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Essay on The Caribbean Identity

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The Caribbean Identity

The way in which Benítez-Rojo and Mintz tackle the question of Caribbean identity in their articles, is a removed, objective ideal, in contrast to Michelle Cliff’s portrayal of Jamaican identity. Cliff’s portrayal touches the heart and soul of Caribbean identity. While Mintz and Benítez-Rojo are investigating trends in the Caribbean as a whole, from an outside perspective, Cliff offers the personal, tactile imagery of what it is to live in the Caribbean, utilizing the objective account of history as a background. Furthermore, Cliff deals with Jamaica, one island in the Caribbean, while Mintz and Benítez-Rojo are dealing with the Caribbean on a grand scaled overview. The fact is neither article can be taken as …show more content…

However, the author is using the quote to prove his point that except for rhythm, there is no common theme in the islands of Caribbean as far as culture goes. The incentive/ motivation for utilizing imagery is at the other end of the spectrum of Cliff’s motivation. Cliff’s motivation is to communicate to the reader how it is to live in the Caribbean. She is not writing to analyze or make sense of how it is, though her use of historical background offers some clues as to the development of the Caribbean society. For example, the following is a description of a funeral procession Cliff, as character Clare, witnesses it:

The procession moved forward underneath a steady hum, which at first seemed of the same key and pitch, but soon differentiated into harmony, led by the high falsetto of a man, whose voice circled the hum and turned it into a mourning chant. The words of the chant were strange, unrecognizable. (Cliff, 1995, p. 50)

It is important to note that Cliff does question elements of Jamaica’s society. Works such as The Diary of Anne Frank provoke questions for Clare and the reader can see how it is instilled in the children, to just accept the way things are and not really question them. Clare wants to know why being Jewish was so bad and what would happen if she married a Jewish man. Her father does not give many specific answers, just tells her it would not be accepted.

Another instance where it is

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