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
This passage uses strong language. Words such as "belong" and "us" denote possession over the land by the people of Willow Springs, not by the neocolonial power of the United States.
1media/IMG_7611_thumb.jpg2024-05-01T18:46:46+00:00Liam Maurillo35d4807d872a32d0acd1978d90c786506b31bb24Resilience and Independence6Despite only being a few sentences, this short passage sheds light on the fact that the people of Willow Springs earned their right to their land through retaliation and generations of hard-fought struggles. These people have maintained their independence for nearly 200 years from the United States, one of the world's largest colonial superpowers. Across the world, from the Caribbean to the Pacific, the United States has a history of colonization and conquest. Despite being just offshore of Georgia and South Carolina, Willow Springs has been able to hold its independence from the United States. The actions of and qualities embodied by the people of Willow Springs demonstrate that traditional colonial narratives of islands and archipelagos are not always the case. Throughout world history, colonizers have fought to gain control of islands and archipelagos worldwide. As mentioned, these island colonies served as strategic moneymakers for the colonial powers. The rich grew richer while certain groups were marginalized, creating a near-irreversible socioeconomic and racial divide. Willow Springs neglects this narrative of colonization and exploitation because the people who call it home have fought to keep things the way they want them to be. This community demonstrates how unity among a small group can rival that of a world superpower such as the United States. Willow Springs, as well as other minority groups such as the people of River Bend in Here Comes the Sun and the Maroons in I Tituba, demonstrate how methods of peaceful and forceful retaliation can be successful in achieving freedom from colonial rule. They contest the traditional narratives of island geographies as they counter their traditional power structures. (Naylor 5)media/IMG_7611.jpgplain2024-05-02T02:08:12+00:00Liam Maurillo35d4807d872a32d0acd1978d90c786506b31bb24