The Caribbean Identity

It is impossible to look at her novel for more than a few moments and not pick up some sort of passage about the tragedy of this issue.... ... middle of paper ... ...ean is presented with, neither is able to portray what Cliff can. Simply reading about the dynamics of plantation and race does not illustrate it enough. Though it is certainly very important to understand these dynamics, and thus read the articles of Mintz and Benitez-Rojo, the study of these issues would be incomplete without Cliff’s works on the subjects of the Caribbean. Bibliography Benitez-Rojo, Antonio. "The Repeating Island," Post-contemporary Interventions, Duke University Press, Durham and London, 1992.

The British abolitionists were very vocal about the ill-treatment of slaves, but the French were the first to abolish slavery in 1794. Napoleon 1 reinstated slavery in 1802, but St Domingue fought back and won their independence on January 1, 1804. Great Britain slave trade was eventually abolished in 1807 and slavery ended in 1833. Although slavery was officially abolished in 1838, as recent as the 1950s it was obvious that there were limited accounts of early Caribbean historiography. Professor Jean Besson MA, PhD a British published author of Caribbean cultural history research, reveals the neglect, by historians and anthropologists, that can be attributed to the European handbook of primitive untouched societies and methodology.

As an author, Carpenter is not convincing of his essay’s general arguments because his statements are assumptions and are not backed up by clear evidence. Contradictions in both his arguments and elaboration reveal Carpenter’s essay addressing “The Fall of the House of Usher” to be illegitimate and inaccurate. Works Cited Carpenter, David A. Essay review. MagillOnLiterature Database [series online] 1986 9240000421.

I do not think I will ever be able to fully comprehend how one human being could treat a fellow human being with such disregard. Every country has had some interaction with slavery, whether in the past or present. It is unbelievable that few people truly understand how prevalent and awful slavery was and still is. My paper will guide you through the history of Jamaican slavery, while inserting popular reggae music which I feel exemplifies the point I am trying to make: the history or Jamaica has affected reggae music. My paper describes the Transatlantic Journey, British rule in Jamaica, and what happened to the Jamaican people once they were emancipated.

This methodology of studying history is indeed a retracting and unmasking process in which society and culture convey the history of a particular country or region as the Caribbean. In order to fully grasp the intricacies and complexities of Caribbean one must scrutinize and in a sense deconstruct the social and cultural fibers of the Caribbean. The remnants of colonialism in the Caribbean have created a history manifested in the imagery of society and culture. History in the Caribbean can be unveiled in skin tones and rumbas. The history of the Caribbean lives in architecture as well as behind church doors.

Exploration by the authors is taken from two different views, one by Mintz and Rojo where they are looking on the culture from outside and the other by Cliff who depicts the situation from inside. Sidney Mintz is social scientist that attempts to classify the Caribbean into its own typology in order to describe its socio-cultural structure, Antonio Benitz-Rojo is a Cuban literary critic that describes the Caribbean in terms of the chaos theory, and Michelle Cliff is a Jamaican that use the experiences of her life on the island to describe the status of the Caribbean existence. Mintz and Rojo use the historical facts that led to the formation of what today is the Caribbean region and paint an overall picture of it that is very general and lacking personal experiences. Never is there the insertion of the experience of what it is like to live in the Caribbean. The two authors assume a great deal about the socio-cultural structure that exist based on the historical facts, facts that are clouded by the censorship of the imperialistic nations.

The article, “Caribbean Nations to Seek Reparations, Putting Price on Damage of Slavery”, by Stephen Castle, shows both the side of reparations in which Caribbean nations lawyer Mr. Martyn Day says that Britain has to pay for what they have done. On the other side, Mr. Hague says that Britain had already paid the compensation to the victims of slavery and Britain cannot see “Reparation is the answer” (4). In short, slavery and colonialism had created an enough wounds on the victim’s ancestors that today Caribbean nations are asking for reparations from Britain and France. This paper will discuss the reasons behind the demand for reparations that emerged from slavery and colonialism and will also highlight the current economic condition of the Caribbean nations. Slavery was an atrocity born from the depth of the darkest part of Human soul.

In 1886, Cuba had freed its slaves and finally the whole slave society in the Caribbean had been abolished. However, once these new societies emerged, social tensions still existed among the settlers and colonists. Nonetheless, slave systems were emancipated for political and economical reasons. Economically, sugar plantations were declining in production and the rum became scarcer. Politically, hopes and pride began to grow in the Caribbean thus leading to a natural separation with their mother countries.

Development of the dichotomy of religion and magic persevered upon cultural interactions between colonial entities and oppressed Haitians, creating new dynamics within the concept of magic. The direct, individualized rituals of mysticism became associated with manipulative motives by the mortal knowledge used to invoke concrete results (Versnel 178-179). Moreover, the socially ostracizing uncomfortability related with unfamiliar traditions further separated magical customs and lumped the practices with deviant, immoral behaviors (Versnel 178-179). Yet, as Professor H.S. Versnel flawlessly articulates, “Magic does not exist, nor does religion.

Benitez-Rojo uses the idea of “rhythms” to describe the connection and ideas of community that, to him, make up the idea of “the Caribbean.” The final author is not a historian or literary critic like the previous two, but she does offer perhaps the most revealing look at what life is like on a Caribbean island out of the three. Michelle Cliff is a writer from Jamaica and in her two works, Abeng and “If I Could Write This in Fire, I Would Write This in Fire,” she explores the de... ... middle of paper ... ...lf. (Abeng p.158) On the other hand, the black residents of the island feel that any presence of “whiteness” is a negative aspect as well. Clare’s friend Zoe asks her mother why Clare wouldn’t let her try on her new bathing suit, and Zoe’s mother responds, “de buckra people, dem is fe dem alone,” meaning that white people (although Clare is only partly white) can only fraternize with other white people.