This paper explores the concepts of hybridity and identity in Andrea Levy's "Never Far From Nowhere".
The story could be taken from real life: British Imperialism has brought many people from British colonies into the mother country and has caused multiculturalism. A part of this is depicted by Levy, who was also born in England to Jamaican parents.
It is worth introducing the term “identity” and what it is determined by first and taking two opposing key concepts of identity, namely essentialism and hybridity, into account afterwards. In the following examination of Olive and Vivien in Never Far From Nowhere, which will be the main part of the paper, the focus will be on their identities with regard to the same point of interest. On the one hand, their general situation in life will be targeted, with special focus on the contrast between them and the reasons that the readers are presented with in that account. On the other hand, their ethnic identities as two related, but differently accepted Jamaicans in London, especially their self-perception of it, will be dealt with.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Defining Identity
3. Two Opposing Concepts of Identity: Essentialism and Hybridity
3.1 Essentialism
3.2 Hybridity
4. Olive and Vivien as Jamaicans in London in Never Far From Nowhere
4.1 Olive’s Identity
4.2 Vivien’s Identity
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this study is to examine the contrasting identity formations of the two sisters, Olive and Vivien, in Andrea Levy’s novel Never Far From Nowhere, specifically by exploring the interplay between essentialist notions of race and the concept of hybridity within a postcolonial British context.
- Analysis of identity theory, specifically essentialism versus hybridity.
- Examination of the sisters' divergent social experiences and self-perception in London.
- Evaluation of the impact of the "Caribbean legacy" and physical appearance on belonging.
- Investigation into how the sisters navigate the "in-betweenness" of being children of Jamaican immigrants in England.
Excerpt from the Book
4.1 Olive’s Identity
To start with, Olive is born in London to Jamaican parents. Thus, we are presented with a postcolonial encounter between the English and people from former colonies, in this case Jamaica, in Levy’s novel. The location is England and the situation is vice versa to a colonial one, meaning that the Charles family encounters their former colonisers in England, and not in the colony Jamaica itself. As a consequence, the English culture is the dominant one and in Never Far From Nowhere, a whole family struggles with their identity as foreigners in Britain imposed on them. The two sisters, Olive and Vivien, have never been to Jamaica and are only linked to it through physical features, such as skin color, and their parents. As we can see in the novel, “the post-colonial subject’s legacy is to be torn between the two worlds, two cultures, both jostling for dominance, demanding the subject to straddle the border and suffer the dilemma of choosing” (Harris, 2002, p. 187).
Olive is described by her sister Vivien with the following words: “Olive was darker. Black. The Caribbean legacy.” (NFFN, p. 1) Moreover, she is characterized by “a head of tight frizzy hair streaked with red, and green eyes” (NFFN, p. 2). Olive obviously has the physical features of a Caribbean and is recognized as such throughout her life in London. Beginning in her family, she is an outsider and does not belong anywhere completely. Her mother, Rose Charles, has a huge influence upon her daughter as far as her self-perception as a black girl and her origins are concerned. Lima argues that Olive’s mother “doesn’t believe in Black people, not seeing herself as Black” (2005, p. 64), which is reflected in Rose’s ignorance towards her daughter’s skin color.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the central conflict of the sisters' differing experiences in London and outlines the theoretical focus on essentialism and hybridity.
2. Defining Identity: Explores theoretical perspectives on how identity is formed, distinguishing between stable, birth-given traits and changeable, externally influenced characteristics.
3. Two Opposing Concepts of Identity: Essentialism and Hybridity: Defines essentialism as a concept relying on fixed origins and biology, contrasting it with hybridity, which views identity as an ongoing, context-dependent process.
4. Olive and Vivien as Jamaicans in London in Never Far From Nowhere: Provides a detailed case study of the two sisters, analyzing how their physical appearance and social choices shape their respective identities in Britain.
5. Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, confirming that both sisters navigate hybrid identities despite their different paths, torn between their roots and the dominant English environment.
Keywords
Identity, Essentialism, Hybridity, Postcolonialism, Andrea Levy, Never Far From Nowhere, Jamaica, London, Migration, Ethnicity, Race, Assimilation, Belonging, Self-perception, Social Class
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
This paper focuses on the divergent identities of the two sisters, Olive and Vivien, in Andrea Levy’s novel Never Far From Nowhere as they navigate life in England as the children of Jamaican migrants.
What are the primary thematic areas?
The themes include the conflict between essentialist and hybrid concepts of identity, the experience of immigration, racial discrimination, social class mobility, and the search for belonging in a postcolonial society.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to demonstrate that both sisters, despite their different choices and levels of assimilation, are ultimately "hybrid" characters defined by the constant negotiation between their Jamaican roots and the English environment.
Which scientific method is utilized?
The work employs a literary analysis method, applying postcolonial identity theories from authors like Homi Bhabha and Stuart Hall to the primary text.
What is the focus of the main section?
The main section investigates the specific life experiences of the sisters, contrasting Olive’s alienation and self-acceptance as a black woman with Vivien’s attempt to assimilate into higher English social classes.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include Identity, Essentialism, Hybridity, Postcolonialism, Migration, Ethnicity, Race, and Assimilation.
How does Olive’s physical appearance determine her identity in the novel?
Olive’s darker skin makes her easily identifiable as a migrant, leading to frequent discrimination and a constant sense of being an outsider, which eventually compels her to seek her identity in Jamaica.
Why does Vivien choose to distance herself from her family and Jamaican background?
Vivien utilizes her lighter skin and education to climb the social ladder, believing that denying her "working-class" and Jamaican origins is the only way to gain acceptance and success in England.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Anonym (Autor:in), 2009, Unveiling Hybridity and Identity. A Comparative Study of Olive and Vivien's Experiences in Andrea Levy's "Never Far From Nowhere", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1360137
