I read Charles Johnson’s Middle Passage in graduate school. Unlike many of the other books I suffered through from required reading lists, Middle Passage blew my mind. Rather than book, it should be called prism, cubist art, or perhaps a religious experience. I ended up writing my research paper on this book and honestly believe if I were going on for a PhD, I could write an entire book on this book.

On the surface it’s a story about an African American man, Rutherford Calhoun, who accidentally finds himself aboard an illegal slave trade ship. He’s running from bill collectors and a woman. As simple as this type of predicament could be, Johnson complicates the plot at every turn.

After looking at this book through a microscope like I did, it seemed that Johnson hand selected every word as if sifting for gems in a hay pile, or with the kind of wisdom that transcends mortals, as if Buddha or some otherworldly power whispered the answers into his ear as he typed. Of course my research filled in the blanks about Johnson’s background, which explained a lot. His first passion is philosophy. He was influenced by minds like Prosper Mérimée, Derrida, and was a dedicated student of Buddhism.

So what makes this book so complicated? Where to start. Well, I could start by mentioning the layers of symbolism in the story. From my research I concluded that the most significant symbols of the text include: the ship, the sea, Captain Falcon, Rutherford, Isadora, Jackson, papa Zeringue, the Allmuseri, and the Allmuseri god. The ship, for example, represents the nation, or in particular, America. It is the vessel that transports the ideology of imperialism. Aboard the “Rebublic” Calhoun explores the connection that exists between power, race, violence, identity, and freedom.

In fact all of the characters in the story represent some aspect of society. While Calhoun is a rogue, Isadora and Calhoun’s brother, Jackson, each represent the idealized and socially assimilated African American citizen. Captain Falcon represents a number of power structures in place within a capitalistic society. Not only is he the leader or captain of the ship, at the top of the economical and racial chain of command, he sets out to purchase slaves from Africa. Thus, by removing the Allmuseri (natives who are bought to become slaves) from their culture, Falcon becomes a colonizer. By contrast, the Allmuseri live by a code of behavior that echoes Buddhist philosophy.

In simple terms, the book reveals Western ideology as a machine that severely impacts the freedom of both the white and the African American and offers a solution, which is a more Eastern, or enlightened approach to life. But this is not even skimming the tip of the iceberg that is this story. This is a densely constructed beast, like a French meal, rich and compact. In 209 short pages, Johnson manages to sort out the difficulties of our society. Although it seems that a book of such complexity would require some fancy degree or a soundproof room in order to read it, tis not the case. No, Johnson’s language is clear and approachable and not nearly as complex as its meaning.

I challenge you to read this book, this Mount Everest—climb it! Tell me what you see from the top.