Abeng
Abeng is a story that appears on the surface to be about a girl who slowly learns about the world around her and the various differences in attributes that people in her community have. Set in the 1950’s, the novel focuses on Clare savage, a 12 year old Jamaican girl and the events that unfold as she tries to better understand who she is and the world she lives in. however, the way in which the novel is framed ends up exposing the multicultural history that existed in Jamaica and how people in society fully understood the effects that their history had on their livelihood. With the various characters in the novel, the author is able to use their experiences to show how learning a people’s history could help shape up society and act as a tool for inciting people to fight oppression and other hardships that may befall a community.
The major character, Clare Savage, can be seen as a representation of part of the Jamaican society that is oblivious of their history and how it was being used against them. Claire is a light skinned girl, daughter to a dark skinned mother and a light skinned mother. Even though most people during this time were unaware of the prejudices that different people, especially the dark skinned, endured simply on the basis of their color, it played a big role on how people were viewed in society. By showing the impact that skin color had on the way people were viewed and treated in society, the author is able to create a relationship between Jamaica’s cultural history, the story being told and the character’s memories. This is because people were regarded and treated differently not only because of the color of their skin but also the position they held in society because of the lineage they came from which could be traced back to their ancestors (Cliff, 170).
Even though the characters did not really understand what color prejudice was, the light skinned people were often held in high regards and were respected in society. Because of this, they had some level of control over the dark skinned members of society and often used it to their advantage. Clare’s father for instance is proud of his British heritage and even though he is married to a dark skinned woman, he often emphasizes that her daughter should strive to be like other light skinned people (Cliff 71). He portrays the light skinned as being better than the dark skinned people and greatly undermines the roles that Africans play in society. However, in order for the light skinned to maintain their good image, they try as much as they can to only focus on the good things they did in the past while also focusing on the shortcomings of the dark skinned people over the years.
Even though Clare’s mother does not agree with her husband’s views, she does not make her stand because she does not want appear to be disrespectful to her light skinned husband. Kitty savage’s ancestry traces back to Nanny, a woman who led people to rebelling against slavery during her time. Even though Kitty does not express her views to her daughter out of respect for her husband, she remains deeply rooted in her African culture. Like other characters, she uses the memory she has of her cultural history to strengthen the beliefs she has in her African culture. When Clare accidentally kills her bull while attempting to hunt a wild pig, her mother blames the mistake on her light skinned ancestry. The father on the other hand blames the misfortune on Clare’s African ancestry (Cliff 123).
The light skinned and dark skinned characters have a different way of viewing history and as a result, they have a different perspective of how things should operate. The author uses this contrast in the people’s views to show how the Jamaican cultural history affected the characters in the Abeng community. Clare’s father believes that the light skinned people are better than the dark skinned people. He views them as people who used to be slaves and thus less civilized than the light skinned. As a result, he condemns Clare’s association with dark skinned people and even discourages her from speaking in Patois, a language for Africans. He views himself as being better than the dark skinned especially because he is from the lineage of Judge Savage, a man who was once a slave owner. In order to maintain the supremacy of the light skinned, people like Claire’s father choose to leave out any negative information that may take away from the positive image they are painted in. Claire’s father for example, leaves out the fact that his great grandfather chose to kill hundreds of slaves rather than freeing them after Jamaica’s emancipation (Cliff 71).
Through these characters, the author is trying to say that issues of discrimination on the basis of color existed. Dark skinned people were considered as being lesser people compared to the light skinned. As a result, they were oppressed and discriminated against. Light skinned people, believed to be more superior, found it effective to rely on slaves whom they treated inhumanely (Cliff 60). They saw themselves as being better simply because they skin was lighter and they used this as an excuse to oppress the dark skinned. Though most of the Africans hated being slaves and the treatment they got as a result, few were willing to rebel against the light skinned and this gave them more power and control over them. However, there were a select few who stood up and fought to end slavery. These few were looked upon by other dark skinned people not only in their time but also in years even after they had passed away.
By using history in the narrative, the author gives an impression of a past where oppression and discrimination on the basis of skin color was a major issue in Jamaica. Its hold on the people was so strong that even up to now, the effects are still seen and this is seen in relation to how characters view themselves. Claire’s father believes he is superior and better off simply because he is light skinned and that he comes from a lineage that is known for accomplishing great things. Clare’s mother on the other hand, a dark skinned woman, is forced to keep her views to herself and to let her daughter be misled by a proud father. Despite his great grandfather being responsible for the death of hundreds of people, Clare’s father still uses him as an example of a good role model just because he was white. The author therefore uses these character memories to show how life was in Jamaica’s cultural history, its effect on the people then and how it affects how people live their lives in the Abeng community.
Work cited
Cliff, Michelle. Abeng. New York: Dutton, 1990. Print.
