Middle Passage
Middle PassageIsadora tries to change Calhoun, who is trying to get away from debtors, by paying off his debts to Papa Zeringue, a gangster-like tough guy who controlled most of the city. In exchange for the debts paid, Calhoun is forced to marry Isadora. Calhoun, who was extremely scared of Papa, left his debtors and Isadora, not wanting to change his bad habits, and boards The Republic and sets for Africa. Little did he know the horrors he would encounter on that ship?
Calhoun meets a very drunk Josiah Squibb, in a bar, and steals his boarding papers to enter the ship, the Republic. Calhoun gets caught, however, and is brought before Captain Falcon. Falcon is a dwarf-like, monstrous man who does not like Negroes. Calhoun is the only black shipmate aboard the Republic, yet Falcon decides to keep him on board.
Calhoun rummages through the Captains’ cabin, stealing trinkets, and discovers that Falcon is actually a very lonely man obsessed with survival and perfection. After getting caught, Falcon seems willing to forgive Calhoun, as long as Calhoun agrees to be a spy for him. Peter Cringle, the first mate, warns Calhoun to stay away from the “mad” Captain, and asks him to take sides with his shipmates. Calhoun keeps his allegiance to both sides, without anyone finding out.
The Republic travels to Africa, where Falcon buys 40 Allmuseri tribesmen, as well as a “secretive” creature that he thinks will bring him a fortune in Europe. A special crate is built for this animal. The slaves are crammed in un-humanlike conditions in the bowels of the ship. Calhoun has thoughts and hatred for Falcon, ashamed at taking part, while seeing himself in the slaves, as no other shipmate could.
The Allmuseri were simple people; they seldom fought, had high regard for another life, and would never steal or murder. One of the slaves, Ngonyama, was given jobs, and received better food and living conditions. Calhoun and Ngonyama became friendly, each learning the other’s language and exchanging stories of their homeland and lifestyles. Calhoun seems to take some of the slaves under his wing, particularly a little girl named Baleka and her mother. A terrible storm hits, and Baleka’s mother is killed in the wreckage, along with half the other children and animals aboard. Calhoun feels it is his duty to care for Baleka; Calhoun is suddenly becoming very humble.
The shipmates decide that they want to change the leadership, and ask for Calhoun’s help in the mutiny. They want Falcon killed, with Calhoun taking the blame, since he has no family to return home to. Calhoun reveals the entire plot to Falcon that night while serving him dinner. Always a thief, Calhoun steals a key from the Captains cabin and gives it to Ngonyama, hoping it will unlock the slaves’ chains. The slaves warn Calhoun of their plans to take over the ship; Calhoun is now trapped in the middle of the three parties. The crew wants his help for the mutiny, the slaves reveal their plans to him, and the captain believes him to be a loyal spy.
Mystery still surrounds the contents of the “crate”, and shipmate Tommy is sent down to reveal the contents. He is forever changed, never regaining his senses after seeing this “African God” that the Allmuseri worshipped. The Captain seems to think he has a gold mine, believing that history will change after its contents are revealed; he believes it is the only one of its kind, like he believes him to be. Once Calhoun sees this creature, he believes it to be like “Papa”, scary and intimidating. I didn’t quite understand the significance of this creature.
The log entries reveal the horrific conditions that the slaves have to endure; disease, filth, and bodies lying on top of each other are graphically described. When a slave dies, Falcon cuts off their ear and preserves it to prove to their would-be owners that they existed, in order to get paid. Their chests are imprinted with the initials of the bondsmen; some of them burned many times over. The slaves take over the ship; gunshots and explosions are everywhere. The ship is in ruins, and most of the slaves and crewmen are killed. Murder, however, violates the beliefs of the Allmuseri, and they perform rituals to wash their hands of the blood. Calhoun believes that the Captain has changed people for the better and the worse; himself for the better. He is ridden with guilt for all his wrongs, and tries to comfort the children and the sick. The Captain eventually kills himself, after refusing to plot a new course for the slaves. The slaves spare the first-mate’s life, hoping he will get them safely to land. The ship cannot endure the travel, after an explosion from a miss-loaded cannon, and a handful of people is left, drowning.
A luxury boat, the Juno, rescues Calhoun, Baleka and Squibb, along with a handful of children. They do not even resemble humans, their hair full of worms, teeth missing, and their bodies in shambles. The Captain of Juno makes them comfortable, and Baleka is now taking care of Calhoun. The ship is traveling to New Orleans, coincidentally. Calhoun is given a wig, a cane, and wooden teeth, and Baleka eventually encourages him to leave his room, where he has been hiding. Once he ventures out, he notices a wedding rehearsal is taking places. It seemed a little far-fetched that the bride was to be Isadora.
A much prettier, slimmer, Isadora tells Calhoun of her plans to marry “Papa”, who felt pity on the girl when Calhoun did not show up to marry her. She is marrying him out of fright, and Calhoun decides to once again blackmail Papa. He confronts Papa with the Republic’s jjournal; in it is proof that Papa was one of the slave ship’s principal investors. They make a deal that Papa will provide an endowment for each of the three surviving children, and Isadora will be left alone, in exchange for Calhoun’s silence about the slave deal.
At the end, Calhoun and Isadora end up together. Calhoun takes responsibility for Baleka. Isadora, not completely understanding how much Calhoun has changed, still thinks that luring him into bed with her would please him. He proves her wrong, and the book ends with them snuggling to sleep. The phrase “Middle Passage” refers not only to the journey the slaves take, but also Calhoun’s transformation from a thief and liar to a humble man, wanting a home and family as his future.