The Adventures of a

Black Girl in search of

God
-A play by Djanet Sears

By: Namisha Choudhary

Roll No. 20228
 Djanet Sears is an award winning Canadian playwright. Her play
‘The Adventures of a Black Girl in search of God’ was shortlisted for
a 2004 Trillium Book Award and delighted in a six-month run in the
fall/winter of 2003/2004, as a feature of the Mirvish Productions
Season.

Djanet Sears

Synopsis:
Set in Canada, the play is about the journey of Rainey in search
of God. She has not moved on from the death of her daughter.
Meanwhile, Abendigo and others along with Michael are on a
mission to liberate the handicrafts that derogate the black
community .They want to reclaim Negro Creek’s name and
save the community from oppression. Amidst everything,
Rainey is struggling with her faith crisis,, unable to come in
fact with her father’s near death. By the end of this journey,
Rainey finds herself in her search for God and accepts the
reality of life.
Written in modern Canadian era, Sears has used Afra-Canadian
style of writing.
 Character Analysis

Rainey Baldwin Johnson Abendigo Michael

• A guilty but loving • A determined and • A believer of God

mother exemplary leader • A caring friend and
• A caring daughter • A passionate and husband
• Agnostic respectful lover. • A warrior
• Escapist • A realistic.
 Setting:
The play is set in the Negro Creek. The
setting is around there so Rainey
Baldwin can follow her family directly
back to those African officials. Set in
present, historical references are made
throughout.
Themes:
• Crisis of Faith
• Acceptance of Death and dying.
• Justice vs. the Law
• Racism and Cultural Defamation
• Preservation of heritage.

• Symbols:
Wrapped Cloth • Motifs:
Negro Creek
• Handicrafts in museum • Church
• Juma Moore’s jacket • Stream
• Divorce Papers
• Dolls
• Moon shining over the Negro Creek

4
 Exposition
In an interview, Djanet Sears said that ‘The Adventures of a Black Girl’ is the
n an interview,
result Djanet Searsthrough
of her imagination said thatpersonal
‘The Adventures of aThe
experiences. Black Girl’ is thein her
observations
esult
lifeofled
herher
imagination
to questionthrough personalwas
God, “Where experiences.
God during Thetheobservations
atrocities ofinslavery?...
her
ifeWhere
led herwasto question God, “Where
God on September was GodInduring
11, 2001?”. the atrocities
the quest of slavery?...
of these answers, she
Where was God on September
began writing this play! 11, 2001?”. In the quest of these answers, she
egan writing this play!

The play is set in Negro Creek and talks about the Negro
Negro Creek The conflict
Creek play is set in Negro
which Creek and
is happened talks
in real about the Negro
life.
Creekreferences
Several conflict which
of theis war
happened inand
of 1812 realslavery
life. are also
Several references of the war of 1812 and slavery are also
made.
made.
The theme ‘Justice vs Law’, which is one of the important
themes,theme
The relate‘Justice
the playvstoLaw’,
legal which
world. is one of the important
themes, relate the play to legal world.
Black soldiers in the war of 1812
5
 Critical Analysis
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‘ThebyAdventures
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a powerful search
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gives bythe
Djanet Searsofistriumph.
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hergives out the message
imagination of triumph.
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it outweaves
her imagination
through beautifully Each
powerful characters. and bring it outhas
character
through powerful
a powerful stance incharacters.
the play and Each character
is best in its has
a powerful
own. stance
The setting in by
used theSears
play and is best in
is amazing asits
it
own. The
gathers setting used
the attention by Sears
of readers is amazing
through the as it
gathers the
movement of attention of readers through the
chorus throughout.
movement of chorusinthroughout.
It is the adventure search of God through
It is thewhich
adventure in
she findssearch of God through
herself!
which she finds herself!