Quote 1: Black Bags

Pg 57, Ebook Edition

Suddenly, I saw the weathered feet of a detainee whose face I couldn’t see because it was covered by a black bag. Black bags I soon would learn, were put on everybody’s head to blindfold them and make them unrecognizable including the writer.

This quote comes before the worst has happened. Before Mohamedou had ever experienced torture and had unwavering faith that he would be released. In a way the black bag stifled that belief, as he soon realized that the isolation and hopelessness he felt wearing it was no different without it on. It clearly shows the true extent at how isolated the detainees were. The black bags were both used during torture and transportation between both compounds and buildings. The mention of the black bag soon equated to torture and the bored guards new it. Mohamedou even expressed that he was happy that the bags covered the face as it hid the pain and suffering from his line of sight. For a man who felt it was fine to cry, he had no desire to give the guards and interrogators the satisfaction of seeing his weakness.

P.S I'm not sure what the "unrecognizable including the writer" means. Is he talking about himself as the writer? Maybe he is making a comment about how the black bags are also used to deter his writing.

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