Black Shack Alley Sparknotes

Black Shack Alley

Education, by definition, is the process of receiving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university. In Joseph Zobel’s, Black Shack Alley, we come across many different forms of education. José, the protagonist, moves from the plantation town, Petit-Bourg, to a more urbanized town, Fort-de-France. His home town, Petit-Bourg has a sugar cane plantation where his grandmother, Mman Tine, works. She doesn’t want him to end up in the petites-bandes, the group of children who work in the field, so she works very hard to give José opportunities so he can have a better life. José is motivated by Mman Tine’s efforts to provide for him and works very hard in school. His hard work pays of when he gets the opportunity

to attend the lycée in Fort-de-France. The education he receives differs based on the wealth of the environment. José’s education comes from two very different places, a wealthy town and a poor country, and is not limited to lessons learned in school, but expanded to lessons learned from the people around him.
In the town of Fort-de-France, José attends a lycée, a secondary school, which he receives a quarter scholarship.

The more developed teaching methods there match the town’s urban society. The education is more formal and way more expensive. “One had to be fully and properly dressed, and speak French there”(51). José is aware that he is the only child who grew up on a plantation, “I was the only one of my kind”(128). All around him in school were kids who grew up in wealthy families. The children can afford to have lunch every day and have extravagant items José could only dream of having. “[. . .]Carrying leather schoolbags, pens with golden rings, and watches!”(128). The wealthy society of this town differed greatly from the poverty of José’s Black Shack Alley. Because the families were so wealthy in this area, schooling was not a privilege as it was in Petit-Bourg, so teachers did not encourage the students to do their best. “In Petit-Bourg the school masters saw to it that you learned your lessons and did your homework. [. . .]in this lycée, you did as little as you wanted”(129). The teachers in the lycée didn’t have a connection with José like Mr. Roc did. One of his teachers even said José was a “student of little interest”(129). José was isolated in the prestigious school of Fort-de-France, but thrived in his familiar environment in

Petit-Bourg.
José grew up in poverty in his country-like plantation environment of Petit-Bourg.

In his poverty, José learns basic education, but also about the society he lives in. His school in Petit-Bourg is with other kids who have the same lifestyle as he does. José receives his elementary education in Petit-Bourg. His path of education starts at this school and José thrives and forms a good relationship with his teacher, Mr. Roc. “Mr. Roc told me all of that without betraying any emotion[. . .]which I could sense a feeling of anticipated joy”(119). Mr. Roc sees José’s potential and works with him so he can pass the Scholarship Examination and go to

Fort-de-France.
Mr. Roc was not his only teacher in Petit-Bourg. Mr. Médouze, an old man who lives next door, teaches him titims, riddles, and superstitions relevant to his culture and beliefs. José learns many superstitions from Médouze such as, “Always close the door when you’re inside the shack at night”(33). He also becomes aware of the world outside his village, such as Guinea, where Mr. Médouze was from. “Thus at the mere intervention of Mr. Médouze, the world expanded, increased, teemed in a swirl around me”(30). Médouze allows José’s mind to expand and have more imaginations, he opens up a new world for José. “[. . .]to discover how a world of inanimate objects managed to resemble and be identified with a world of people and animals”(30).
Through self-discovery, José learns of the impoverished society where he lives. The black people of the plantation are not treated property; they are worked to death and not paid enough. As a result, the people lack the basic necessities of life such as food. “Pangs of hunger again gripped me”(100). As he ages in this plantation town, he learns about the harsh reality of his home he once thought was so great, “we children enjoyed it immensely”(11). He understands that the plantation is no longer a playground, but rather “a damnable place where executioners[. . .]condemned black people”(122).
José learns about the different societies of these places during his time. The poorer society of Petit-Bourg and Petit Mourne differ greatly from the urban and rich lifestyle of the people of Fort-de-France. A significant difference, maybe even a contradiction, between the two schools, was how diligently the students had to work in their lessons. In Petit-Bourg, the children had to work or they would be punished, but in Fort-de-France, the children “could do as little was you wanted”(129). This “contradiction” is very important because it shows the differences in the social class of the town and the country. In the poorer country, education is taken very seriously and is a privilege because many kids end up working in the petites-bandes. Education is seen as their way out of poverty, “with that knowledge, I was sure I wouldn’t have to go to work on the plantations and that I had a chance to become a factory worker”(91). However, in the lycée, which is located in a wealthy town, education is not taken as seriously because most of the children are born into rich families. Zobel most likely added this contrast to show the different lifestyle between a rich town and a poor country.
José’s experiences with education throughout his childhood, mainly teach him about the social structure that takes place in his home, Martinique. The two types of neighborhoods José lives in affect the education he receives. The poor plantation town teaches him more in school and also about society and culture. On the other hand, the rich, urban town doesn’t teach him as much as his hometown did. The differences between the education he receives is important because it displays the different social classes present at the time.