Not Logged in.
Book Jacket

The Sellout


The first book by an American author to win the prestigious Man Booker Prize.
Summary and Reviews
Excerpt
Reading Guide
Author Biography

Does the concept of a ledger, designed to keep track debts and payments accurately reflect the history of humanity in America? When Foy Cheshire calls the narrator a sellout, what is he saying was sold? Who were the buyers?

Created: 01/18/17

Replies: 3

Posted Jan. 18, 2017 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 3444

Does the concept of a ledger, designed to keep track debts and payments accurately reflect the history of humanity in America? When Foy Cheshire calls the narrator a sellout, what is he saying was sold? Who were the buyers?

Does the concept of a ledger, designed to keep track of who owes a debt and who is entitled to receive a payment, accurately reflect the history of humanity in America? When Foy Cheshire calls the narrator a sellout on page 98, what is he saying was sold? Who were the buyers?


Posted Jan. 23, 2017 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
melanieb

Join Date: 08/30/14

Posts: 265

RE: Does the concept of a ledger, designed to keep track debts and payments accurately reflect the history of humanity in America? When Foy Cheshire calls the narrator a sellout, what is he saying was sold? Who were the buyers?

I think the concept of a ledger is accurate. There is this idea that we can make amends for past injustices by paying one off, that all things have a price and when the bill is paid all is well. The past was sold and American blacks were the buyers.


Posted Jan. 24, 2017 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
rebeccar

Join Date: 03/13/12

Posts: 548

RE: Does the concept of a ledger, designed to keep track debts and payments accurately reflect the history of humanity in America? When Foy Cheshire calls the narrator a sellout, what is he saying was sold? Who were the buyers?

The concept of a ledger is interesting and is in the news even this morning in a New York Times article about slavery ledgers.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/23/arts/columbia-unearths-its-ties-to-slavery.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=second-column-regionĀ®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0


Posted Feb. 01, 2017 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
pennyp

Join Date: 03/22/12

Posts: 353

RE: Does the concept of a ledger, designed to keep track debts and payments accurately reflect the history of humanity in America? When Foy Cheshire calls the narrator a sellout, what is he saying was sold? Who were the buyers?

The concept of a leger really reduces selected people to mere merchandise. In our attempt to repair the damage done to certain groups by compensating them, we never can give back the basic dignity we have taken from them


Reply

Please login to post a response.