Introduction
The autobiographical novel Lucy was written by Jamaica Kincaid in 1990. The author, who was born in 1949 on the Caribbean island of Antigua, is one of the representative figures of postcolonial literature, which has been gaining prominence since the 1970s. With the apppearance of the work “The Empire Writes Back: Theory and Practice in Post-Colonial Literatures” written by Bill Ashcroft, Gareth Griffiths, and Helen Tiffin in 1989 the popularity of the term “Postcolonialism” grew even more. The definition of the term is still widely discussed but in general postcolonial literature deals with the effects of colonization on the colonized people and society after the end of colonization.
The term “post” indicates that Postcolonialism is relating to the time following the establishment of independence in a colony. That means, the time after the colonial powers have left the country and the time of colonization is over. Nevertheless, the issues of Postcolonialism are so many-sided that they often transcend a
strict definition of the term, which is therefore used much more loosly in practice. Postcolonial themes not only discuss the period after the departure of the imperial powers but also deal with the time before independence.
Major issues are the oppression of the indigenous people by the imperial powers, the gaining of independence, the impact of colonization on postcolonial history and culture, the search
for personal and national identity but also the economic dependency of the postcolony on its former colonizers.
Thus some critics even question the term Postcolonialsm, since it indicates that the period when the colony was dependent on its colonizers is over. They argue that most former colonies are still or even again economically dependent on the mother country that colonized them. Those neocolonial forms of oppression and exploitation are probably caused by globalization, which means by the increasing mobility of goods, services, labour, technology
and capital throughout the world.
[...]
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Autobiographical Background to the Novel
3. Cultural location
3.1. The Cultural Location of the Novel
3.2. The Cultural Location of the Character
4. The Theme of Identity
4.1. The Search for Identity as Personal Autonomy
4.2. The Dominating Forces
4.3. The Hybridization of Lucy
5. The Mother-Daughter Relationship
5.1. The Role of Women in the Caribbean
5.2. The Notion of Home
5.3. The Connection of Mother and Motherland
5.4. The Different Mother Figures in Lucy
6. Conclusion
Objectives and Themes
This academic paper examines the protagonist’s process of identity formation and transition in Jamaica Kincaid's novel "Lucy," analyzing how she navigates the complexities of migration, postcolonial heritage, and personal autonomy.
- The autobiographical nature of the novel and its reflection of the migrant experience.
- The struggle for personal autonomy versus the imposition of colonial and societal roles.
- The ambivalent and often strained relationship between mother and daughter as a metaphor for the motherland.
- The state of "in-betweenness" and cultural hybridization in the life of the protagonist.
- The role of gender and societal expectations for women in the Caribbean.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 The Cultural Location of the Novel
Lucy is the story of a young Caribbean woman who comes to the United States of America to work as an au pair for a white wealthy family. The novel starts with Lucy arriving in the New World, feeling the difference between the place she comes from and the place she is now. This difference is established by Lucy experiencing the different climate that she is not used to.
“I was no longer in a tropical zone, and this realization now entered my life like a flow of water dividing formerly dry and solid ground, creating two banks, one of which was my past - so familiar and predictable that even my unhappiness then made me happy now just to think of it - the other my future, a gray blank, an overcast seascape on which rain was falling and no boats were in sight. I was no longer in a tropical zone and I felt cold inside and out, the first time such a sensation had come over me.”
Although the setting of the novel is New York there are numerous flashbacks to Lucy’s home island Antigua. The novel can therefore not be set in a distinct cultural location but is rather situated between two very different cultures, since the setting constantly shifts between the United States and Antigua.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction outlines the postcolonial context of the novel and introduces the main objective: examining how the protagonist reinvents herself.
2. The Autobiographical Background to the Novel: This chapter establishes the connection between Jamaica Kincaid’s own experiences as an au pair and the fictional narrative of Lucy.
3. Cultural location: The author explores how the setting oscillates between the Caribbean and the United States, highlighting the protagonist's lack of a fixed cultural home.
4. The Theme of Identity: This section analyzes Lucy’s struggle for personal autonomy and her resistance against being categorized or possessed by others.
5. The Mother-Daughter Relationship: This chapter investigates the complex bond between mother and daughter, linking it to broader political themes of colonial influence and patriarchal control.
6. Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, affirming that while Lucy remains in a state of transition, she successfully achieves a degree of personal independence.
Keywords
Postcolonialism, Identity, Autonomy, Migration, Jamaica Kincaid, Lucy, Hybridization, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Antigua, Caribbean, Colonialism, Displacement, Bildungsroman, Exile, In-betweenness
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic paper?
The paper focuses on the protagonist's journey in Jamaica Kincaid's novel "Lucy," specifically analyzing her efforts to reinvent her identity while navigating migration and the legacy of colonial influence.
What are the central themes discussed in the text?
Key themes include the search for personal autonomy, the nature of postcolonial displacement, the influence of the mother-daughter relationship on the protagonist's development, and the concept of cultural hybridization.
What is the main objective or research question?
The core objective is to analyze how the protagonist, Lucy, maneuvers through a state of transition to establish a personal identity distinct from the restrictive roles imposed by her family, her home island, and her new environment.
What scientific methodology is applied?
The paper employs a literary analysis approach, utilizing postcolonial theory and biographical research to interpret the narrative, themes, and characters within the novel.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body systematically covers the autobiographical foundations, the cultural location of the character, the thematic evolution of identity, and the complex psychological ties between the protagonist, her mother, and her surrogate mother figures.
Which keywords best describe the research?
The work is defined by terms such as postcolonialism, personal autonomy, cultural hybridization, migration, and the mother-daughter relationship.
How does the author define the relationship between the mother and the motherland?
The author argues that in Kincaid's work, the mother represents the colonial motherland; both function as figures of authority that impose limitations, causing the protagonist to experience the relationship as a struggle between love and the need for resistance.
Why does the protagonist feel a sense of "in-betweenness"?
Lucy feels trapped in an "in-between" space because she has abandoned her original home but refuses to fully assimilate into the Western culture of her employers, ultimately embodying a mixture of different cultural influences.
What is the significance of the "daffodils" incident in the novel?
The incident symbolizes the protagonist’s rejection of the colonial education system, which imposed foreign cultural values and standards that had no connection to her Caribbean background.
- Quote paper
- Nadine Röpke (Author), 2004, A Character in Transition: The Theme of Reinventing One's Self in Jamaica Kincaid's Work "Lucy", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/57448
