Mother Imagery in the Novels of Afro-Caribbean Women

228 Pages·2001·0.85 MB·English

by  Simone A. James Alexander

Mother Imagery in the
Novels of
Afro-Caribbean Women
Simone A. James Alexander
University of Missouri Press
Mother Imagery
in the Novels of Afro-Caribbean Women
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Mother Imagery
in the Novels of Afro-Caribbean Women
O
Simone A. James Alexander
University of Missouri Press
ColumbiaandLondon
Copyright©2001by
TheCuratorsoftheUniversityofMissouri
UniversityofMissouriPress,Columbia,Missouri65201
PrintedandboundintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
Allrightsreserved
5 4 3 2 1 05 04 03 02 01
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Alexander,SimoneA.James,1967–
Mother imagery in the novels of Afro-Caribbean women /
SimoneA.JamesAlexander.
p. cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferences(p. )andindex.
ISBN0-8262-1309-X(alk.paper)
1. Carribbean fiction (English)—Women authors—History
and criticism. 2. Women and literature—Caribbean Area—
History—20th century. 3. Women and literature—United
States—History—20th century. 4. American fiction—Afro-
Americanauthors—Historyandcriticism. 5.Americanfiction—
Women authors—History and criticism. 6. Marshall, Paule,
1929—Criticism and interpretation. 7. Kincaid, Jamaica—
Criticism and interpretation. 8. Conde´, Maryse—Criticism
and interpretation. 9. Mothers and daughters in literature.
10. Motherhood in literature. 11. Mothers in literature. 12.
Homeinliterature.
I.Title.
PR9205.4.A48 2001
813'5093520431—dc21
00-061985
(cid:1)(cid:1) Thispapermeetstherequirementsofthe
AmericanNationalStandardforPermanenceofPaper
forPrintedLibraryMaterials,Z39.48,1984.
Textdesign:ElizabethK.Young
Jacketdesign:VickieKerseyDuBois
Typesetter:BOOKCOMP,Inc.
Printerandbinder:Thomson-Shore,Inc.
Typefaces:ComicSans,Palatino
Forpermissions,seep.215
To my mother
and to all unsung Caribbean mothers
who made this project possible.
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Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction Reclaiming Identities:
Afro-Caribbean Women Writers Writing the Self 1
1 ResistingZombification:(Re)Writing/Righting
the Literary Canon 28
2 I Am Me, I Am You: The Intricate
Mother-Daughter Dyadic Relationship 45
3 Imagined Homelands: Engendering a Mythic
Return “Home” 96
4 “An/Other Way of Knowing Things”:
Ancestral Line(age), Revalidating Our
Ancestral Inheritances 136
5 “Call[ing] Your Nation”: A Journey Completed 188
Bibliography 197
Index 211
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Acknowledgments
I acknowledge and express deep appreciation to the many won-
derfulpeoplewhoseencouragementandsupportmadethewriting
ofthismanuscriptpossible.First,IwouldliketothanktheUniversity
of Missouri Press, which welcomed and accepted my proposal for
the publication of this book. I especially thank the editor-in-chief,
Beverly Jarrett, who was my initial contact, and Jane Lago, who
has exhibited tremendous patience in guiding me through the ini-
tial stages. I also thank Karen Caplinger, the marketing manager,
and Annette Wenda, the copyeditor, for her insight and wonderful
suggestions.
My thanks to faculty at Rutgers University, New Brunswick,
namely,AbenaBusia,ReneéLarrier,JosephineDiamond,andGerard
Aching,whohassincejoinedthefacultyatNewYorkUniversity,for
theircarefulreading,patience,guidance,andinsightduringtheearly
stagesofthismanuscript.SincerethanksalsotoNancyandCandace
of the English Department at Rutgers. I am also very grateful to
Maryse Condé for her kindness and openness and for granting me
aninterview.Iamalsoveryappreciativeofhercontinuedsupport.
I thank the Dean of English and Humanities of Pratt Institute,
Toni Oliviero, for her generous support and encouragement. I am
indebtedtoKenBoxleyandTessMagsaysayoftheKenBoxleySchol-
arship Foundation, who provided me with a fellowship without
whichthisprojectwouldnothavebeenpossible.IthanktheGrad-
uate School at Rutgers University for a Study Abroad Fellowship
that enabled me to pursue research in Jamaica at the University of
the West Indies, Mona. I extend special thanks to Barbara Sirman
and Dean Harvey Waterman. I also thank Elizabeth Wilson of the
University of the West Indies, who greatly encouraged me in my
endeavors,andJeanSmall,whogreatlycontributedtomypleasant
stayinJamaica.
Sincere thanks to my friends Paula, for her encouragement and
supportandforplayinganimportantroleduringtheearliestphases
of this project, and Shondel, who has offered meaningful sugges-
tions, valuable advice, and support. I would also like to thank my
ix