This week’s novel Black Shack Alley by Joseph Zobel talks about the life of the main narrator José who lives with M’man Tine. This novel uses a linear narrative to tell the story of his experiences in Black Shack Alley and pursuing education to address the problem of colonialism, racialization and class inequality. I wanted to spread into two parts to discuss this story.
Part 1.
In the first part of this story, Jose is still as an innocent boy who likes to fool around and play with his friends, despite the dire circumstances. M’man Tine worked day and night in the sugar cane field, but still never seemed to be able to escape poverty.
From Zobel’s narration, Jose lives in very harsh conditions, where they have no opportunity to eat eggs. Despite this circumstance, M’man Tine still tried to give Jose a better childhood experience. To the best ability, she would add sugar to his coffee to express her love. She would punish Jose after he made trouble in the hope of him becoming a better man.
What also was a highlight was that when Jose was in the church with M’man Tine, he saw the statue of Jesus dying on the cross. He thinks Jesus is in a tragic position, but interestingly. he is not black. (p. 80). At this stage, Jose is still very young and he doesn’t understand the concepts of racialization, but he truely did witness the tragic experiences of black people.
Part 2 and Part 3
Over here, Jose was able to go to school with the support of M’man Tine.
It seems that over here, his future and fate had become different from the other kids who joined the gang, and this is where the theme of education that Zobel is trying to put forward. As you can see from the narrative, Jose is somewhat gifted, and he enjoys reading.
With effort, he was successfully admitted by lycée, and this is where his mother unconditionally supported his education, despite of high costs. “Tell me! How will it all end if the blasted fathers place their sons in those things, in the same misfortune?” (74) His mother recognizes that this may be the only chance to change her child’s destiny, so he tries to remove this misfortune by betting on her own life.
When Jose enters lycée, he further enters a world dominated by high-status and white people, which is seen to expose him more to inequality. From his description of this boy he meets, Serge. We can imagine his comparison with self and life.
However, with time, Jose is gradually becoming mature and internally powerful. M’man Tine’s illness and death greatly awakened Jose. By seeing her black swollen, crakced hand, he realizes exhaustion from working in the fields. As he learns more, the more he feels bitter and injustice. All he could do was show the world with such reality of Black people.
It seems that the story is telling Jose’s story, but in reality, Zobel is reflecting on the hardships and injustices experienced by millions of black people. Jose, as a special case, has the opportunity to receive an education, but can this eliminate inequality, what about the rest of the youth in Black Shack Alley, and what about the rest of the youth in Black Shack Alley?
Hey Esther!
Obviously this novel is about Jose’s journey and opportunity to escape poverty. However, your question about the other kids in Black Shack Alley also resonated with me, because in all likelihood they would have ended up living and working in the same place as their parents. Living through the same poverty cycle, because of systemic racism and the cycle is incredibly hard to break.
I think the other kids are the point of the novel, I think if this was truly a story about only José it wouldn’t have started in black shack alley, it would have started in school. This is a story of memories of people and things he saw, and I think by the end, he doesn’t take his successes for granted (even though as a child he seemed to, because he’s… a child). The other kids in Martinique, it is implied, are to end up like his M’man Tine, which is something that makes him sad. She, and Mr Médouze represent the life cycle of Black Shack Alley, both having lived there her whole life, so I think the novel is precisely answering that question. I think the other kids in Black Shack Alley will be killed by the same cane fields that killed Mr. Médouze and M’man Tine.
– Dalia Currie
Hey,
Your post was fantastic. Living in a cycle of poverty that is extremely difficult to escape due to institutional racism. This is where Zobel’s subject of education comes in, as it appears that his destiny and future have changed from those of the other youths who joined the group.
Esther,
Jose was definitely more fortunate than others in this story as he had access to education and was loved by those around him. However, your question about the other kids is heartbreaking because the first thing I thought of was when Jose went to harvest(?) day and his friends were getting called to collect their earnings. That scene in the book, gave me goosebumps as unfortunately, it is a cycle that seems to not end.
Esther, I liked that you separated the analysis in the two different parts to comment on the novel. I was reflecting on the role of sugar in the novel. On the one hand working the cane fields is arduous work that takes life from those who work the fields. Like you said, its also in a way what keeps then in inescapable poverty. Yet, it is also what she uses to express sweetness and love.
Thanks for your comment
Tesi