In Marlon James’ work, Book of Night Women, James explores how the life of a slave was an eternal, almost hopeless struggle, specifically in colonial Jamaica. As James’ quote states: “Every negro walk in a circle. Take that and make of it what you will.” This quote captures the structure and experiences of slaves in Jamaica for no matter what happened in their lives, all “road[s] [took] [them] right back to the chain” (120). However, even though these slaves knew the cycle of oppression seemed hopeless, some “made of it what they will,” and used their lives, to bring hope, resist, and lay the foundation for others’ freedom. This is most evident in James’ character Lilith, who at the book’s end may still be a slave physically, but mentally began
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The concept of race itself is manufactured by mankind; yet, in colonial Jamaica, as in other areas, whites subjugated blacks into slavery, and used skin color as the decisive explanation for the inhuman practice. Thus, there existed a notion of white skin being “good” and black skin being “inferior” in society. This belief seeped into the structure of colonial Jamaica, and crept into how slaves viewed their lot in life. If they believed they were lesser, they would continue the cycle of being in a state of oppression. In James’ Book of Night Women, Lilith is a curious character in that she is half white. Near the beginning of the book, Lilith constantly remarks that she is better than the other slaves, most notably due to her being half white, and her looks. Thus, the belief that white skin is better than black skin is further perpetuated by the slaves themselves, keeping them walking in the “circle” of oppression. Furthermore, Lilith takes great pride in her white features, such as her green eyes, and stares at herself constancy (90). Lilith even attempts to be more “white” and in one instance “spen[t] a whole night with a comb to straighten her hair” like a white woman; yet, “the hair stay negro and curl back’ pon itself” (90). Additionally, whites, particularly white women, did not want their genes to mix with the “lesser” black genes. Pallas, one of Lilith’s half-sisters, was made to hide her red hair under a head wrap for it reminded others, specifically Miss Isobel, that the “inferior” race had to mix with the “superior” white race to produce her (405). This was considered “scandalous,” but as long as it was out of sight, it was out of mind. It is not until the slave revolt that Pallas finally takes off her head wrap. Thus, for most of her life she wore the covering, feeding into the cycle of oppression. Coercion and force were probably used to make these slaves hide
The concept of race itself is manufactured by mankind; yet, in colonial Jamaica, as in other areas, whites subjugated blacks into slavery, and used skin color as the decisive explanation for the inhuman practice. Thus, there existed a notion of white skin being “good” and black skin being “inferior” in society. This belief seeped into the structure of colonial Jamaica, and crept into how slaves viewed their lot in life. If they believed they were lesser, they would continue the cycle of being in a state of oppression. In James’ Book of Night Women, Lilith is a curious character in that she is half white. Near the beginning of the book, Lilith constantly remarks that she is better than the other slaves, most notably due to her being half white, and her looks. Thus, the belief that white skin is better than black skin is further perpetuated by the slaves themselves, keeping them walking in the “circle” of oppression. Furthermore, Lilith takes great pride in her white features, such as her green eyes, and stares at herself constancy (90). Lilith even attempts to be more “white” and in one instance “spen[t] a whole night with a comb to straighten her hair” like a white woman; yet, “the hair stay negro and curl back’ pon itself” (90). Additionally, whites, particularly white women, did not want their genes to mix with the “lesser” black genes. Pallas, one of Lilith’s half-sisters, was made to hide her red hair under a head wrap for it reminded others, specifically Miss Isobel, that the “inferior” race had to mix with the “superior” white race to produce her (405). This was considered “scandalous,” but as long as it was out of sight, it was out of mind. It is not until the slave revolt that Pallas finally takes off her head wrap. Thus, for most of her life she wore the covering, feeding into the cycle of oppression. Coercion and force were probably used to make these slaves hide