Hey everyone!
This week I read Black Shack Alley written by Zobel. I didn’t enjoy this novel as much as I have enjoyed the other reading material in this course. I found it a bit slow to start, but I found it interesting in regards to the way it discusses themes of race, class and growing up.
I think something worth noting is that the racism that the people of Black Shack Alley accept the racism they endure, and it has become normalized. For example, when Jose visits villages he notes that all of the people living in impoverished areas are people of color. Or when working for a beke in Petit Fond as a slave was considered a good job. As Jose grows older, if it wasn’t for his education, he would have viewed this hierarchy as a way of life and would not protest because he wouldn’t know any different. His education gave him the opportunity to understand that he is not racially inferior and that he can be as smart as his white classmates. Despite this, there are still systemic things created to work against him like needing to do chores and wash dishes instead of playing outside and attending class like his friends. This novel displays instances of systemic racism before it was ever really discussed in modern mainstream media.
Furthermore, this novel also discusses class as Jose begins the novel as a lower class individual until Maman Tine sends him to school with the help of his mother. As he becomes more involved with schooling there seems to be an increasing divide between him and his friends in Black Shack Alley, as he doesn’t see them much anymore and they lack common interests. All of the people living in Black Shack live similar lives, as slaves to bekes and Jose has the opportunity to do something better. This showcases how much education can contribute to the people we are surrounded with and how it can divide classes further.As Jose becomes more educated his relationship with his grandmother also changes, she begins to show him more respect. Before attending school, she would consistently abuse him, this suggests that she views educated individuals as superior and worthy of her support, not love because she didn’t seem very loving. She never seemed to love Jose, but took care of him because she had to, and it was expected of her. However, she began to “love” him more, the further removed he became from Black Shack Alley.
Discussion Question: What are some of the other moments of blatant racism in the novel that seem to be accepted? Why?
Interesting note about M’man Tine loving him more as they moved from black shack alley. I noticed this too, but I summed it up more to a change in her own stress levels. I felt like in black shack alley she was very worried for him, she felt he was unsafe and seemed scared to leave him and what he might do, she beat him because she feared for him and wanted him to be “a good well behaved kid” (which is wrong, and doesn’t work as we can see from him still being just as risky and childish as before). I feel as they moved away she worried less about him and that’s why she didn’t feel she needed to be strict? I sensed her stress lessen as soon as he was in the school, I think she felt that things were going in the way she wanted for him and that he no longer would fall into the accepting of the abuse that she had. I think this is very clear in how she would be upset when he talked about the Petit Bandes. I don’t think this is right, or works at all, but I don’t think it is because she didn’t love him.
-Dalia Curre
Nadia, I’m sorry to hear you enjoyed this reading less than others. This book definitely deals with intersectionality and systematic oppression. Given that the novel was written in the 80s issues of racism were actually widely discussed but if you think about it Martinique is not usually at the forefront of this discussion in the international landscape.
Thanks for the comment!
Tesi