Roots is all about Alex Hailey struggle in
search of his basis.His hunt and burrow through six
generations
takes him back to Africa which is the place
of his origin.
Lucid and severly poignant the book has beautifully
woven the lives of six
generation and their enduring
hardship and labor for survivalship.
The book begins in Africa(ironically it end there
aswell,after almost two centuries)where a young Kunta
Kinte
who is a carefree,jaunty boy lives a contended and an
untroubled life.
But just when everything seemed pleasant,his life takes
a
unfortunate turn.Caged like an animal and enslaved he
is
taken away from his village his heart and soul.
The book then unfolds his never ending misery on the
voyage
to America where he is held captive,beaten and starved
to
death under inhuman conditions.(A read through those
pages
creates a stir in your heart and a sinking feeling in
the
pit of your stomach and you just cant help but cry.)
In torment and anguish he is brought to the slave
market
where he is treated and traded even worse than an
animal.Completely unacqustomed to this new place,he
longs
for his home and beseech God for his fate and torturous
life.
After some futile attempts to run from the hell he
quietly and painfully accept the fact tah he may never
see
his family again.
But stii,he does not let go his ROOTS.his tradition and
culture of Africa.
Even after holy matrimony and fatherhood he passes on
the same to his girl child Kizzy.
The novel matures with the girl Kizzy evolving as a
mother and a grand mother who continues to convey the
arts
to his son,George and her grand children.Story furthers
with the lives of generation over generation over
generation, till the time of authors birth.And it is
then
that Alex Haley takes on to trace his ancestory and
decides to write a book on it.
Hence,the essence of the book lies not just in the pain
and
agonizing suffering of human trafficing but it is with
one
man,Kunta Kinte,who decides not to lose his identity
for
all of us to know who they were.