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How Does Opie Present Zambo As A Boy

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Zambo as a character is also hugely important in Opie’s use of sentimentalism, as he is a named, developed character. This differentiates him from the larger, faceless demographic of slaves and gives a person for readers to actually identify with and see the true effects of the slave trade. Zambo is largely used by Opie to elicit sympathy for slaves. Zambo would very easily generate an emotional reaction from the readers of the poem for several reasons. Firstly, the title of Negro Boy’s Tale already encourages readers not to see Zambo as a man but as a boy, no more than a child. This portrayal as Zambo as only a “boy” emphasises his innocence, which has been completely destroyed by the slave trade. In addition to this, Zambo is given a back-story

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