Small Island Quotations 2 35v1o

Small Island Quotations- by Andrea Levy Gender: • “’Come Hortense’” pg.19 -

This command shows how men had the power to order what their wives did and

expect to be obeyed. Also the word “Come” echoes commands that you would give to a dog, this could suggest that women were treated as if they no more intelligent than animals. •

“A wife must do as her husband say. You ask a judge. You ask a policeman.” Pg.24

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We see here how women have little or no free will – implied with the word “must”.

Adding to this by using titles such as “policeman” and “judge” (which both are positions of authority and power) Levy suggests that it is ‘law’ and there will be severe consequences if this ‘law’ is broken.

•

“Everyt’ing in that trunk belong to you. What is hers is yours and if she no like it then

……….a little licking will make her obey” pg.24 -

Here we see how during WWII women owned nothing outright and whatever they did

have was owned by their husband.

•

“her frame, over the years, had obligingly hunched shorter so as to spare her

………. husband that indignity” pg.38

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With this we can see how men as well as being socially superior to women they had

to be physically superior as well and it was embarrassing to be otherwise. Racial:

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“A shadow come to life” pg.5

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This has connotations of black people being almost ‘half’ alive and not being as good

as white people.

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“’She can’t understand what I’m saying….They’re not civilised. They only understand

cccccc drums’” pg.5 -

We see the assumption that all white people made that black people are inferior to

them and have no concept of language; they can only communicate using primitive methods.

•

“A monkey man” pg.6

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Levy is showing how black people were viewed in an animalistic light. This has

connotations of them being savages, uncivilised and uneducated.

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“His lips were brown, not pink like they should be” pg.6

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Black people are abnormal and therefore inferior to white people. Alternatively it

could show the naivety of people living Britain.

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“big nigger man” pg.6

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This casual racism is more shocking as it is a child using it, showing how racism was

deeply rooted in English society so much so that children would use it.

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“It was warm and slightly sweaty like anyone else’s” pg.6

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Again Levy shows us the British assumption that as black people look different they

must ‘work’ differently too.

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“’Have you seen Sugar? She’s one of you.’” Pg.15

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We see an ‘us’ and ‘them’ quality here and this distinction shows how differently

black people were treated and viewed in 1940’s Britain.

•

“this working white man could have thought me so stupid” pg.16

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As readers it’s here that we see the beginning of Hortense’s disillusionment of how

life was like for black people in Britain and her surprise makes us sympathise more with her.

•

“’You know about bells and knockers? You got them where you come from?’” pg.17

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Again we see the assumption of black people’s inferiority and primitiveness.

•

“dark, brown walls. A broken chair that rested one uneven leg on a Holy Bible…torn

……….curtain…rusty tap…two chairs-one with its back broken” pg.20-21 -

Everything they have is broken and second hand and as it’s described as the “best”

that could be find we feel even more shocked by the conditions that they are living in. This shock and sympathy we feel for Hortense is greater as we know what Hortense was expecting “white pillars”, “grand stairways”

•

“her white glove is black” pg.28

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Levy could be implying here that however much Hortense may want to live the life of

an upper class white women, she will always be black and so can’t live the life she would want.

•

“This light-skinned, green-eyed boy had looked the most trustworthy student” pg.68

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Even amongst black people, those who are white are seen as superior and more

“trustworthy”. This shows how black people have been oppressed and told they are inferior for so long that they had started to believe it.

•

“Those white women whose superiority encircled them like an aureole” pg.69

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The word “encircled” implies that their “superiority” cannot be escaped and implies

that in turn a black women is “encircled” by her inferiority.

•

“‘if this Hitler man wins this war he will bring back slavery….We will work for no pay’

‘I ….

.work for no pay now,’” pg.71

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This shows that although they were told that life would be worse if Hitler were in

power and they would be slaves again. However Levy shows us that although not labelled as slaves black people were still treated as such.

•

“Those men who left for the war with spirited cheer returned looking around them as

bemused as convicts. In their ill-fitting suits or uniforms that would soon no longer be theirs” -

The word “convicts implies that black people were being punished for a wrong doing

and yet they had fought for “The Mother Country”, this provides the reader with a sense of injustice. Also the words “ill-fitting” imply that the “suits” weren’t made for them and black people were given anything to wear. The final sentence suggest that they will no longer “belong” to Britain, they had done their duty and then they should go home. National:

• -

“this African man…would have been a chief or a prince in Africa” pg.7 Here we see the arrogance of the British of the time, this man would have been very

important in his country and yet they have him standing in an exhibition for white people.

• -

“sun’s heat on my face gradually change from roasting to caressing” pg.11 The word “roasting” has connotations of being unbearable and stifling, whereas

“caressing” suggests a comforting and almost motherly touch. This shows the lack of national identity Hortense has, she feels that Britain is better than her own country. • -

“I did not know what she was talking about as regards to this ‘white island’” pg. 13 Her assumption that the Isle of Wight refers to a “’white island’” shows her lack of

knowledge about Britain, showing that she left her home to go to a place she knows little about and yet she’s convinced it will be better than her old life.

•

“Men in suits and bow-ties and smart hats…dark, scruffy coats with hand-knitted

……….scarves” pg.14 -

The stark contrast between the black men arriving and those greeting them shows

how differently black people living in Britain are treated and how much money they have in comparison to those living in Jamaica. This makes the reader sympathise with them as thy know that those arriving were expecting a better life in Britain but know this wasn’t the case.

• -

“English pronunciation competition” pg.16 This shows the lack of national identity in countries like Jamaica at the time as in

schools children competed to sound the ‘most British’.

• -

“’the Mother Country’” pg.33 pg.59 pg.75 pg.78 The constant reference to Britain as this shows how black people viewed Britain. As

their true home, and perhaps even that it loves them as a mother would a child and yet we know that this isn’t the case.

•

“‘you should learn to speak properly as the King of England does. Not in this rough

…...country way.’” Pg.43 -

Again we see Hortense’s lack of national identity she feels that to speak in an

English accent is ‘proper’ but to speak in her native tongue is primitive and inproper.

•

“‘men who are fighting to protect the people of Great Britain from the threat of invasion

…..by Germans are gallant heroes’” pg.80 -

The men were fighting and risking their lives to protect a country that not only had

they never been too but that treated them little better than slaves. Social: • -

“ill-fitting, fraying best suits” pg. 2 Their best suits didn’t fit properly and were breaking and yet those in the highest

classes would brun a suit such as this.

• -

“’Australia- you? You daft beggar,’ Father laughed” pg.4 It was assumed that if you were of working class you couldn’t achieve anything or

have dreams of your own.

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“‘I am pleased to see you are taking this news in a befitting manner. It does not do to get

…..too emotional on these occasions. True grief is silence.’” Pg.79 -

Here we see the expectations of society, no matter what you’re feeling you must hide

it and grieve in private. Religious: •

“a grace that sometimes went on long enough for neck to get stiff with the prayer” pg.41

•

“clutching his Bible like a weapon”

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“This private school was run by Mr and Mrs Ryder….‘It is for the poor people that we

have been sent to do this.’” Pg.44 •

“‘My son was found in an ungodly embrace with that woman’” pg.57