Acculturation is a phenomenon whose importance is more and more increasing due to our modern society that is becoming more mobile and the world becoming more and more a place in which people move either freely or forced (refugees, emigrants looking for a better place to live etc.). Of course, there are certain obstacles that make this process of mobility more difficult. People from one culture leave their roots and start a new life in a new culture. As a consequence, they are forced to adapt to and to adopt this new culture to a certain extent. This is a very complex progress that is described by cultural studies.
Just like any other experience, acculturation can be dealt with in literature. Literature can serve as a mirror that reflects cultural phenomena, human experiences, events in history etc. Literary studies deal with the interpretation of these depictions (or reflections) in literary works.
Since literary and cultural studies can partly deal with the same topics, there are interfaces. The focus of this research paper will be on acculturation theories and their application to Sam Selvon’s The Lonely Londoners with a further focus on the historical background that is intended to provide a better understanding of the acculturation process Selvon’s characters make through. It will also be analyzed how Selvon depicts his characters in their acculturation process, whether he uses stereotypes or a differentiated depiction and which problems the characters have to face. It will be shown in how far literature can reflect cultural phenomena and in how far this could be achieved in The Lonely Londoners.
Table of Contents
1. Acculturation – Interfaces between Cultural and Literary Studies
2. Terminology
3. Historical background
4. The Acculturation Process
5. Contact and participation
5.1. Language
5.2. Wage Employment
5.3. Daily practice
5.4. Age
6. Acculturation Attitude
6.1. Assimilation
6.2. Integration
6.3. Marginalization
6.4. Separation
7. Acculturative Stress – Identity Confusion
8. Acculturation – Fiction and Reality
Objectives and Thematic Focus
This paper explores the complex processes of acculturation as depicted in Sam Selvon’s novel "The Lonely Londoners," examining how West Indian immigrants adapt to post-war British society. It utilizes sociological acculturation theories to analyze the diverse experiences, identity struggles, and survival strategies of the novel's characters within a foreign cultural environment.
- Application of J.W. Berry’s acculturation framework to literary characters.
- Analysis of external parameters affecting immigration, including language, employment, and age.
- Examination of various acculturation attitudes: assimilation, integration, marginalization, and separation.
- Investigation of acculturative stress and its impact on personal identity and mental well-being.
- Evaluation of how literature reflects historical and sociological phenomena.
Excerpt from the Book
6.3. Marginalization
“[…] when there is little possibility or interest in cultural maintenance (often for reasons of enforced cultural loss) and little interest in relations with others (often for reasons of exclusion or discrimination), then marginalization is defined” (Berry, 472).
Marginalization is a phenomenon that especially Moses and Galahad have to suffer from. Somehow, they are both willing to adapt to the British culture and to partly give up their culture (even though Galahad catches pigeons in the park; he wants to work and live independent from the welfare state; he wants to adapt), but they are given hardly any chance by the British society to do so; they are not fully accepted and have to face intolerance and rejection.
In the 1950s the attitudes about the open door policies in Britain changed. People were more and more opposing the unlimited flow of immigrants and partly developed a hostile or suspicious attitude towards these immigrants. In a very striking scene in The Lonely Londoners Galahad comes face to face with this development:
“’Mummy, look at the black man!’ A little child, holding on to the mother hand, look up at Sir Galahad. ‘You mustn’t say that, dear!’ The mother chide the child. But Galahad skin like rubber at this stage, he bend down and pat the child cheek, and the child cower and shrink and begin to cry. ‘What a sweet child!’ Galahad say, putting on the old English accent, ‘What’s your name?’ But the child mother uneasy as they stand up there on the pavement with so many white people around: if they was alone she might have talked a little, and ask Galahad what part of the world he come from, but instead she pull the child along and she look at Galahad and give a sickly sort of smile, and the old Galahad, knowing how it is, smile back and walk on” (Selvon, 88-89).
Here we can also see the public pressure. The public opinion was shaped by this developing hostility towards immigrants and consequently some individuals apparently did not dare to have contact with these immigrants since this could create a negative image of them in society.
Summary of Chapters
1. Acculturation – Interfaces between Cultural and Literary Studies: This chapter introduces the intersection between cultural studies and literature, outlining the focus on acculturation theories within Sam Selvon's novel.
2. Terminology: This section defines the core concepts of "culture" and "acculturation" to establish a theoretical basis for the subsequent character analysis.
3. Historical background: This chapter provides the context of West Indian immigration to post-war Britain and the motives driving the arrival of characters in London.
4. The Acculturation Process: This section analyzes the factors of contact, psychological change, and development in the lives of the characters, with a special focus on the character Moses.
5. Contact and participation: This chapter examines how factors like language, employment, daily habits, and age influence the extent to which immigrants engage with the host society.
6. Acculturation Attitude: This section details the four modes of acculturation—assimilation, integration, marginalization, and separation—as illustrated by different characters in the novel.
7. Acculturative Stress – Identity Confusion: This chapter discusses the mental impact of moving between cultures, specifically focusing on the identity conflicts faced by characters like Moses and Galahad.
8. Acculturation – Fiction and Reality: This final chapter synthesizes how Selvon’s literary depiction successfully reflects real-world sociological processes and historic migration facts.
Keywords
Acculturation, Sam Selvon, The Lonely Londoners, West Indian Immigration, Post-war Britain, Assimilation, Integration, Marginalization, Separation, Identity Confusion, Acculturative Stress, Cultural Studies, Literary Analysis, Migration, Diaspora.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper examines the process of acculturation experienced by West Indian immigrants in Sam Selvon’s novel "The Lonely Londoners" by applying sociological theories to the characters' experiences.
Which theoretical framework is used to analyze the novel?
The author primarily utilizes the acculturation parameters and definitions provided by J.W. Berry to evaluate the characters' interactions and attitudes.
What are the central themes explored in the work?
Key themes include the difficulties of adapting to a new culture, the struggle for identity, the impact of language barriers, the necessity of employment, and the psychological stress of migration.
How is the immigrant group in the novel described?
The author emphasizes that the immigrants are a heterogeneous group with diverse personal stories, behaviors, and ways of navigating the acculturation process.
What is the role of the character Moses?
Moses acts as a central, warm-hearted figure who helps new arrivals settle in, but he himself struggles with deep identity confusion, feeling torn between Trinidad and London.
Which specific acculturation attitudes does the paper distinguish?
The paper categorizes the characters' behaviors into four main modes of acculturation: assimilation, integration, marginalization, and separation.
Why is the character Harris highlighted in the chapter on assimilation?
Harris is analyzed because he actively adopts British customs, speech, and lifestyle, effectively distancing himself from his original identity and other immigrants.
What does the anecdote about Galahad and the pigeons illustrate?
This incident illustrates how differences in "daily practice" and cultural taboos can lead to misunderstandings, forcing immigrants to face potential rejection and the need for greater cultural tolerance.
- Quote paper
- Stefan Hinterholzer (Author), 2006, Acculturation in Sam Selvon's "The Lonely Londoners", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/65854
