What Does Blackness Mean for Jamaica Kincaid?

Allison S Curseen62 Comments

Identify a specific formal element and briefly explain:

In the prose “Blackness”, written by Jamaica Kincaid, the author frequently mentions blackness. Blackness not only is the main idea of the prose, but it also has many different layers and meanings to it. The narrator has a complicated and conflicted relationship with blackness. From my understanding, there are three to four main sections in this prose where she talks about different sides of the meaning of blackness to her. The first part is she talks about her relationship with blackness. In the second and third parts, she brings up two vivid scenes that she imagines in her head. The first scene is when soldiers marched into her house and left with bullets and cannons flying. The second scene is connected with the end of the first story. It describes a little girl who woke up after the soldiers destroyed the house and made a lot of noise. In the last section, the author brings us back to talking about blackness itself.

Contextualize: Support the element with textual evidence

In order to correspond with the complicated meanings of blackness discussed by Jamaica, there is a lot of textual evidence to back up each point that is mentioned above. First of all, the narrator has a very conflicted relationship with blackness because she says, “The blackness cannot bring me joy but often I am made glad in it. The blackness cannot be separated from me but often I can stand outside it.” Then, she referred to the wars that went on during her time by saying, “I dreamed of bands of men who walked aimlessly, their guns and cannons slackened at their sides, the chambers emptied of bullets and shells. They had fought in a field from time to time and from time to time they grew tired of it.” Moreover, she describes her daughter as, “Her skin is without color, and when passing through a small beam of light, she is made transparent. Her eyes are ruby, revolving orbs.” She also writes, “Oh look at my child as she stands boldly now, one foot in the dark, the other in the light. Moving from pool to pool, she absorbs each special sensation for and of itself.”

Claim: The purpose of the element

From my understanding, the term blackness is used as a metaphor for many difficulties which the author has experienced. However, it also plays a huge role in the author’s identity. Therefore, she navigated a way to own and be proud of her blackness.

Explicate: How did I reach this claim

She discovers happiness and joy when she is immersed in blackness. However, when she becomes wrapped in turmoil and anarchy, she doesn’t enjoy blackness anymore. This story shows the different types of blackness that can either motivate one’s life with fulfillment and accomplishment, or bring someone down with inferiority, depression, and stress. The element, blackness, relates a lot to Jamaica Kincaid’s upbringing, family, and historical background during that period. When Jamaica Kincaid was growing up, she had two younger brothers. She was being emotional and financially ignored as a kid growing up. Thus, she wasn’t the happiest child growing up. Moreover, being black during that period was very difficult because black people suffered a lot of racial inequality. Furthermore, the world was not in its best shape when Jamaica was born because World war II just ended right before she was born, and the Vietnam war took place a little after. It is why she mentions battlefields, soldiers with guns, and house invasion in this prose. Last but not least, Jamaica also mentioned her child in the prose. Since her husband was white, their child is light-skinned. This is why she said, “Her skin is without color, and when passing through a small beam of light, she is made transparent. Her eyes are ruby, revolving orbs.” In my opinion, Jamaica talks about her child in this prose with some more profound intentions. She says, “Oh look at my child as she stands boldly now, one foot in the dark, the other in the light. Moving from pool to pool, she absorbs each special sensation for and of itself.” Because her daughter is half-white and half-black, she is considered to be racially superior and can enjoy more privileges in society than her mother. I think this is why Jamaica describes her daughter as standing boldly with one foot in the dark, and the other in the light. The dark side is her blackness, and the light is her whiteness. In the end, I read a little hint of self-abandon, or maybe relief, from her tone. As if she is inferring that her era is over, and all her hopes are on her offspring now. 

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