When beginning this novel, I
found myself struggling. I could not emerge myself into the story. All the notes on
the bottom of the pages, I felt as though I was reading two separate novels;
one fictional and the other non-fictional. Once I got the hang of the structure
of this novel I really got into it. The first theme I picked up on was the transition
of power. From the abolishment of slavery both whites and blacks are recreating
their identities in this new world. Many whites are going from being wealthy to
living an impoverished life. Whites in Dominica are not only dealing with
impoverishment in the economic standards but also in a loss of power. During part
one, Antoinette runs into many characters who do not like her because of the
color of her skin. One little girl sings a song to Antoinette as she walks down
the street, “Go away white cockroach, go away, go away. White cockroach, go
away, go away. Nobody want you. Go away” (13). The interesting dynamic in this novel is that Antoinette was not alive
while slavery was still legally allowed, but she is paying for the actions of
her ancestors because of the color of her skin. The same way slaves were forced
into to slavery because of the color of their skin. The thriving of power and
identity is coming full circle during the beginning of the novel. There is also
a part in the novel where Antoinette is playing with her friend Tia and they
get into an argument about money, “Keep them then, you cheating nigger...That’s
not what she hear, she said. She hear all we poor like beggar… Old time white
people nothing but white nigger now, and black nigger better than white nigger”
(14). This quote really highlights the shift in power, not exactly from white
to black but definitely out of the white people’s hands. It also shows the consiquences of slavery not only for blacks but also for whites. There is a desperate feeling
of trying to create an identity where one was lost.
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