Plantation and Race in the Caribbean Essay - 1738 Words

Plantation and Race in the Caribbean The incredible history of the Caribbean is indeed, one of the most rich, and at the same time troubling, of the New World. Its incredibly heterogeneous population and its social racial base make it a very difficult place to, for instance, live and raise a family. While some children may have a future because of their light complexion, the others are doomed to a life of poverty in the unforgiving culture and society of the Caribbean. Three people have taken it upon themselves to portray the Caribbean in their own ways. The opinions of Sidney Mintz, Michelle Cliff and Antonio Benitez-Rojo are made clear in their works and are discussed below in relation to two main issues; race and the†¦show more content†¦Boy is white, and is very intent on being so. He does not help out dark people, and only condemns them when he sees them. Clare’s mother, Kitty is darker and is the opposite of Boy in her treatment of the darker colored people on the island. She does not talk much when Boy criticizes ‘her people,’ but near the end of the book both parents make their feelings abundantly clear in their argument over the black woman urinating on the side of the street. Boy says to his family, What are we to do with people like that. (Cliff, 1984, p.130) Kitty retorts, Where do you get this ‘we’ stuff, white man? (Ibid.) Boy responds with, Come on, Kitty, no matter what you do with them, the y’ll never be like us. (Ibid., p.131) This is too much for Kitty, who in a rare state of rage yells, Why don’t you shut your filthy hateful mouth, you damn cuffy. She’s probably pregnant and alone—something you would not know about. (Ibid.) With that, Kitty makes him stop the car and so she could give the woman all the money that she had on her. This example illustrates perfectly how the issue of race permeates the everyday lives of the inhabitants of Jamaica, and the rest of the Caribbean for that matter. This is certainly not meant to be an isolated case of racial incident, as is portrayed throughout the rest of the book. Boy’s racism is also shown in many other ways, such as by the fact that he wants Clare to marry someone asShow MoreRelatedCaribbean Studies Essay999 Words   |  4 Pagesfor the changing role that Race, Colour and Ethnic affiliation play in Caribbean Society and Culture Subject: Caribbean Studies Teacher: Mrs. L. Nation Account for the changing role that Race, Colour and Ethnic affiliationRead More The Social Impact of Slavery on the Caribbean Society Essay1336 Words   |  6 PagesThe Social Impact of Slavery on the Caribbean Society In order for us to understand the Caribbean, we must acknowledge the tremendous social impact slavery placed upon the islands. We must not only consider the practice of slavery dating back to the indigenous peoples, but from what the introduction of the African slave trade did to the islands economically as well as culturally. 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