Merle Hodge’s novella Crick Crack, Monkey illustrates that Western culture has not only physically colonized the Caribbean nations, but also has colonized the minds of the community. The novella focuses on Cynthia, a young Caribbean girl whose Aunts share a similar desire for her to overcome her “ornery” background and become Westernized through education. Cynthia’s altering alienation from and acclimation to the different tiers of society parallel her progress through the Caribbean school system. As Cynthia rises above one tier of society and enters the next, she realizes that she will be unable to return to her origins, which leaves her feeling alienated from her “mother country”. Her feelings of alienation increase as she becomes more aware
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The Westernized education system prevents Cynthia and the rest of the students from effectively learning the nuances of either their indigenous or their colonized cultures. Cynthia’s father’s request that she travel to England signals her travelling to the “fatherland” that is England, thus contributing to her physical abandonment of her “mother country,” as well as her mental abandonment of its values. Travelling to England, the “fatherland,” provides significance to Cynthia’s Westernized education and her expedition will bridge the gap that the school system created between her indigenous culture and the Westernized society: “as she is anguished and conflicted internally about her new middle-class habits, [Cynthia’s] status externally rises when she is called by her father to England” (Katrak par. 16). Cynthia’s social status increases when she travels to England, and confirms the relevance of her Westernized education in this context only. Had Cynthia remained in her native country, her education would have continued to alienate her from her countrymen. Had Cynthia remained in her native country, she would have been forced to continue to hide her true self in order to conform to the Westernized social status she attained through her
The Westernized education system prevents Cynthia and the rest of the students from effectively learning the nuances of either their indigenous or their colonized cultures. Cynthia’s father’s request that she travel to England signals her travelling to the “fatherland” that is England, thus contributing to her physical abandonment of her “mother country,” as well as her mental abandonment of its values. Travelling to England, the “fatherland,” provides significance to Cynthia’s Westernized education and her expedition will bridge the gap that the school system created between her indigenous culture and the Westernized society: “as she is anguished and conflicted internally about her new middle-class habits, [Cynthia’s] status externally rises when she is called by her father to England” (Katrak par. 16). Cynthia’s social status increases when she travels to England, and confirms the relevance of her Westernized education in this context only. Had Cynthia remained in her native country, her education would have continued to alienate her from her countrymen. Had Cynthia remained in her native country, she would have been forced to continue to hide her true self in order to conform to the Westernized social status she attained through her