Black Shack Alley follows author José growing up in 1930s Martinique. The story is split into three parts, and each part follows José in a different stage of his childhood, in a different place.
First of all, I really loved José’s grandma’s character in the book. I like how she’s portrayed as kind of like a ‘tiger parent’ (we Asian kids can relate), but still cares deeply she cares for him. She doesn’t express her love through gifts or affection, but as a reader, you can tell just how much she cares for him through her actions. She wakes up early, goes to the cane fields, comes home exhausted, yet still manages to feed him, keep him clean, even though they have almost nothing. It’s easy to read her strictness as cruelty at first, but the more the story goes on, the clearer it becomes that she’s fighting for him with everything she has. It is because of her actions that José gets access to something that could actually change his future. I think that’s what makes their relationship so moving and relatable. It isn’t warm and sweet in a conventional way, but it’s real, and many of us can relate to this.
Another thing this book does well is showing the struggles of not just obtaining an education, but life afterwards as well. Jose’s life doesn’t just magically get easier after he leaves the plantation. Fort-de-France is a different setting from Black Shack Alley, but little changes about his financial situation. His mother still has to fight for every basic necessity. If anything, the lycée makes him even more aware of where he stands amongst his peers. He’s surrounded by wealthier, lighter-skinned students who seem like they belong there without trying, all the while he’s constantly conscious of his clothes, his background, and the fact that he’s out of place there.
Overall, Black Shack Alley reminds readers just how easy it is to treat education like something guaranteed. When in reality, it’s a privilege to even be able to read and write, let alone be able to attend university. Jose’s story shows how hard it is to even reach ‘the starting line’ when you’re dealing with issues like poverty, racism, and a system that’s built to keep certain people behind. Nothing is handed to him in life. I think it made me appreciate how much access to education can shape someone’s life, and how many people have had to fight for what others just get automatically.
Discussion question for the week: Who do you think ‘benefits’ more from José’s education in the story: José himself, or the people around him who invest everything in him?