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The Effects Of Colonialism In Monkey Beach By Eden Robinson And Obasan

Decent Essays
Canada has been well regarded with its attitude towards multiculturalism, establishing an Act that protects the rights of people who have different beliefs and the encouragement for all cultures to work together. While being the only country to have a policy such as the Multiculturalism Act, racism has been a part of Canadian history, including but not limited to the colonialism of Indigenous Peoples and the internment of Japanese Canadians. The effects of colonialism on indigenous culture and the treatment of Japanese Canadians are reflected in the novels Monkey Beach by Eden Robinson and Obasan by Joy Kogawa. The main characters of the novels, Lisamarie in Monkey Beach and Naomi in Obasan, both come to terms with the effects of growing up in minority communities in British Columbia, as well as discovering their own identities, by reflecting on their pasts during a time of family tragedies. Lisamarie struggles with accepting and understanding her spirituality in a family that mostly ignores and denies their connections to the spirituality of their ancestors, due to the effects of colonialism and residential schools. Naomi reflects on her family being removed from their homes and the racism that the Japanese faced after the Pearl Harbour attack. Robinson and Kogawa use their protagonists to look back to the past and reflect on the events that have shaped their families. Lisamarie discovers how spirituality and relationships have been molded due to the colonialism and the
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