SMALL ISLAND

ABSTRACT

The novel, ‘Small Island’, is written by Andrea Levy and is based on the time when the East
Enders migrated to England, to serve in odd jobs and to earn livelihood. This was the time when
racism in England was at its zenith and a human being was differentiated from the others by
virtue of the colour of his skin. This caused a lot of slavery and trauma to the so-called ‘Blacks’,
who were treated with contempt and hatred.

This age inspired a number of literary pieces based on this theme of racism and slavery,
distinguishing man from man on the basis of his colour and ethnic background. It was not only
dehumanising but also very demeaning, inspiring a number of strong written versions of
expression of anguish.

This novel is an attempt to do the same. However, it is not the author who takes up the task
of story narration, and in turn imposes her thoughts. Instead, the author gives greater levels fo
autonomy to her four principle characters to take turns and narrate the story! Thus, it is akin to a
personal account of the experience of these individuals, set in racist England.

This write-up is an attempt to sketch the character of Hortense, who is a migrant from the
island of Jamaica. Her character is round, and undergoes a number of changes, spiritually and
psychologically through the novel. This is exactly what I have attempted to chalk out, in this
paper.

CHARACTER-SKETCH OF HORTENSE

The character of Hortense is representative of the average immigrant from the island of
Jamaica, who comes to England with dreams to pursue a career. Through her character, the
author gives the readers an insight into the mindset and expectations that these immigrants
envisage; and how they face sheer disappointment and trauma on reaching the place and living in
the midst of racially abusive individuals.

UPBRINGING

Hortense’s character is carved on the dynamic side. Hortense was the daughter of a learned
and respected person, Lovell Roberts. He is referred to, as “a man of class”. Hortense’s
childhood was not that of a typical ‘Black’ Jamaican. She was above them—she had skin “the
colour of warm honey” and was certainly not ‘Black’. She received class education to become a
teacher and possessed polished manners and behaviour. Her hands were adorned with white
gloves and she certainly was, a picture of class. Hortense was disappointed with her career as a
teacher in Jamaica, since she had to teach the ‘Blacks’ and not polished youngsters of class.

INITIAL RACIST VIEWS

This initial description is a give away into the racist Jamaican society. There existed deep-
rooted racism, based on the colour of skin. For instance, Hortense was considered a cut above the
rest, since she did not have black’ skin like the others and possessed a honey-coloured
complexion. This establishes the fact that she belonged to the so-called higher strata of the
society, back home in Jamaica.

She was proud of her skin-tone that was her passport to a higher class in society. She
certainly did possess racist views and loathed having to teach the Black children, who were
‘wretched’, as she felt. Thus, the initial phase of the novel is quite a revelation of Hortense’s
early life, her racist views and ambitions of making it big in her career.

SHIFT IN PERCEPTIONS WITH SHIFT IN PLACE

She married Gilbert, who is scheduled to move to England, for the sole reason that she too
could get to go to England. She marries him in spite of him being a typical ‘Black’ and joins him
as he lands in England. However, she is disappointed initially, by her husband’s coarse
behaviour and ignorance in comparison to her class and knowledge. However, as time progresses
and she grows to understand Gilbert, who is generous, thoughtful, humourous and pleasant. By
the end of the novel, she is completely in love with her husband.

While this outlines her upbringing and her personal life, the novel adopts as the main theme,
the harrowing experiences of the Jamaicans, who immigrated to England. Hortense and Gilbert
stand for these Jamaicans, who are racially abused in England. Hortense, who hails from a high-
class Jamaican society, is in for a rude shock. She is treated as one of the Black immigrants, in
England and is racially abused.

ADAPTATION AND REFINEMENT

Being brought up in a superior position and on the comfortable side of racist abuse in
Jamaica, she is pushed into the other abused side, in England. This is completely devastating,
since her misconceptions about her superiority and racist views are contradicted. This sets pace
for the rest of her novel, which is characterised by her attempts to adjust to the society.

Her first major disappointment is with the fact that her education to become a teacher in
Jamaica is rejected in England and this is the starting point of her adaptation woes. She not only
learns to adjust to the society and its preconceived notions and hypocritical approach, but also to
the demands of her personal relationship with her husband.

GRASS ON EITHER SIDES

She sort of gets a taste of her own misconceptions and prejudice against her fellow-
Jamaicans, while in Jamaica. Fortunately for Hortense, she finds a relatively kind land-lady in
Queenie, who does give her refuge when her neighbours abhor these immigrants from Jamaica.
However, Queenie being the practical kind, does charge them extra for the shelter she provides
them with. In fact, Hortense’s cousin becomes Queenie’s lover, who also impregnates her and
leaves. Thus, her relationship with Queenie is plane, quite different from that of what one could
expect from the relationship between a white land-lady and a Black tenant.
 Hortense, is thus, a character who is a part of both quarters of treatment. Initially, she belongs
to the prestigious part of societal divisions and as she shifts to England, she is pushed into the
lower part fo the fragmented society. She experiences both, the victorious and vanquishes sides
of racist abuse and this is what shapes her into a more understanding, experienced and practically
adaptive lady.

Thus, we see that Hortense’s character is a well-rounded one, and experiences development
and growth through the changing settings and experiences, interactions and circumstances of the
novel. The author ahs used Hortense as a tool to talk about racism, both in Jamaica and England,
pre-conceived notions that can destroy human interactions and relations and how one needs to
adapt oneself to changing circumstances in life.

REFERENCES

 Levy, Andrea, “Small Island”, Headline Review, February, 2004.

 Website: http://www.andrealevy.co.uk/eca4-1.html

 Website: www.picadorusa.com

 Website: http://books.guardian.co.uk/reviewbookclub/story/0,,1376251,00.html