(1) Most valuable/ notable:

• What I found most valuable/ notable in the material was Behn’s firsthand perspective on Surinam intriguing, as it provides a rare 17th century European woman’s viewpoint on colonialism. However, her portrayal of race and the romanticized notion of slavery raises questions about her ultimate stance on the issues she presents. The themes that are being highlighted here are romance, honor, and betrayal. I say this because although Behn humanizes Oroonoko she still reflects on the biases of her time.

(2) A passage:

• “He had heard of and admired the Romans; he had heard of their great name, but never was dazzled with the lustre of their glory till he read himself in Alexander and Caesar.”
• This passage stood out to me because it frames Oroonoko as a hero but in a western tradition. I would like to understand this part of the passage better what does it highlight or reinforce?

(3) a question:

• One thing that stood out to me while reading the story was Behn’s role and I wondered how her role as both a participant in and a critic of colonialism shapes the way she portrays Oroonoko’s story? I feel as if she admires Oroonoko but she is also very accepting of the slavery system but to what extent is her admiration and acceptance limited by what she writes?