Impression

 

This week’s reading on Black Shack Alley covers underlying themes including slavery, poverty, violence, trauma, and colonialism. Readings of some of the descriptive writings illustrating the violence and infliction of pain such as the bruising instilled disheartening images to me as I read. The themes in this book are much more serious than previous books we have read thus far, but nonetheless subjects to talk about because they are ingrained in history, in the present or through intergenerational trauma. For example, from what I sense, the treatment inflicted by M’man Tine, the grandmother, seems to be as a result of intergenerational trauma, as well as a possible vengeance from lived experiences. This is not to justify the treatment of the grandson, but rather a potential explanation for her violent actions which she projects from her lived experiences.

 

The relationship between M’man Tine and Jose is one that I think is notably unique in a sense that there are moments where Jose is mistreated, but also moments where she provides him with love and fills the caregiving role. M’man Tine is the primary caregiver, as his father is not part of his life, and his mother, Delia, sees him only once in a while. When M’man Tine passes away, Jose reflects back to her caregiving roles and sacrifices made for him.

 

Another unique relationship I wanted to highlight is Madame Leonce and Jose. On one hand, we know that they’re not of the same class, as Jose works under her as a slave. On the other hand, she would feed him lunch. Jose initially thinks of her as someone who was unfriendly, but when she feeds him, he thinks almost as if she is kind.

 

Overall Thoughts

 

The book itself was long, but the literature itself was easy to understand. I found the book a bit depressing because Jose never really lives a normal childhood as he was enslaved to the plantation as a child, and faces oppression solely because of skin color. He never really gets to understand why he is treated like this. At one point he wonders what black people have done to be disliked and oppressed both by the devil and the beke (p. 37). Although he lives a traumatic and difficult life, he still finds himself to find joy in something such as being in school. He does not really have a role model to look up to, as he grows up with the absence of his father and his mother being away in another plantation, but has his grandmother only to look after him.The book itself is depressing, but does highlight topics of oppression, colonialism, and classism, which still has its lingering effects on society today.

 

Question:

What kind of character development do you think Jose had?