Voice of the Oppressed in the Language of the Oppressor: A Discussion of Selected Postcolonial Literature from Ireland, Africa and America (Literary Criticism and Cultural Theory)

195 Pages·2001·5.98 MB·English

by  Patsy J. Daniels

LITERARYC RITICISM CULTURAL
AND
THEORY
Edited by
William E. Cain
Professor of English
Wellesley College
Copyright 2001 by Patsy J. Daniels
WILLIAEM. CAING. eneral Editor
A COIACIDENOCF EW AATS EMBODYIAGB EAUTY
The Novel anrl Neoclmsical Economics Twentieth-Centwy American Women's
Charles Lewis Writers' Aesthetics
Malin Pereira
MODERP\ RI\~ITIT~ES
Race and Language in Ger trde Stein, MAKISGH OLIEISN THE WEST/ISDIES
Ernest Heminpay, and Zora Neale Constructions of Subjectivity in the
Hiir ston Writings of lhfichelle Cliff and Jamaica
Susanna Pavloska Kiizcaid
Antonia MacDonald-Smythe
PLAIAAN D UGLYJA AES
The Rise of the Ugly Woman in POSTCOLONMIAALS QUERADES
Contempormy American Fiction Cziltlire and Politics in Literature,
Charlotte M. Wright Film, Video, anrl Photography
Niti Sampat Pate1
DISSENTISFGIC TIOSS
Identity and Resistance in the DIALECTOIFC S ELFA ND STORY
Contemporary American A70vel Reading and Storytelling in
Cathy Moses Contemporary American Fiction
Robert Durante
PERFORMLAAGM ESTIZA
Textual Representations of Lesbims of ALLEGOROIFE SV IOLENCE
Color anrl the Negotiation of Identities Tracing the Writings of Wc2r in Late
Ellen M. Gil-Gomez Twentieth-Centwy Fiction
Lidia Yuknavitch
FRO\IG OODM AT O WELFARQEU EEN
A Genealogy of the Poor Woman in THEV OICEO F THE OPPRESSEISD T HE
American Literature, Photogaphy and LASGUAGOEF THE OPPRESSOR
Cliltwe A Discussion of Selected Postcolonial
Vivyan C. Adair Literatme from Ireland, Africa and
America
ARTFUILTI NERARIES Patsy J. Daniels
European Art and American Careers in
High Cliltlire, 1865-1 920
Paul Fisher
POST~IODETRASL EOSF SLAVERINY T HE
A~IERICFAROSh I ALEJOC ARPENTTEOR
CHARLJEOSH SSON
Timothy J. Cox
Copyright 2001 by Patsy J. Daniels
THEV OICE OPPRESSED
OF THE IN THE
LANGUAGE OPPRESSOR
OF THE
A Discussion of Selected Postcolonial
Literature from Ireland, Africa and
America
Patsy J. Daniels
Routledge
New York & London
Copyright 2001 by Patsy J. Daniels
Published in 2001 by
Routledge
29 West 35th Street
New York, NY 10001
Published in Great Britain by
Routledge
11 New Fetter Lane
London EC4P 4EE
Routledge is ari irriprirzt of the Taylor & Frarzcis Groq
Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper
Copyright O 2001 by Patsy J. Daniels
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or uti-
lized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known
or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any infor-
mation storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the pub-
lisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Daniels, Patsy J.,
The voice of the oppressed in the language of the oppressor : a discussion of
selected postcolonial literature from Ireland, Africa, and America / Patsy J.
Daniels.
p. cm. - (Literary theory and cultural criticism)
Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.
ISBN 0-415-93691-8
1. American fiction-Minority authors-History and criticism. 2. Yeats, W.B.
(William Butler), 1865-1939-Political and social views. 3. American fiction-
Women authors-History and criticism. 4. American fiction-20th century-
History and criticism. 5. Joyce, James, 1882-1941-Political and social views. 6.
Conrad, Joseph, 1857-1924-Views on imperialism. 7. Achebe, Chinua-
Political and social views. 8. Minority women in literature. 9. Decolonization
in literature. 10. Imperialism in literature. 11. Postcolonialism. I. Title. 11.
Series
PS153.M56 D36 2001
810.9'920693-dc21 2001019964
Copyright 2001 by Patsy J. Daniels
Contents
Acknowledgments
Preface
CHAPTEI R
Introduction: Making Connections
Ireland
Africa
America
CHAPTEI1R
Yeats: Recovering History
CHAPTEI11R
Joyce: Voicing Paralysis
CHAPTEIVR
Conrad: Questioning The Empire
CHAPTEVR
Achebe: Revising History
CHAPTEVRI
Kingston And Tan: Inventing One's Own Culture,
Making One's Own Luck
CHAPTEVRII
Morrison And Walker: Imposing Silence, Writing A Voice
CHAPTEVRII I
Cisneros And Castillo: Resisting The Oppressor,
Writing A Liberation
Copyright 2001 by Patsy J. Daniels
CHAPTEI)R<
Erdrich And Silko: Joining Heaven And Earth,
Changing The Ceremony
CHAPTEX R
Conclusion: Slicing The Pie
The Construction Of Identity
A New Model
The Role Of Language And Literature
The Role Of The Reader
Works Cited
Copyright 2001 by Patsy J. Daniels

Acknowledgments
T SEEMS 4PPROPRI4TE TO OFFER SOME VERBAL APPRECI4TION FOR THE HELP 1 HAVE
received while working on this project. Professors Jim Cahalan, Ron
Emerick, and Karen Dandurand have generously offered me their expert-
ise, their advice, and their support. My husband, Jerry Jackson, deserves
thanks for his emotional support; in addition, both he and my mother-in-
law, Dorothy Jackson, have provided ongoing assistance by giving me relief
from other responsibilities during this endeavor. My daughter, Danielle
Jackson, has inspired me. My friend and colleague Janet Lane has been my e-
mail cheering squad, which I needed at times in order to get back to work.
My mother, Retha Daniels, was my first teacher, of course, and she instilled
in me the importance of education. Without that belief, I never would have
gone this far. Therefore, she receives primary acknowledgment. Finally, to all
my teachers-past, present, and future-in all their many guises-I am grate-
ful.
vii
Copyright 2001 by Patsy J. Daniels
Preface
A
COLLE4GUE 4SI<ED lLrHY 1 1L1A\T TO CO\NECT lLrHITE MALE MODERNISTS lLrlTH
colored female postmodernists in literature. The quick answer, of
course, is that I'm using what I've already read. But that's not the
whole story. As I was reading Yeats, Conrad, Achebe, and Joyce; Erdrich,
Silko, Morrison, Castillo, Kingston, and Tan, I was making connections in my
mind. I think one of mys tudents has been the inspiration. She is biracial and
female, standing at the edges of two cultures but belonging fully to neither,
and since she started life with an expressive language delay, having no voice
of her own, I often think about her future. So everything I read is through
her eyes and the eyes of others like her. In order for this student, and others
like her, to be fully functioning members of whatever world they will inher-
it, despite race, gender, or voice, a multicultural society seems necessary; and,
as her teacher and advisor, I naturally want only the best for her. My experi-
ence as a white teacher at a historically black university and a historically
black college has given me even more inspiration, as I work with students for
whom many doors have not opened. For seven years I myself have experi-
enced being in the minority on campus.
Reportedly, the Buddha, when asked, "How can I learn to love my ene-
mies?" replied that we should start with something easy-our children-and
move outward from there. Representatives of other cultures or viewpoints are
certainly not enemies, but I, and others, may have been guilty of an indiffer-
ence based on ignorance. Seeing the world through literature (since I profess
to be a literary critic) and through the eyes of my students has actually
opened mye yes to the need for an attempt by people of all backgrounds and
cultures to cross boundaries and reach out to others. I believe that my stu-
dents will do that-and I believe that each of the writers in this study has
done just that.
Copyright 2001 by Patsy J. Daniels