Caribbean Verse: The History of Literature

Caribbean Verse: The History of Literature by Arturo Cattaneo     

    "How choose between this Africa and the English tongue that I love? Betray them both? or Give back what they give?"(88), this quote from Derek Walcott sums up the central purpose of the article in that people of the Caribbean often have trouble distinguishing their identity. The Caribbean is unique in it's language and often categorized based upon it. But making the Caribbean homogenize into a language similar to the United States would take a way a piece of their culture. Australian English and British English are a fair amount different from American English and represent a culture and a history central to their nation. I think despite any stereotypes that may come out, it is the Caribbean language that some view as broken English that is deeply ingrained in the people. The language is sort of English sort of from somewhere else and that represents the people there very well. They're sort of white identifying in a way but also are often mixed in with many different cultures. The Caribbean language outlines a long past and a long struggle for freedom and a culture and a life that was fought hard for.

    "The linear conception of history is rejected, the past is still felt of a heavy heritage of which it is not easy to know how to dispose"(91), David Williams brings to light how deeply ingrained the history of the Caribbean is to the people there. They've moved on but they can't forget the past and are so often reminded of it in the still existing racial and economic divides that are more present there than many other places in the world. You cannot at all forget a past that is still the entire basis of islands of people's entire lives. "like all great poetry it includes ethics and politics and it's authors are agreed that."(92), much of the Caribbean poetry is written in very heavy Caribbean jargon. While this isn't as clearly eloquent as British English it has just as much heart and just as deep of meaning at it's core. It tells the tales of struggles and overcoming adversity and building a better life for one another. Maybe the Caribbean tells a story of struggle but I think more than anything the Caribbean tells a story of overcoming struggle. 

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