Oppression and Rebellion: A Study of Caribbean Colonial Influence

Through the era of colonization, several powerful European countries like France and Great Britain colonized the Caribbean Islands. On account of the Europeans settlement in these beautiful islands, they established a different cultural system among the Caribbean population. After the Independence of the Caribbean land mass, a conflict between civilians occurred as the leaders have changed, this change created an unjust, and a cruel exercise of authority among many innocent citizens. Edwidge Danticat’s novel, Krik? Krak!, and Austin Clarke’s text, Growing Up Stupid Under the Union Jack, illustrate oppression of a higher authority towards lower people. The social performance of inserting restrictions on an individual is a pitiless action.

Pressure is a part of oppression. Danticat’s novel, Krik? Krak!, the Macoute

Military has control over the people of Port-Au-Prince.

This group is a semi-militarized force that follows an organizational structure, and receives training that is similar to a professional military. Although, this military is not a part of a state’s formal armed forces. Dictator Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier created the operation. In opposing place, a group of youth federation is revolting against Duvalier’s military. However, a small group of the youth federation organizes meetings between them, they rebel against the Macoutes, they put slogans, and their strongest desire: they want Papa Doc to vanish in his superior position. The people of the state of Port-Au-Prince feel that “they are always watching you, like vultures” (Danticat, 8). Clarke’s text, Growing Up Stupid Under the Union Jack, a boy named Clarke was admitted to Combermere School, it is a secondary school in Barbados. When he got accepted to

attend this school, his village rejoices for him in hope of becoming the greatest student. Although this might be true, the town has already labeled high expectations upon him, which result pressure. At the same moment, the town celebrates for his respected mother who has achieved an impressive opportunity higher than what their village had expected her to get. Henceforth, people starts telling Clarke that he should go further, go learn, and that’s how he is going to become a real man. The boy have the idea of “achiev[ing] something beyond the expectations of the Village” (Clarke, 159). As can be seen in both texts, pressure is put upon everyone. Therefore, the person is force to obey somewhat, since a superior authority demanded to do so.

No one likes being force to do some extent that is not in someone’s will. Being unable to fight back is such a horrible emotion. Danticat's novel, all through Papa Doc’s dictatorship in Haiti, countless innocent lives were taken away. Due to savage soldiers, they force its state’s citizens to do such horrid acts to their family. They make children become intimate with their parents. Otherwise, if the child disobeys the imbecile soldier, he or she will get a bullet in the head. Moreover, Macoute soldiers shoot people with their machine guns for no adequate reason. The soldiers seem to be amused in doing what they are doing, as no one else has the power to prevent them from doing so. All power is within the Duvalier military’s hands with their machine weapons, “the soldiers can come and do with us what they want” (Danticat, 13). Clarke's text, everybody is expecting the little boy to become a doctor, for the reason that they believe that being a doctor as a profession is decent. Being a doctor will create people’s respect. The village objectifies Clarke's future. Does the boy even want to pursue that profession? Nobody seems to ask what the boy truthfully wants to do in his life instead each person is deviating him to do such thing, that he doesn't even imagine of doing. Even his mother tells him, "imaging greater things. "I want you to be a doctor, hear?"" (Clarke, 161). Despite the oppression, every person is putting on Clarke, he is a very intelligent person, and he becomes in fact excellent friends with the boys in his school in Barbados. However, he is also known as the rascal in his school. Clarke is just a boy still trying to figure out what he truly wants in life.

Threatening someone to do such an ugly act is a cruel exercise of abusing authority. Danticat's novel, show several horrific events that the soldiers do. The soldiers are aware of the power they posses, and they sure take advantage of it. Soldiers are savages they "held a gun to Lionel's head and ordered him to lie down and become intimate with his mother...When they were done, they arrested Lionel, accusing him with moral crimes" (Danticat, 23). The poor harmless civilians have to live with a corrupted governmental system as they continue to stay in Port-Au-Prince. There are not many people who are fortunate enough to own money to be able to move out the state. Only few are fortunate enough to be able to buy their life for an unpredictable amount of time. Some families strive to move to Ville Rose as quick as they can, a civilized state, where everything would be improved. Clarke's text, educational institutions are run by a British system. Teachers must be named with the proper title such as ‘Sir’, or ‘Miss’ to show respect. When given an authority to speak, the student must stand up to give an appropriate discussion with the rest of the group. All students are required to dress in proper uniforms to be able to go to school similar to London school regulations. If school dress code is violated, a punishment is given to the student who disobeyed the establishment’s regulations. Moreover, teachers enforce students to learn in their way, they teach them strictly, one of Clarke’s teachers says, “You’ll remain the savages you are, if you don’t read the English poets!” (Clarke, 192). This is likely putting a gun on the student’s head to force them do something they don’t want. Threatening, and scaring the defenseless person is a merciless use of authority.

In conclusion, Edwidge Danticat’s novel, Krik? Krak!, and Austin Clarke’s text, Growing Up Stupid Under the Union Jack, illustrate oppression towards powerless people. The use of pressure, force, and threats towards defenseless citizens is an unjust, and a cruel abuse of authority. People in power place take advantage, for the reason that they are the ones who have the machine guns to scare all the defenseless. Thus, the defenseless is left unspoken, and angry. Oppression results disaster in a community. Let’s get together to build a change for the better place for everyone.