The Longest Memory Book Analysis Essay Example

In the first extract, Whitechapel, Fred d’ Aguiar has conveyed the idea of death and guilt to communicate to the audience that Whitechapel is a self-loathing individual and is consumed by guilt and grief. This is shown through the quotes, “I killed my son because I wanted him next to me when I died” and “Killer of children.” These two quotes demonstrate to the audience that Whitechapel is internally oppressed and blames himself for Chapel’s death. Whitechapel takes the majority of the blame for his child's death as he begins to realise that his motives for betraying his son’s whereabouts were partially selfish. Whitechapel had claimed to be protecting his son’s life, but he was only doing so partially out of self-interest. Whitechapel continues to blame himself for the death of his son because everyone on the plantation kept pinning the blame on him. For example, the quote “Everyone….blames me for the death of my son”. This quote shows that Whitechapel is consistently told that he killed his son and so he gives into that statement which only provides further hatred for himself. Fred d’ Aguiar has successfully used the ideas of death and guilt to show that Whitechapel is self-loathing. 

In the second extract, Mr Whitechapel, Fred d’ Aguiar has also conveyed the idea of death and guilt to communicate to the audience that Mr Whitechapel shifts the blame onto other people. This is shown through the quote “The events of last night were contrary to it and accordingly were wrong on your part.” (The event being the death of Chapel). This quote demonstrates to the audience that Mr Whitechapel is avoiding the blame and is shifting it onto Sanders Junior, an overseer. Mr Whitechapel takes no accountability for Chapel's death as he was unable to watch the whipping on his plantation. He also takes no accountability for Chapel’s death as he believed that he gave an order to Sanders Junior but he failed to listen. Since Sanders Junoir failed to listen, Mr Whitechapel keeps on blaming Sanders for Chapel’s death.  Mr Whitechapel is also avoiding guilt through accusation, for example, the consistent use of “you”. Mr Whitechapel is claiming Sanders Junior has done something wrong which reinforces his dominance in this situation. Fred d’ Aguiar has also successfully used the ideas of death and guilt to communicate that Mr Whitechapel is a blame shifter.