Here Comes the Sun: Deconstructed Student EssaysMain MenuAFR 283: Islands, Archipelagoes and Black Women's Literature“The islands provide me, from a technical point of view, a microcosm in which can be seen in sharp relief many of the basic problems and conflicts which beset oppressed peoples everywhere.” -Paule Marshall, “Shaping the World of My Art”Critical VocabularyLanding page for Critical Vocab TermsUnessaysThis is the launchpad for deconstructed essaysRandi Gill-Sadler4a914792fbfb2078ef84e08319c412098bd9b469
Jamaica at the MoMA
12024-05-03T03:33:08+00:00Mav Smith9a861b1984986195f3a33a732e08ba264e4a372c14Digital Print, created by Arlene Hoffman in 1980 entitled Jamaica. The text on the bottom of the print says, “We’re More than a beach. We’re a Country.” This print made me uncomfortable, not only because it’s held by the MoMA in New York, but also because it features women in bathing suits — one in the nude — clearly laying on the beach. The words at the bottom of the print do little to deter from the imaging of the women. I have spoken thoroughly about the gendered aspects of the Tourism Industry, and how women’s bodies are made available to be penetrated and explored, therefore; for this primary source I will go directly to Dennis-Benn’s novel to consider the theoretical work it does to dismantle the authority and prevalence of this kind of images.plain1672024-05-08T01:14:43+00:00Mav Smith9a861b1984986195f3a33a732e08ba264e4a372cNicole Dennis-Benn's Novel, Here Comes the SunWritten in 2016, Here Comes the Sun, is set in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The novel scrutinizes the Tourism Industry and explores its impact on the Jamaican populace. The novel accounts the experiences and identities of four women, Margot [the protagonist], Thandi [Margot’s younger sister], Delores [Margot’s mother], and Verdene [Margot’s lover]. From the perspective of these women, Dennis-Benn examines Jamaican society and contends with social ills, such as skin bleaching, homophobia, sex work, and rape. The novel narrates the sacrifices and expenses that produce “Paradise” for tourists to consume. At the novel’s close, Margot has all she dreamed of, but is left standing alone.
12024-05-07T01:04:56+00:00Mav Smith9a861b1984986195f3a33a732e08ba264e4a372cTour Guide [Dennis-Benn, 10]2In the image above, the narrator explicitly mentions Margot’s “additional” job. From this point on, the novel showcases that the Sex Industry and Tourism Industry are inextricably linked to one another. This linkage not only showcases how “Romance” appears in the Tourism Industry but also highlights the unrestricted access to the land, natural resources, and bodies of black women. Moreover, it emphasizes how employees, like Margot, are expected to serve and cater to the desire and fantasies of the Tourists.media/Dennis-Benn. Here Comes The Sun, 10.pdfplain2024-05-07T19:52:13+00:00Mav Smith9a861b1984986195f3a33a732e08ba264e4a372c
12024-05-07T01:08:53+00:00Mav Smith9a861b1984986195f3a33a732e08ba264e4a372cDennis-Benn. Here Comes The Sun, 61.pdf3The image above is a sexual exchange between Margot and her longtime client, Horace, a German Tourist. Margot’s “additional” job, as a sex worker and “Boss Lady” [pimp] further cements the linkage between Sex and the Tourism Industry. Horace uses Margot’s body to fulfill his fantasies and desires. Horace is given unrestricted access to exert control over and exploit the land and the bodies of black women.media/Dennis-Benn. Here Comes The Sun, 61.pdfplain2024-05-08T01:13:32+00:00Mav Smith9a861b1984986195f3a33a732e08ba264e4a372c