"Brother Jacob" shows an example of the representation of sugar in a small town in Britain itself, whereas "The Journal of a West Indian Proprietor" rather represents the sugar production and life on the plantations in the colonies. This essay will look at different representations of sugar in the two works and will compare them to each other.
“There is something about sugarcane, he isn’t what he seem---” . At first sight the sweet pleasure of sugar as we know it today and as we use it in our every-day life, might seem nothing but that, an innocent pleasure. But in times of the British colonies, where the history of sugar begins, it was so much more than that. The background of sugar is marked by oppression and violence. George Eliot’s "Brother Jacob" and Matthew Lewis’ "Journal of a West India Proprietor" are just two examples of literature which tell us about the representation of sugar and which make it clear that sugar isn’t what it might seem. Both books have been released in the 19th century, with one difference though.
"Brother Jacob" was written after the Emancipation Act took place whereas Lewis’ "Journal" was written years before. The two stories show different representations of sugar under the light of slavery and colonialism. Since the 17th century sugar plantations in the West Indies were the main source of work and profit. As the West Indies were British colonies, many British businessmen became plantation owners. Their slaves worked under different conditions for their masters, most of them suffering a lot. But when the sugar was imported into Great Britain nothing reminded about the brutal way in which it was produced anymore.
"On July 28, 1833, the Emancipation Act was passed in England, to take effect on August 1, 1834, but it emancipated only children under six, and “apprenticed” domestic and non-field workers to their former masters for a period of four year and plantation workers for six years” . This was a huge step against slavery. But still the slaves had to stay on the sugar plantations and some of them still worked under bad conditions.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Brother Jacob: Sugar and Social Aspiration
- The Journal of a West India Proprietor: A Colonial Perspective
Objectives and Key Themes
This essay analyzes the representation of sugar in George Eliot's Brother Jacob and Matthew Lewis's Journal of a West India Proprietor, comparing their depictions of sugar within the context of 19th-century British colonialism and the impact of the Emancipation Act. The analysis explores how the seemingly innocent pleasure of sugar masks the brutal realities of its production.
- The representation of sugar as a symbol of aspiration and social mobility.
- The contrast between the idealized view of sugar consumption in Britain and the harsh realities of its production in the West Indies.
- The role of sugar in shaping social hierarchies and individual destinies.
- The impact of the Emancipation Act on the representation of sugar.
- The exploration of themes of colonialism, oppression, and class disparity through the lens of sugar production and consumption.
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: This introductory section sets the stage for the essay, highlighting the seemingly innocent nature of sugar in contrast to its violent historical production in British colonies. It introduces George Eliot's Brother Jacob and Matthew Lewis's Journal of a West India Proprietor as case studies for exploring different representations of sugar under the shadow of slavery and colonialism. The section emphasizes the temporal difference between the two works—one written before and one after the Emancipation Act—to highlight shifting perspectives on sugar and its production.
Brother Jacob: Sugar and Social Aspiration: This chapter focuses on George Eliot's Brother Jacob, examining the role of sugar confectionery in shaping the protagonist David Faux's aspirations. Faux's initial romanticized view of the confectionery business is contrasted with the harsh realities of its limited social standing. The chapter details Faux's desire to relocate to the West Indies, the source of sugar, as a means to achieve personal prosperity and status. His theft from his mother, justified by his ambition, highlights the allure and limitations of the sugar trade. The crucial scene where he uses sweets to distract his brother showcases the seductive power of sugar and its ability to mask uncomfortable truths. Ultimately, the chapter explores how Eliot uses sugar as a metaphor for both personal ambition and the complex relationship between British consumption and colonial exploitation, even though the story itself avoids explicit depictions of slavery.
Frequently Asked Questions: Analysis of Sugar in Brother Jacob and The Journal of a West India Proprietor
What is the focus of this essay?
This essay analyzes how sugar is represented in George Eliot's Brother Jacob and Matthew Lewis's The Journal of a West India Proprietor. It compares their depictions of sugar within the context of 19th-century British colonialism and the impact of the Emancipation Act, exploring how the seemingly innocent pleasure of sugar masks the brutal realities of its production.
What are the key themes explored in the essay?
The essay explores several key themes, including: the representation of sugar as a symbol of aspiration and social mobility; the contrast between the idealized view of sugar consumption in Britain and the harsh realities of its production in the West Indies; the role of sugar in shaping social hierarchies and individual destinies; the impact of the Emancipation Act on the representation of sugar; and the exploration of themes of colonialism, oppression, and class disparity through the lens of sugar production and consumption.
What are the main texts analyzed?
The essay uses George Eliot's Brother Jacob and Matthew Lewis's The Journal of a West India Proprietor as case studies. These texts offer contrasting perspectives on sugar, with Brother Jacob focusing on the aspirational aspects within Britain and The Journal of a West India Proprietor providing a colonial perspective on sugar production.
How does the essay utilize the temporal difference between the two texts?
The essay highlights the temporal difference between the two works—Brother Jacob being written before and The Journal of a West India Proprietor after the Emancipation Act—to demonstrate the shifting perspectives on sugar and its production in relation to slavery and colonialism.
What is the role of sugar in Brother Jacob?
In Brother Jacob, sugar confectionery shapes the protagonist David Faux's aspirations. His romanticized view of the confectionery business contrasts with its limited social standing. His desire to relocate to the West Indies (the source of sugar) highlights the allure and limitations of the sugar trade. The essay argues that Eliot uses sugar as a metaphor for both personal ambition and the complex relationship between British consumption and colonial exploitation.
What is the significance of the Emancipation Act in the essay?
The Emancipation Act serves as a crucial historical marker, shaping the perspectives on sugar production and consumption presented in both texts. The essay explores how the Act impacted the representation of sugar and the shifting attitudes towards its production and the colonial system.
What is the overall argument of the essay?
The essay argues that the seemingly innocent pleasure of sugar consumption in Britain masked the brutal realities of its production in the colonies. By analyzing the representations of sugar in these two texts, the essay aims to expose the complex relationship between sugar, colonialism, and social structures in 19th-century Britain.
- Citation du texte
- Julia Straub (Auteur), 2018, Representation of sugar in George Eliot's "Brother Jacob" and Matthew Lewis' "Journal of a West India Proprietor", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/464332
