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Here Comes the Sun: Deconstructed Student Essays

Nicole Dennis-Benn on Sexuality

In this short excerpt, Nicole Dennis-Benn counters the colonial and neocolonial narratives of sexuality in islands and archipelagos by exposing the discriminatory discontinuities found in policies and social standards. As a now openly lesbian woman, she can connect personal experiences with growing up in Jamaica to sexuality and homosexual relations in the text. As the novel progresses, the homosexual relationship between Margot and Verdene develops as one of the central storylines of the plot. Through their relationship, the negative attitudes held by those living in Jamaica towards homosexual relations of any kind can be seen. After a previous relationship of Verdene's was discovered by the people of River Bank, she had to be sent away to England because if not, "she would've been arrested, maimed, mutilated, and buried" (Dennis-Benn 103). Through this, the systematic hatred and oppression towards members of the LGBTQ+ community in Jamaica becomes evident. Margot and Verdene are unable to go about their lives in the same way that a heterosexual couple would be able to do so. They would be publicly shunned, while those involved in far worse sexual actions could walk the streets of Jamaica freely, without fear of punishment. This puritanical perspective is ingrained in the colonial and neocolonial society of all current and former colonial powers, however, through Margot and Verdene's relationship, Dennis-Benn counters this rendering.

Further, Dennis-Benn exposes the over-sexualization of young women and girls to be morally wrong. Throughout the history of the colonization of the Caribbean, there has been a hypersexualization of the land of the islands themselves as well as the women who inhabitant them. As seen through the tourists who visit Jamaica in Here Comes the Sun, the sexualization of underaged girls is a common occurrence. This perspective has been present since colonial times and is instilled in the beliefs of many to this day. Many young girls are forced into the sex tourism industry because of their dependency on the oppressive system. While Dennis-Benn makes sex tourism a central theme of the novel, she does so in a way that counters the neocolonial perspective of it, allowing for it to be viewed as morally wrong but necessary for many to be involved in because of the imbalance of power on the island. (Shapiro)

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1. Addressing the Native Dependency on Neocolonialism The tourism industry across the Caribbean was built by the oppressors for the oppressors, and now the native populations are dependent on it. The system was created to keep the wealth in the hands of the colonial powers while preventing those of low economic status from succeeding in society. As seen in this excerpt from The Economic Impact of Tourism: Jamaican Residents' Perceptions, it is most difficult for the people to express displeasure with the system who most rely on it. Even though they are oppressed by it, it provides them with the bare necessities for survival, making it difficult for many to speak up against it. Colonial narratives fail to address this harsh reality, but it is a prominent theme exposed in Here Comes the Sun. Through the characters of Margot and Delores, it is evident that despite being oppressed by the societal standards set by the tourism industry, they accept their place and work in the tourism industry to be able to provide for themselves as well as Thandi. (Frater)
2. Resistance Against Colonial Oppression This passage from Maryse Condé's I Tituba reveals the presence of Maroons on the island of Barbados. Maroons were groups of formerly enslaved people who escaped and hid from colonial rule in remote areas of the Caribbean Islands. Being a member of these groups was very dangerous as there was the constant fear of being recaptured and punished. The formation of these Maroon groups demonstrated the power of those enslaved in the Caribbean and proved their ability to go against colonial rule. Because of their ability to hide away in remote areas of islands, Maroon camps could go years without being found. While many of the revolts by the Maroons were unsuccessful, there were a few that were successful enough to overthrow colonial rule. When Tituba returns to Barbados after spending years in the United States, she is shocked to discover how much the Maroons have grown in prevalence since she left. Although the group of Maroons in I Tituba were not successful at overthrowing colonial rule on the island of Barbados, their resilience and rebellious nature exposed the vulnerabilities in the systems put in place by colonial powers across the Caribbean. Because they showed the very flawed colonial systems, traditional narratives fail to share the stories of these groups as they harm the reputations of the seemingly indestructible forces that were the colonizers of the Caribbean. Through Black female archipelagic literature, this alternate and unheard perspective of history can be shared, and colonial renderings of island geographies can be contested. (Condé 143)

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