Rídan the Devil, and Other Stories 1899

"Rídan the Devil, and Other Stories" by Louis Becke is a set of short stories from the 1800s that presents Rídan, a puzzling man seen as a devil by others, who resides on a German-owned plantation on Upolu Island. The stories probably look at what it was like during olden times when countries took over other lands, disagreements, and the hard lives of native people, especially when it comes to Rídan's sad times and the unfair rules he has to live under. The first story shows Rídan stuck in chains, away from others, because people don't like or trust him—he lives on the plantation where he evokes fear in the workers. After a big fight with Burton, who is in charge, Rídan has to go back to the plantation, even though he tries to run away from the awful place he's been trapped in. The book shows how cruel it was when countries ruled over others, and it follows Rídan as he tries to be free, as we witness the kindness from Pulu, a man that feels bad for him, even when things are really bad. Rídan's story makes people think about who they are, losing their culture, and staying strong when things are unfair.