Dehumanization in Dark Genesis ~ by guest author A. D. Koboah

 

I'm very pleased to have a wonderful guest today--A.D. Koboah, sharing information about the topic of dehumanization, one of the important themes in her new book, Dark Genesis. The book sounds fascinating, so please join me in welcoming her.


Hi Everyone.

Today I’m going to talk about dehumanisation, one of the dominant themes in my debut novel Dark Genesis.

My protagonist, Luna, is a female slave who is forcibly taken away from everything she knows by a vampire. On the surface, the two appear to have absolutely nothing in common. But in chapter 11 Luna states:

“...I felt a sort of kinship with him as I recognised a slave’s broken spirit when I saw one. Whilst I was bound by my white Master, this creature was bound by the need for blood that compelled him to kill...”

The individual she is referring to is a white male who also happens to have enviable physical attributes such as eternal youth, superior speed, strength and other supernatural powers. So why would she refer to someone, who is probably the most powerful character in the book, as a slave?

Most people believe that slavers were innately evil, something I don’t believe. Some were, but most were probably decent people who became corrupted by slavery.

Slavers had to believe that what they were doing was right in order for the slave trade to continue and this is where dehumanisation comes in. The general consensus at the time was that blacks were sub-human and that this justified keeping them as slaves. This view was sanctioned by the law. It was also supported by scientists of that time. And, unfortunately, in any society if enough people say that a certain course of action is acceptable, most people will set aside what they know to be right and follow the herd. It was true then and it’s true now.

It was also essential that those that were being enslaved accepted their position in society, and in order for that to happen, they had to believe that they were inferior. Naming, or using derogatory terms such as n*gger and the attributes associated with that word, was one of the tools used to dehumanised blacks. This is why I don’t think it will ever be acceptable for rappers to use it – but that is a whole other topic :-)

Slaves also weren’t able to choose their own names; their Master normally chose their names. It seems like such a small thing, but having that power taken away from a person does have an effect on the psyche. Another tool that was used to make slaves accept their position in society was religion – the idea of suffering on earth and receiving your reward in Heaven.

So having said all that, can the vampire really be seen as a slave? Yes, he can. We do not get his name until chapter 11, he is not seen as a man by society at large and the bloodlust that compels him to kill has made him despise himself. He should be the most powerful character, but in some ways he is the weakest as he has become so dehumanised that he has completely forgotten who he is.

In Dark Genesis, the dehumanisation those two characters have suffered creates a bond which defies the conventions of that time and helps them find their way back from their dehumanising experiences.

Thank you for taking the time to read my guest post and I hope you all have a pleasant day.

ADK x.

 

Title: Dark Genesis

Author:A. D. Koboah

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Format: eBook

Life for a female slave is one of hardship and unspeakable sorrow, something Luna knows only too well. But not even she could have foreseen the terror that would befall her one sultry Mississippi evening in the summer of 1807.

On her way back from a visit to see the African woman, a witch who has the herbs Luna needs to rid her of her abusive master’s child, she attracts the attention of a deadly being that lusts for blood. Forcibly removed from everything she knows by this tormented otherworldly creature, she is sure she will be dead by sunrise. 

Dark Genesis is a love story set against the savage world of slavery in which a young woman who has been dehumanised by its horrors finds the courage to love, and in doing so, reclaims her humanity. 

Author Bio

A.D. Koboah was born in London and completed an English Literature degree in 2000. Her first novel, Dark Genesis, was inspired by the concept of dehumanisation and the impact it can have on the psyche. She is currently working on a screenplay and will begin the sequel to Dark Genesis shortly. 

Links

Website: http://www.adkoboah.co.uk/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Genesis-Darkling-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B007NI8GUS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337086773&sr=8-1

Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dark-Genesis-Darkling-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B007NI8GUS/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332433043&sr=1-7

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/141566

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5807160.A_D_Koboah

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Marsha A. Moore is a writer of fantasy romance. The magic of art and nature spark life into her writing. Read her ENCHANTED BOOKSTORE LEGENDS for adventurous epic fantasy romance: Book One,SEEKING A SCRIBE, and Book Two, HERITAGE AVENGED. She has also authored the Ciel's Legacy series, with fast action mermaid/pirate storylines: TEARS ON A TRANQUIL LAKE and TORTUGA TREASURE.  For a FREE ebook download, read her historic fantasy, LE CIRQUE DE MAGIE, available at Amazon and Smashwords.