in
bastion of The 7 Stages of And this one here is explored in The Longest the master’s kitchen the
equality and Grieving. The family about culture, family, Memory as well as the other in my own …. Yet
often the is large and song, tradition, dance. importance of family. It my pot is sweeter to me.
only refuge extended. Hundreds Have you got that? describes young children, Sweet to me because I
in appear when it is time (Scene 16) laughing, playing, teens take from it and fill two
oppressive to say final goodbyes running from a beating, plates for the people I
older teens fleeing and
 circumstanc to Nana, even Aunty love … (Cook) Chapter
es. Grace returns from ‘My family were in facing a death penalty, and 8
● The overseas. It is a mourning for a month. the few older slaves weary
relationship welcomed relief to the All of us together in but avuncular toward the Of love that she did
s are often grief of the moment five houses.’ (Scene younger generations. Family these things and I loved,
fragile but and the ongoing 4) is a refuge for the slaves. her back as much as a
usually kind hardships. There is Cook sees her family pest can, who strove to
and well- affection for family, situation after marrying emulate the kindness
meaning. enjoying the younger Whitechapel as having and love he’s shown.
● The bonds ones who grab a saved her, in comparison to (Chapel, about his
are strong video or play outside, the family in the main mother and
and hold and a genuine caring house. Through her Whitechapel) Chapter 5
families for brothers with description of two pots we
together in interactions with the see that family and love are
the midst of law and fathers who not exclusively reserved for
trying are tired and unwell. the wealthy or white.
circumstanc Family bails a son out
The importance of family is
es. of lock-up and there
also displayed in the best
● The is care about where
wishes for the younger
importance he will end up. There
generation. Whitechapel
of family is is a unity in family,
seeks to instruct Chapel
emphasised extended family, as
about the need to conform,
by the the woman marches
to survive. Sanders Senior
oppression with parents,
announces that Sanders
coming brothers, sisters and
Junior will not be an
from Nana. They share the
overseer, hoping for
without. grief, they fight
something better. Cook
● Family together. There is
does not inform on Chapel
becomes a also sadness as
and Lydia’s lessons hoping
source of family reflects on
Chapel will be better off than
survival for life’s impediments
the previous generation.
individuals and the impact of
Pressure is applied in the
and a place colonialism. Children
form of restrictions
for culture are lost to authorities
regarding slaves and
to survive. that walk through
expectations regarding
front doors with
women at the time. The
violent intentions.
young rebel Lydia seeks
Racism is
time with Chapel, shunning
experienced by family
the clear expectations of her
members. Sickness
family to passively accept
and death take loved
her place in society as a
ones.
young white woman. Chapel
rebels, fuelled by grief over
his mother’s death and love
for Lydia, shrugging off
Whitechapel’s advice and
fleeing the plantation.

While love can blossom on

Southern plantations,
relationships formed in the
midst of slavery are
inherently fragile, threatened
by the external dangers of a
racist society. The taboo
nature of interracial
relationships keeps lovers
(such as Lydia and Chapel)
from being together, and the
lack of consideration for
black people’s lives risks
tearing apart the family
that Whitechapel and Cook 
have created. Despite these
obstacles, it is precisely the
possibility—however frail—
of developing meaningful
relationships that allows
slaves to feel human and to
want to fight for their
happiness. Love and family,
the novel thus suggests, are
invaluable means for
survival and joy within an
oppressive environment.
The novel highlights that
stable relationships are
possible in the midst of
violent oppression. Despite
Whitechapel’s status as a
slave, he impresses his
wife, Cook, with his love and
ability to deliver on his
promises. Cook notes, “Only
death could divide us, he
said. This I took to be idle
talk; the sweetness of a
man’s tongue when he
hungers for a woman. Not
Whitechapel. How can a
slave promise such things, I
challenged. He said I should
trust him.” Cook is most
surprised by Whitechapel’s
decision to stay with her
even after she reveals that
the overseer, Sanders
Senior, has repeatedly
raped her, and that she is
now pregnant his child.
Despite some initial
hesitation, Whitechapel’s
ultimate dedication to Cook
not only rejects common
social behavior of the time
(which deemed it acceptable
for a man to abandon his
wife after she had been
raped), but also his very
status as a slave, since he
promises her the same
things that a free man would
promise his wife.
Although illicit and fraught
with peril, even the
relationship between Chapel
and Lydia, Mr.
Whitechapel’s daughter,
thrives, at least temporarily.
Despite Mr. Whitechapel’s
orders for Lydia and Chapel
never to see each other
again, the two young people
are able to secretly meet at
night and to dream about
their future, thus flouting the
master’s supposed
dominance on the
plantation. Lydia, who has
heard about interracial
marriages in the North,
convinces Chapel that they
might be able to escape and
build a new life in such a
place. Combined with his
desire for freedom, Chapel’s
love for Lydia encourages
him to try to fight for his
happiness by running away.
Of course, as in other
aspects of slaves’ lives,
romantic and family
relationships are marked by
the oppressive nature of
discrimination and social
conformity. Relationships on
the plantations reflect—and,
sometimes, perpetuate—
inequalities that affect
society as a whole. In early
nineteenth-century Virginian
society, women were not
expected to marry for love,
nor were they considered
men’s equals. Despite
Whitechapel and Cook’s
shared status as slaves,
Cook is more vulnerable to
sexual abuse on the
plantation and is sometimes
referred to as her husband’s
property. She is also subject
to misogynistic double
standards. After she is
raped by Sanders Senior,
her supposed purity is
tarnished. “Whitechapel lost
his second wife to your
father. […] She was pure
and unsullied, until he laid
hands on her,” Mr.
Whitechapel tells Sanders
Junior. At first, Whitechapel
himself doubts whether he
wants to accept Cook after
the rape. “Whitechapel it
seems wants to give her up
but was persuaded by Mr.
Whitechapel to wait.” The
idea that Cook is “lost” and
that Whitechapel might “give
her up” reduces her value
as a woman to her virginity.
It also implies that Cook’s
rape is somehow her fault,
and that she must pay the
price for it. In the end,
though, Whitechapel
changes his mind and
determines to keep his wife
from being defined by this
rape. He commits to giving
her a new future, as free
from harm as possible.
Even white women have to
abide by society’s gendered
expectations. Lydia’s family,
for example, pressures her
to find a husband,
regardless of what her
actual feelings toward her
suitors might be. A woman,
it seems, should be docile
and limit her role the
domestic sphere. However,
Lydia fights against such
norms, deciding that she
prefers to build a
relationship with Chapel
based on mutual learning
and growth. In both
relationships, then, love
overcomes the social
inequality between men and
women. These characters’
commitment to caring,
reciprocal relationships in an
environment rife with
injustice suggests that they
try, as best they can, to
keep their private lives
separate from harmful public
standards. Even though
external social pressures
might make these
relationships seem fragile,
true love thus proves
capable of compensating for
the burden of inequality.
At the same time,
relationships are not
immune to all kinds of
external attacks. The
inherently violent nature of
racism and slavery proves
particularly dangerous, as
slavery’s direct threat to
individuals’ lives proves to
be the greatest danger to
relationships. As Sanders
Senior’s rape of Cook is
concealed—in part because
of the brutal power
dynamics at play, but
especially because of the
interracial nature of this
relationship—the
overseer Sanders
Junior only discovers that
Chapel was his half-
brother after he
has whipped him to death.
Sanders Junior ultimately
concludes that knowing that
Chapel was his half-brother
would have changed
 nothing, since Chapel was a
rebellious slave who
deserved to be punished.
The overseer considers
blood ties irrelevant in a
society where the rules are
simple: slaves have to obey
their superiors. He also
trusts that Chapel’s black
skin makes him inherently
inferior to him, proving
sufficient to negate his white
parentage.
Despite the fragility of
relationships in the novel,
the bonds that exist
between vulnerable
characters reveal the human
capacity to receive comfort
and to give love to others
even in the direst of
circumstances. However
tragic, the image that arises
from these stories is one of
resilience in the midst of
oppression, as love and
family becomes more
important than basic self-
preservation. The difficulty
of maintaining a caring
relationship in the midst of a
dehumanizing environment
only emphasizes the nobility
and power of such
relationships, as individuals
try to invent their own,
private rules to counter the
oppressive reality of
everyday life.

5.1.5 EDUCATION

● An In the play, stories ‘What does it mean The Longest Memory shows She called a book and
indication of like those shared with when some people us that equality can be moved my finger over,
equality and Nana are a special can’t even read or achieved through learning. the words as she sang
hope in form of education in write the word?’ Chapel and Lydia overcome them: I heard a choir.
both texts, the Indigenous (Scene 21) their differences through (Chapel) Chapter 5
education is community. In the mutual learning, reading and
a vital part same manner, sharing. The fact that I can’t even mention the
of the preceding the lesson ‘Now I want to tell you Chapel can learn also fact that I heard him
oppressed for the audience on a story. I’ll tell you how inspires Cook when she with my own ears …
 culture’s the moiety system, it was told to me.’ sees the potential for poring over a book. …
survival. the woman shares (Scene 15) Chapel to be like Lydia. The all I feel inside is pride.
● It provides that she is telling this prohibition of education for (Cook) Chapter 8
cultural story like it was told slaves is a sign of the
continuity to her, the oral oppressors’ understanding
through tradition continuing. that education liberates and
storytelling She also questions inspires. Sanders Junior
and the importance of questions whether
provides a education in regard to Whitechapel can truly be
chance to reconciliation. The inferior if he can tie a knot
take a place reality that some that Sanders Senior has not
in society. people struggle to learnt to tie. It is dismissed
● Negatively, spell reconciliation as a joke when Sanders
it also holds being the very Senior instead focuses on
the keys to indication of the Junior’s statement that
the past education gap that whites were ‘bright’.
and its exists between
painful Indigenous and non-
memories. Indigenous
● In contrast Australians – a
to the barometer to the
importance progress of
placed on reconciliation and
storytelling equality.
in
preserving
Indigenous
culture,
Whitechape
l chooses to
close the
door to
knowledge
about Africa
from his
children.

5.1.6 POWER
AND RESISTANCE

● The texts ‘One took a handful of The whip ate into him
present the The 7 Stages of my hair.. the other In The Longest Memory’s but like all gluttons who
abuse of Grieving is likewise washed his face in my setting of slavery, abuse of have gorged themselves
power inundated with blood … My children power is evident. Delivering to their fill, it bit and
based on examples of the stolen away …’ unwarranted lashes or chewed without
race. abuse of power. The (Scene 9) beatings with sticks is swallowing and simply
● The abuse various sections of common place. Even rape is bit and chewed some
can be the play include seemingly tolerated with a more. (Whitechapel
physical or colonial or ‘Don’t tell me we’re mere fine being the only describing Chapel’s
emotional, it government power, not fighting. Don’t tell consequence. The power to lashing) Chapter 1
can be police power and me we don’t fight most buy and sell human life is
perpetrated power taken by of our lives.’ (Scene the ultimate in exploitation of There are two types of
individuals. The power. In order to oversee
 by 14) slave: the slave who
individuals arrival of the boat that their slaves, many masters must experience
or systemic. takes up too much of resort to various kinds of everything for himself
● The power the harbour is an punishment, aimed at before coming to an
can take indication of colonial discouraging rebellion or understanding… the
lives or it spreading, infringing escape. Mr Whitechapel second is brighter, lives
can take on the Indigenous argues for demonstrating longer. (Whitechapel)
land and population. Men visit some kindness and respect Chapter 1
culture. a home and violently to slaves but his
● The novel seize children. Police participation in an inherently
and the play powers are exceeded violent system makes him
highlight when a young man, just as complicit as his hard-
incidences Daniel Yocke, loses hearted colleagues.
of his life while in police
custody. Further to The response to this power
resistance.
isolated incidents, the is crudely divided into those
● Fleeing the
idea of that learn from the whip and
oppression
institutionalised those that do not.
is one
power is raised Whitechapel categorises
option,
through the scene slaves into the slaves who
although
‘Story of a Brother.’ must experience everything
the results
The brother is caught for themselves before
of loss of
in a cycle after a coming to an understanding
life and
misdemeanour. His of anything and the slave
connection
fine, and consequent that can learn by watching
to family
struggles with the cycle of power and
and culture
payments and access resistance. Whitechapel has
are a steep
to support, show a submitted to the power
price to pay.
system that is controlling his life and has
● Speaking
inherently survived advocating that
up
discriminatory. others, especially Chapel,
individually
do the same and avoid the
or in groups
Responses to power consequences of resistance.
is
by the individuals It is not a concession that
hazardous
portrayed in the The the Africans are deserving
as well.
7 Stages of Grieving of punishment but a
● Whitechape
is an integral part of realisation that they have no
l’s
the play. The play power to change the
resistance
itself is posited as situation. However,
on the night
example of resilience Whitechapel does take part
of the
with the woman in small acts of confrontation
lashings
stating she can do that expose a belief that he
earns him a
little else but perform. has gained capital by
fist to the
Resistance is submission. He employs this
face while
displayed through a capital when Chapel has run
the protest
prominent march to away to gain leniency and
march
protest deaths in resists Chapel’s punishment
brings
custody, providing upon his capture. These
disdain from
individuals an acts show that he is willing,
the public
opportunity to unite within certain boundaries, to
for blocking
and stand against defend his freedom but the
roads.
injustice. Many such outcome suggests that he
● Survival
displays in the
 mechanism
s are seen struggle to survive was wrong in his belief.
in against a rising tide
Whitechape have characterised
l’s the Indigenous
submission experience, with the
and the woman exclaiming
staunch they have been
continuation fighting for years.
of the Another option is to
culture of flee, as in the case of
Indigenous Aunty Grace, but her
people, a grief at Nana’s
path of least funeral shows the
resistance price she had to pay:
but an loss of family and
effective culture. The sign on
tool to the grave ‘for sale’
survival. indicates that the red
earth in which it is
placed, and indeed all
the lives which have
been displaced by
colonial expansion,
have come at a great
cost.

5.1.7 FREEDOM
AND OBEDIENCE

● The two The 7 Stages of ‘… and sometimes the The Longest Memory has at Father, I am running. I
texts Grieving discusses joy of being there was its core the question of feel joy; not fear.
maintain the freedom from a more enough to forget, even freedom. Whitechapel, born (Chapel) Chapter 5
complex philosophical for the briefest as a slave to a slave, fathers
narrative standpoint in that the moment, the reason.’ children and grandchildren I fly through the air and
that aspects of Indigenous (Scene 4) who are slaves. The value land in a place I know is
freedom life that are discussed of freedom has not been a Africa. The first thing I
can be vary from complete birth choice for the slaves. do is kiss the ground.
taken from deprivation of Whitechapel seeks for (Great granddaughter)
a group or freedom to various freedom by conforming in Chapter 12
an limitations on this life and waiting for
individual. freedom. Whereas freedom in the next. He
● They the topics discussed trades freedom for safety.
explore such as stolen Other slaves seize
certain generations in opportunity to seek freedom
limitations ‘Invasion Poem’ and by running away like
to freedom deaths in custody in Chapel. By not pursuing
which have ‘Mugshot’ freedom and discouraging
been placed demonstrate a others to do so, Whitechapel
upon fundamental lack of inadvertently becomes a
individuals freedom, the play tool of the oppressor. His
as well as also presents subtle willingness to betray his
 the limitations on son’s whereabouts to bring
responses freedom. These can him back to servitude was
of those be seen by the not well received by the
individuals. discrimination in others. Those that seek
● Resistance ‘Murri Gets a Dress’ freedom are more likely to
is presented and ‘Story of a inspire the other slaves.
as an option Brother’ where the Ultimately, Whitechapel
but in most stories told outline finds some freedom by
cases the characters that are discarding his name and
reality has imposed upon divorcing himself from any
been a long racially. The freedom emotion. Sanders Senior
subservient to have and practise has restricted freedom as an
fight that culture is also limited. indentured workhand. He is
ends in subject to arbitrary fines
grief. from the plantation owner
and forced to marry against
his will. While having
nowhere near the same
restrictions as slaves,
poorer whites and females
also experience restrictions.

The Longest
Memory explores the horror
of slavery through its
dissection of life on a
Virginia plantation in the
early nineteenth
century. Whitechapel, the
oldest and most respected
slave on the plantation,
does not believe in his
freedom, trusting instead
that he should show
subservience toward his
master, Mr. Whitechapel, to
protect his life. By contrast,
Whitechapel’s son, Chapel,
wants to fight for liberation.
When Chapel escapes from
the plantation, Whitechapel
is forced to decide whether
he wants to let his son
attempt a risky journey to
the North, which is likely to
get him killed, or whether he
should negotiate with Mr.
Whitechapel a fair
punishment that would
spare Chapel’s life.
Whitechapel’s subsequent
decision to betray his son’s
whereabouts leads to
Chapel’s
brutal whipping and ultimate
death, shattering
Whitechapel’s views about
obedience. D’Aguiar uses
Chapel’s death to
underscore the fact that, no
matter how well they
behave, slaves inherently
lack the freedom to protect
their own bodies and lives.
In this way, he ultimately
suggests that the only way
for slaves to maintain a
sense of agency and
humanity is to retain their
own moral freedom.
Otherwise, they become
nothing more than mere
tools blindly serving the
master’s purposes.
A core conflict of the novel
arises from the contradiction
between Whitechapel and
his son’s differing
conceptions of a meaningful
life. Whitechapel advocates
a philosophy of survival,
deeming it necessary for
slaves to obey their masters
in order to protect
themselves and their
families. Chapel, on the
other hand, believes that life
is only worth living if he can
achieve freedom.
Whitechapel’s firmly held
belief in the protective
nature of obedience is why,
when Chapel runs away,
Whitechapel disapproves of
this action and fears for his
son’s life. His misguided
decision to tell the master
about his son’s whereabouts
follows a personal logic
based on physical
preservation. Indeed,
Whitechapel believes that
his son is more likely to die
if he runs away than if he
stays on the plantation,
because trackers will kill him
outright if they find him.
Whitechapel trusts that his
ability to negotiate a fair
punishment with his master
will spare his son’s life, as
well as discourage other
slaves on the plantation
from trying to escape (and, it
follows, keep them from
endangering themselves). In
this way, Whitechapel is
willing to sacrifice slaves’
moral and spiritual freedom
in order to protect their
physical lives.
However, Whitechapel does
take part in small acts of
resistance that reveal an
underlying belief in his own
moral agency. These acts
show that he is willing,
within certain boundaries, to
defend his freedom. After
Chapel’s escape, he
temporarily conceals
information from his master,
in the goal of trying to
negotiate his son’s fair
treatment. Mr. Whitechapel,
he notes, “was furious and
appeared to judge my
knowledge of my son’s
whereabouts as some form
of power over him, my
master.” Later, Whitechapel
audaciously argues
with Sanders Junior, the
plantation’s overseer, who
wants to give Chapel two
hundred lashes instead of
following the master’s
orders. In both cases,
Whitechapel oversteps his
own role and shows
defiance toward his
superiors for the sake of
protecting his family. He
seems convinced that, in
these particular cases, he
has the right to speak his
mind and defend his point of
view, even if this involves
small acts of disobedience.
This defiance shows that
Whitechapel does trust in
his power to determine right
from wrong and to exercise
moral agency. It also
demonstrates a largely
illusory trust in the system,
as Whitechapel believes
that his master and the
overseer will actually be
able and willing to protect
his son’s life. After Chapel’s
death, Whitechapel realizes
that he does not actually
have the power to protect
his own son’s life, and that
his views about obedience
are therefore erroneous.
Obedience does not protect
one’s life, but rather
encourages dehumanizing
passivity and subjugation.
He realizes that slaves’
survival is arbitrary and
subject to the whims of
authority figures. The only
hope for slaves to maintain
their humanity, then, is for
them to believe in their own
internal freedom, separate
from the rules of slavery.
This leads Whitechapel to
conclude that survival
without freedom is
meaningless. Without the
capacity to transform one’s
internal knowledge of right
and wrong into concrete
action, the life of an
obedient slave loses all
purpose. “[I] decided that
from this day I had no
name,” he notes, speaking
about the day of Chapel’s
death. “I was just boy, mule,
nigger, slave or whatever
else anyone chose to call
me.” As a passive, resigned
slave, he becomes a mere
piece of property, like a
“mule,” that must serve the
plantation staff’s orders
even if they threaten his life
or those of the people he
loves.
Retaining one’s humanity
within the confines of
slavery thus involves
trusting in one’s own
freedom, however frail this
freedom might be.
Regardless of the riskiness
of Chapel’s escape attempt,
it allowed him to take control
over his life and assert his
human agency. Similarly,
Whitechapel’s discussions
with his master and the
overseer protected his
humanity, demonstrating
that he retained his freedom
of thought. Therefore,
without such protection of
one’s moral independence,
being a slave merely
equates to being a piece of
the master’s property.
Furthermore, the possibility
for a slave to retain a sense
of freedom has the potential
to impact an entire
community. For example,
Whitechapel’s desire to
punish his son for running
away makes him complicit
of the entire system of
slavery, as his rigid
principles turn him into an
oppressor whose actions
perpetuate discrimination
and injustice, by
reducing everyone’s
incentives to run away or
rebel. Similarly, even if
Chapel’s desire to run away
is personal, his decision is
also a political one, affirming
 symbolically that no human
being should have to live in
such degrading conditions.
More than a mere conflict
between father and son,
then, Whitechapel and
Chapel’s views about
freedom have potential
repercussions on
everyone’s lives. They are
capable of inspiring slaves
to rebel or, on the other
hand, to accept their
harrowing existence.

5.1.8 HOPE

● The two Hope in Mailman and ‘Everything has its In The Longest Memory I was asked if slavery
texts deliver Wesley’s play also time.’ (Scene 5) hope is largely confined to would ever come to an
vivid looks toward the the younger characters. end …. In reply to the
descriptions future: everything has ‘The woman places Some young children dream affirmative I said the
of the a time. The hope for the suitcase at the feet of Africa even if they have world was changing
hardship reconciliation is of the audience.’ not been there. There is a rapidly. 150 years of
and bleak metaphorically (Scene 22) hope they can be reunited slavery was a long time.
circumstanc packed in a suitcase with a lost place and culture. (Editor, The Virginian)
es of and will wait for the Although discouraged by Chapter 11
slavery and right time. Hope is Whitechapel, the young
colonisation garnished by family have more hope of better He said it might be
, of despite the days, such as Chapel who possible in the future. I
oppression circumstances. will flee in hope of some life look up at him and, as if
and racism. Family and unity, in the North. Lydia too, as a to dash my hopes of a
● However meeting and younger person, holds hope future when Chapel and
they do still marching brings hope for a future where slaves I could sit and read
offer some to individuals and the may be freed and paid to together, he adds,
hope. Hope community. work. She expresses this maybe in the next
is depicted Resistance and view to The Virginian and century. (Lydia with Mr
as survival perseverance has receives encouragement as Whitechapel) Chapter 9
through prevailed when hope someone who demonstrates
family, of has been betrayed. intelligence and certain
maintaining Ultimately hope is advantages that go with
cultural ties placed in the being young, namely an
in audience by laying unmitigated idealism.
storytelling. the suitcase at their However the hope that black
● Eventually, feet, symbolically and white can walk together,
they place asking them to a hope encouraged by the
hope in participate in relationship she develops
individuals reconciliation. with Chapel and his success
who may in learning, is dashed by the
not have same editor as a heinous
power and thought.
position but
can still
 make
changes.
● In The
longest
Memory this
hope is
seen in
Cook and
Lydia’s
belief in
Chapel.
● In The 7
Stages of
Grieving it
is placed in
the
audience.

5.1.9 Plantation owners’

PUNISHMENT management of their estate
AND CRUELTY is based on an analysis of
costs and benefits, meant to
protect their self-interest
over the well-being of their
slaves. In order to govern
over large groups of slaves,
many masters resort to
various kinds of punishment,
aimed at discouraging
rebellion or escape.
Seemingly alone in believing
in slaves’ humanity, Mr.
Whitechapel argues for
demonstrating kindness and
respect to slaves in order to
establish relationships of
trust. However, Mr.
Whitechapel’s views prove
deeply hypocritical, as the
novel underscores that
slavery is the antithesis of
kindness or humaneness.
Focusing on a master’s
occasionally respectful
actions ignores the fact that
slavery takes away slaves’
right to be seen as full
human beings. Even without
the use of outwardly violent
punishment, the institution
of slavery remains
inherently cruel, aimed at
oppressing and dominating
a vulnerable minority.
Mr. Whitechapel’s
philosophy is to show
respect to slaves and, unlike
other plantation owners’
brutal methods, avoid
violent punishment on the
plantation. However, this
attitude is hypocritical, as it
disregards the
dehumanizing effect of
slavery itself. Initially, Mr.
Whitechapel seems
committed to treating his
slaves fairly. When the
overseer, Sanders Senior,
rapes Cook, who is the
future wife of a well-
respected slave
named Whitechapel, Mr.
Whitechapel fines the
overseer and threatens to
fire him if he does not find
himself a wife. Later, Mr.
Whitechapel also agrees to
negotiate the
young Chapel’s punishment
with his father so that the
boy’s life might be spared,
at least temporarily. His
ability to interact and
negotiate with a trusted
slave such as Whitechapel
shows that he does respect
slaves’ well-being to a
certain extent.
However, even as Mr.
Whitechapel insists that he
believes in slaves’ humanity,
he is also convinced that
their so-called inherent
inferiority justifies their
economic and social
subjection. “Africans may be
our inferiors,” he says, “but
they exhibit the same
qualities we possess, even if
they are merely imitating us.
Their management is best
exemplified by an approach
that treats them first and
foremost as subjects of
God, though blessed with
lesser faculties, and
therefore suited to the trade
of slavery.” Mr. Whitechapel
thus accepts Africans only
insofar as they represent a
subhuman class that must
be ruled by whites. This
denies slaves even the most
basic right of self-
determination. Therefore,
even without direct physical
punishment, slavery
constitutes a form of
violence: the removal of
what makes people fully
human.
Mr. Whitechapel prefers to
ignore his own participation
in such a violent system.
When he rebukes Sanders
Junior for killing Chapel, he
argues that “the lot of the
slave is miserable enough
without being compounded
by unnecessary hardships
and cruelties.” While he
criticizes instilling terror on
the plantation (“unnecessary
hardships”), he also
recognizes the inherently
“miserable” nature of slaves’
lives—a misery in
which he participates
directly as a plantation
owner, but for which he
does not seem to consider
himself responsible.
Whatever actions Mr.
Whitechapel might take to
maintain peace and
cooperation on the
plantation, his support of the
system of slavery makes
him just as oppressive and
cruel as his more outwardly
violent counterparts. His
occasional acts of kindness
or respect are unable to
compensate for the cruelty
of a system of oppression.
Like other slave owners, Mr.
Whitechapel ultimately
proves less committed to his
slaves’ well-being than to
his economic self-interest.
An article in the local
newspaper, The Virginian,
summarizes slave owners’
general attitude toward
slaves. The editor argues
that it is fine to separate
slave families, since slaves
should be seen as economic
assets rather than full
human beings. “It is wise not
to confuse [their] displays of
attachment and habit with
love,” the editor writes. “At
the auction block, get the
best price for your
investment even if it means
breaking up the capital into
smaller holdings and selling
each holding separately.”
Slave owners, the article
argues, should learn to
prioritize financial
considerations only, not
their slaves’ emotional
health.
Although Mr. Whitechapel
does not necessarily treat
slaves as inanimate
possessions, he does give
preference to his own
interests over his slaves’
well-being. In doing so, he
reveals that fairness is
impossible in a system
where one section of the
population is considered
inferior. When
Whitechapel’s wife, Cook, is
dying, for example, Mr.
Whitechapel refuses to pay
for a physician for her,
arguing instead—without
any medical evidence to
support his views—that this
is her time to die. His refusal
to pay for a physician
reveals that he does not
want to spend money on a
slave’s life. On other
occasions, his harsh words
of rebuke toward
Whitechapel—when the
slave is trying to negotiate
for Chapel’s life, or after
Chapel’s death—reveal that
Mr. Whitechapel only
respects his slave so long
as he remains subservient.
Mr. Whitechapel’s
relationship with his slaves
is always colored by his
awareness of his status and
of slaves’ inferiority. As
such, his pretensions to
respect and fairness can
only exist within the limits of
economic gain. More than
anything, he wants to
maintain his position as all-
powerful master on the
plantation.
By the end of the novel, the
very concept of fairness and
fair punishment on the
plantation prove illusory, as
punishment against slaves
always involves a form of
brutality. “Your policy of a
judicious whip failed to save
him. There is only one whip,
it eats flesh,” Mr.
Whitechapel tells himself
after Chapel’s death. This
serves as a reminder—to
the reader, but also to the
master himself—that Mr.
Whitechapel is not handling
inanimate economic assets,
but real lives. Even though
he defends the practical
purpose of public
punishment (which keeps
slaves from running way
and thus ensures the
stability of the plantation’s
 economic system), he
realizes that social utility
does not necessarily make
an action morally valid.
Instead, calling a violent
form of punishment
“judicious” only imbues an
inherently cruel—and,
therefore, condemnable—
act with moral worth.
Even though Mr.
Whitechapel might
occasionally strive to be
kind, his participation in an
inherently violent system
thus makes him just as
guilty as his uncaring
colleagues. It is only in
rejecting slavery altogether
that Mr. Whitechapel might
show himself to be truly fair
and to protect the dignity of
the people he claims to
respect.

"The future is just more of the past waiting to happen." (Pg. 1) Whitechapel's opening line of
the text about the future

"I don't want to remember. Memory hurts. Like crying. But still and deep. Memory rises to the
skin then I can't be touched." (Pg. 2) Whitechapel expressing the pain he feels towards the
death of his son and how he experiences memory

"I forget as hard as I can." (Pg. 2) Whitechapel expressing that he does not want to
remember the death of his son

"He needed to know his station sooner rather than too late." (Pg. 12) Whitechapel explaining
that his son needed to be punished for running away
"He was born owned by another man, like his father before him, and like his son would be
born. This sounds straightforward enough, but from the increasing number of runaways you
wouldn't think so." (Pg. 12) Whitechapel explains the nature of slavery

"It was my view that a slave could live a good, long life if he worked hard, and presented to
his master the most dignified aspect of himself, in order to reciprocate the same manner from
that master, the same civility, fairness and even kindness once the relationship grew warm
and cordial." (Pg. 13) Whitechapel believes that a relationship could be formed between
slave and master

"There are two types of slave: the slave who must experience everything for himself before
coming to an understanding of anything and he who learns through observation." (Pg. 14)
Whitechapel's belief that there are two types of slave

"To use my name in anger was the severest verbal form of disapproval my master could
have shown me. For me, it was the verbal equivalent of a whip last, what we call a tongue-
lashing. I winced and bowed as if a whip had boiled the air around my back." (Pg. 17) This
shows that his treatment is much less severe than you would expect of a slave. Whitechapel
talking about "tongue-lashes"

"...I would serve my son best if I remembered my place in the affairs of the estate." (Pg. 20)
The Overseer reminds Whitechapel of his place and threatens him

"My son, whose dreams were such that he argued his children would be free." (Pg. 21)
Whitechapel speaking of his son's expectations that society would change