Resistance against racism in Linton Kwesi Johnson's Inglan is a Bitch.

i

ABSTRACT

CHRISTIAN VICTOR. RESISTANCE AGAINST RACISM IN LINTON KWESI JOHNSONIS “INGLAN IS A BITCH”. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2015.

This thesis analyzes resistance against racism in a poem entitled “Inglan is a Bitch” written by Linton Kwesi Johnson. The poem belongs to the dub poetry genre, a genre born from the mixing of poetry and dub music. The poem tells us about the struggle of black people immigrants in England in dealing with racism. This poem is chosen because it gives a clear depiction of black people living in a racist society and the poem is unique because the language used is not Standard English but the variety of English which is Jamaican Creole.

There are two formulated problems to analyze the resistance against racism in the poem. The first is how the images in the poem are presented. The second is how the resistance against racism is reflected through the imagery in the poem.

The method applied in this undergraduate thesis is library research. There are two kinds of sources used in this study. The primary source is the poem itself, “Inglan is a Bitch”. The secondary sources are from the books of theory of literature, encyclopedia and internet. The approach used in analyzing the poem is postcolonial approach. By using this approach, the connection between racism, language and resistance can be known. Therefore, three theories are used to answer the formulated problems. Those theories are theory of imagery, theory of racism and theory of nation language.

ii

ABSTRAK

CHRISTIAN VICTOR. RESISTANCE AGAINST RACISM IN LINTON KWESI JOHNSONIS “INGLAN IS A BITCH”. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2015.

Skripsi ini membahas tentang perlawanan terhadap rasisme dalam puisi berjudul “Inglan is a Bitch” yang ditulis oleh Linton Kwesi Johnson. Puisi ini termasuk dalam jenis dub poetry yang merupakan campuran dari puisi dan musik dub. Puisi ini menggambarkan perjuangan imigran kulit hitam dalam menghadapi rasisme di Inggris. Puisi ini dipilih karena puisi ini memberikan gambaran yang jelas tentang kehidupan orang kulit hitam di tengah masyarakat yang rasis. Puisi ini juga unik karena tidak menggunakan bahasa Inggris Standar melainkan variasi dari bahasa Inggris yaitu Kreole Jamaika.

Terdapat dua rumusan masalah untuk menganalisa perlawanan terhadap rasisme dalam puisi ini. Yang pertama adalah bagaimana gambaran tentang ras diwujudkan dalam puisi ini. Yang kedua adalah bagaimana melalui gambaran yang ada Linton Kwesi Johnson merepresentasikan perlawanan terhadap rasisme.

Metode yang digunakan dalam skripsi ini adalah metode kepustakaan. Ada dua jenis sumber yang dipakai. Sumber utama adalah puisi “Inglan is a Bitch” itu sendiri. Sumber yang kedua adalah buku-buku teori sastra, ensiklopedia dan internet. Pendekatan yang digunakan adalah pendekatan poskolonial. Dengan menggunakan pendekatan ini, hubungan antara rasisme, bahasa dan perlawanan dapat diketahui. Oleh sebab itu, ada tiga teori yang digunakan untuk menjawab masalah yang telah dirumuskan. Teori-teori tersebut adalah teori gambaran, teori rasisme, dan teori nation language.

i

RESISTANCE AGAINST RACISM

IN LINTON KWESI JOHNSON’S “INGLAN IS A BITCH”

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

PresentedeasePartialeFulfillmenteofetheeRequirementse foretheeDegreeeifeSarjana Sastra

ineEnglisheLetterse e

e

Bye

CHRISTIAN VICTOR

StudenteNumber:e084214066e

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2015

e

vi

vii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

IewouldelikeetoegiveethankseandepraiseetoeGodeforeHiseunconditionalelovee

ande blessinge ine mye life,e especiallye duringe thee timese ine mye studye ande ine thee

completioneofethiseundergraduateethesis.e

e Ie woulde likee toe expresse mye sinceree gratitudee toe mye advisor,e Dr.e F.X.e

Siswadi,eM.A.,eforetheeguidanceeandecorrectionseduringetheeprocesseofecompletinge

theeundergraduateethesis,eandetoetheeco-advisoreDr.eG.eFajareSasmitaeAjieM.Hum.,e

whoereadseanderevisesethiseundergraduateethesis.e

Iewouldelikeetoededicateethiseundergraduateethesisetoemyebelovedefamily.e

Mye greateste gratitudee goese toe mye parents,e Bapake Jane F.M.e Hitipeuwe ande Ibue

SylvianaeTauran.eIethankethemeforetheelove,eprayers,eandesupportsetheyegaveeme.eIe

wouldealsoelikeetoethankeTanteeSannyeTauranewhoealwayseencouragesemeetoefinishe

myestudy,eandetoemyegodparentseBapak JacqueseHitipeuweandeIbu MariaeTaurane

foretheenever-endingeprayersetheyegaveetoeme.e

e IeamealsoegratefuletoemyedearestekontrakanefriendseAdoel,eHarioeandeKenane

fore thee supportse ande helpse theye gavee me.e Ie woulde alsoe likee toe bee thankfule toe

Yoceng,e Mase Muji,e Alweke ande Ririse fore thee inspirationse ande Bue Diahe fore thee

adviceeandeencouragement.e

e Laste bute note least,e Ie thanke alle Englishe Letters’e lecturerse ande thee staffe ofe

SanataeDharmaeUniversityeforetheeknowledgeeandeserviceeIegoteduringemyestudy,e

andeallemyefriendseineEnglisheLetterseforetheegreatefriendshipetheyegaveeme.e

viii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

e

TITLE PAGE...e ie

APPROVAL PAGE...e iie

ACCEPTANCE PAGE...e iiie

STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY...e ive

LEMBAR PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI...e ve

MOTTO PAGE...e vie

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSe...e viie

TABLE OF CONTENTS...e viiie

ABSTRACT...e ixe ABSTRAK...e xe e

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION...e 1e A.eeBackgroundeofetheeStudy...e 1e B.eeProblemeFormulation...e 4e C.eeObjectiveseofetheeStudy...e 4e D.eeDefinitioneofeTerms...e 5e e

CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE...e 6e A.eeRevieweofeRelatedeStudies...e 6e B.eeRevieweofeRelatedeTheories...e 13e 1.eeTheoryeofeImagery...e 13e 2.eeTheoryeofeRacism...e 14e 3.eeTheoryeofeNationeLanguage...e 15e 4.eeTheoryeofeAmbivalence...e 16e C.eRevieweofeJamaicaneCreoleeUsedeinetheePoem...e 17e D.eRevieweoneSocio-PoliticaleBackground...e 21e E.eTheoreticaleFramework...e 23e e

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY...e 25e A.eeObjecteofetheeStudy...e 25e B.eeApproacheofetheeStudy...e 26e C.eeMethodeofetheeStudy...e 27e e

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS...e 28e A.eeImageryeine“InglaneiseaeBitch”...e 28e B.eeResistanceeaseReflectedeine“InglaneiseaeBitch”...e 33e e

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION...e 39e e

BIBLIOGRAPHY...e 41e e

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ABSTRACT

e

CHRISTIANe VICTOR.e RESISTANCE AGAINST RACISM IN LINTON

KWESI JOHNSON’S “INGLAN IS A BITCH”. Yogyakarta:e Departmente ofe

EnglisheLetters,eFacultyeofeLetters,eSanataeDharmaeUniversity,e2015.e e Thisethesiseanalyzeseresistanceeagainsteracismeineaepoemeentitlede“Inglaneise aeBitch” writtenebyeLintoneKwesieJohnson.eTheepoemebelongsetoetheedubepoetrye genre,eaegenreebornefrometheemixingeofepoetryeandedubemusic.eTheepoemetellseuse aboutetheestruggleeofeblackepeopleeimmigrantseineEnglandeinedealingewitheracism.e Thisepoemeisechosenebecauseeitegiveseaeclearedepictioneofeblackepeopleelivingeineae racistesocietyeandetheepoemeiseuniqueebecauseetheelanguageeusedeisenoteStandarde EnglishebutetheevarietyeofeEnglishewhicheiseJamaicaneCreole.e

Theree aree twoe formulatede problemse toe analyzee thee resistancee againste racismeinetheepoem.eTheefirsteisehowetheeimageseinetheepoemeareepresented.eThee secondeisehowetheeresistanceeagainsteracismeisereflectedethroughetheeimageryeinethee poem.e

Theemethodeappliedeinethiseundergraduateethesiseiselibraryeresearch.eTheree areetwoekindseofesourceseusedeinethisestudy.eTheeprimaryesourceeisetheepoemeitself,e “Inglane ise ae Bitch”.e Thee secondarye sourcese aree frome thee bookse ofe theorye ofe literature,eencyclopediaeandeinternet.eTheeapproacheusedeineanalyzingetheepoemeise postcoloniale approach.e Bye usinge thise approach,e thee connectione betweene racism,e languagee ande resistancee cane bee known.e Therefore,e threee theoriese aree usede toe answeretheeformulatedeproblems.eThoseetheorieseareetheoryeofeimagery,etheoryeofe racismeandetheoryeofenationelanguage.e

x

ABSTRAK

e

CHRISTIANe VICTOR.e RESISTANCE AGAINST RACISM IN LINTON

KWESI JOHNSON’S “INGLAN IS A BITCH”. Yogyakarta:e Jurusane Sastrae

Inggris,eFakultaseSastra,eUniversitaseSanataeDharma,e2015.e e

e Skripsie inie membahase tentange perlawanane terhadape rasismee dalame puisie berjudule “Inglane ise ae Bitch”e yange ditulise olehe Lintone Kwesie Johnson.e Puisie inie termasukedalamejenisedubepoetryeyangemerupakanecampuranedariepuisiedanemusike dub.ePuisieiniemenggambarkaneperjuanganeimigranekulitehitamedalamemenghadapie rasismeedieInggris.ePuisieiniedipilihekarenaepuisieiniememberikanegambaraneyange jelasetentangekehidupaneorangekulitehitamedietengahemasyarakateyangerasis.ePuisie iniejugaeunikekarenaetidakemenggunakanebahasaeInggriseStandaremelainkanevariasie dariebahasaeInggriseyaitueKreoleeJamaika.e

e Terdapate duae rumusane masalahe untuke menganalisae perlawanane terhadape rasismee dalame puisie ini.e Yange pertamae adalahe bagaimanae gambarane tentange rase diwujudkane dalame puisie ini.e Yange keduae adalahe bagaimanae melaluie gambarane yangeadaeLintoneKwesieJohnsonemerepresentasikaneperlawananeterhadaperasisme.e e Metodeeyangedigunakanedalameskripsieinieadalahemetodeekepustakaan.eAdae duaejenisesumbereyangedipakai.eSumbereutamaeadalahepuisie“InglaneiseaeBitch”eitue sendiri.e Sumbere yange keduae adalahe buku-bukue teorie sastra,e ensiklopediae dane internet.e Pendekatane yange digunakane adalahe pendekatane poskolonial.e Dengane menggunakane pendekatane ini,e hubungane antarae rasisme,e bahasae dane perlawanane dapatediketahui.eOlehesebabeitu,eadaetigaeteorie yangedigunakaneuntukemenjawabe masalaheyangetelahedirumuskan.eTeori-teorietersebuteadalaheteoriegambaran,eteorie rasisme,edaneteorienation language.e

1

eCHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

e

A.Background of the Study

Forecenturiesemenehaveetriedetoetellehiseexperienceseinemanyedifferenteformse

ofe expressione ande alsoe ine manye differente fields,e suche ase love,e hatee ande alsoe

resistance.eMusic,epainting,esculptureeandeliteratureeareesomeeouteofemanyedevicese

usedetoeexpressethoseeexperiences,eandesometimesetheseedeviceseareecombinedetoe

createenewewayseofeexpression.eSinceebotheartseinvolvedesound,emusiceandepoetrye

aree oftene combinede together.e Onee ofe thee resultse ofe thee uniquee combinatione ofe

musiceandepoetryeisedubepoetry.ee

eInetermseofecombiningepoetryewithemusic,eJamaicaehaseitseownestyle.eDuringe

thee 1970se reggaee musice wase gaininge musicale ground.e Reggaee musice ise

distinguishedebyetheeincreaseeusedeofeJamaicaneCreoleeorepatwa,eaelanguageewhiche

developede frome thee combinatione ofe English,e ande Weste Africane languagese

(Durrleman-Tame,e2008:e1).eReggae,eduringeitsedevelopment,ebecameemediumeofe

politicaleprotesteanderesistance.eSomeeartistsestartedetoeaddeinstrumentalesidesetoe

theirerecords,ealsoeknowneasetheedubeside,eandedeejayse(DJ)estartedetalkingeoverethee

beatseinetheetraditioneofetheeAfricanegriotse(Lolley,e2002).eThisekindeofetalkingebye

deejayse wase referrede toe ase toasting.e Ite wase note juste ine music,e poetrye wase alsoe

exploredebyeJamaicaneartists.ePoetsetriedetoeexploreeaneoraleaestheticeforewrittene

usee theire indigenouse language,e patwa,e ase ane elemente of,e ore vehiclee for,e poetry.e

Reggaeeandepoetryethenewereecombinedetoecreateeaenewetypeeofepoetryeknownease

“dubepoetry”e(Arnold,e2001:e97).ee

Dube poetrye ise usuallye takene toe refere toe ae particulare typee ofe “performancee

poetry”,eaebrandeofeoralepoetryeperformedetoetheeaccompanimenteofereggaeemusic.e

Dubepoetryeprovideseaeuniqueeexampleeinewhichethereeisemixingeanderemixingeofe

spokene ande writtene forms.e Thee terme dube poetrye itselfe ise thoughte toe havee beene

popularizedebyetheeJamaicanepoeteOkueOnuoraetoedescribeeaeformeofeoraleartethate

hadebeenedevelopingeineJamaicaesinceetheeearlye1970se(Arnold,e2001:e97).eReggaee

ande dube poetrye sharee thee samee characteristic,e bothe aree thee mediae ofe resistancee

againsteBabylon,eaetermethateusedebye Rastafarianemovementewhicheappliedetoeae

varietyeofeentitiesethateRastafarianseconsidereoppressive.eMovingetoereggaeebeat,e

andeofteneperformed,eratherethaneread,etoeliveemusicalebacking,edubepoetryetracese

itse lineagee toe thee orale inventivenesse ofe thee street,e thee tenemente yard,e ande

“dreadtalk”,e thee Rastafariane waye ofe speakinge stylee (Arnold,e 2001:e 86-88).e A.e

Jamese Arnolde statede thate “thee dube poetse adaptede thee rhythms,e terminologye ande

techniqueseofereggaeeine theireownepoeticetechniques”e(2001:e97).e DubePoetrye ise

interestinge becausee ite cane bee studiede ine anye context,e whethere ite ise history,e

literature,emusic,eperformance,eorerebellion.eItehasegivenepoetryeaenewepopularitye

andehaseinfluencedemoreemainstreameliteraryeproducts.e

Onee ofe thee prominente dube poetse duringe thise timee ise UK-basede dube poete

LintoneKwesieJohnsone(alsoeknowneaseLKJ).eHeewaseborneone24eAuguste1952eine

1963e toe bee withe hise mothere (Lolley,e 2002).e Ine thise studye Ie trye toe sharee thee

significanceeofeLintoneKwesieJohnson’sedubepoetry.eTheetopiceofethisethesiseisethee

ideaeoferesistanceeineJohnson’sepoemeentitlede“InglaneiseaeBitch”.eIehaveechosene

LintoneKwesieJohnson’sepoemebecauseeheeiseconsideredeaseaeprominentedubepoete

andeheeisenotedeforehiseforcefulevocalizationeofeaehighlyepoliticizedestandepointeine

relationetoeissueseaffectingetheeblackecommunityeineLondon,easewelleaseforehiselinkse

withereggaeemusiceandehisestrikingeperformativeestyle.ee

Beingeaedubepoetewitheoralerendition,emosteofeLKJ’seworkseareeinetheeformeofe

records.eNumberseoferecordealbumseandebookseofehiseselectedepoemsehaveebeene

released.e Withe thee publicatione ofe hise bookeMi Revalueshanary Fren:e Selectede

Poemseine2002,eLKJebecameetheesecondelivingepoet,eandetheeonlyeBlackepoet,etoebee

publishedeinetheePenguineModerneClassiceseriese(Pryce,e2009).e

“Inglane ise ae Bitch”e ise ae poeme thate showse howe thee immigrante frome thee

CaribbeanehadetoedealewitheracismeineEngland,eespeciallyeduringe1950setoeearlye

1980s.eDuringethoseetimes,eaeloteofeimmigrantsefrometheeCaribbean,eandealsoeAsia,e

cameetoeEnglandehopingetoefindeaejobeforeaebettereliving.eHowever,etheyewereeonlye

givene thee meniale jobse thate thee whitee peoplee dide note wante toe doe evene ife thee

immigrantse fite thee requiremente fore ae steadye ande propere job.e Thee poeme ise thee

reflectione ofe Johnson’se concerne towardse thee immigrante ande blacke peoplee ine thee

UnitedeKingdomeiseinterestingetoebeeanalyzededeeper.eJohnson’sepoemeactseaseae

voiceeforetheeminorities.eHisepoemeemphasizesehowetheeblackepeopleeineEnglande

mustestrifeetoesurviveelivingeinetheeracistesociety.eInehisearticlee“Riots,eRhymeseande

needetoecreativelyearticulateetheeexperienceseofetheeblackeyoutheofemyegeneration,e

comingeofeageeineaeracistesociety”e(Johnson,e2012).e

Thiseresearchefocuseseonetheeattemptetoeanalyzeehoweracismeisepresentedeine

LintoneKwesieJohnson’sepoeme“InglaneiseaeBitch”eandehowetheepoetedealsewithethee

issue.eIneorderetoeachieveetheegoaleofethisestudy,eIeanalyzeetheeimageryeusedebyethee

poetetoefindeoutehowetheeresistanceeagainsteracismeisereflectedeinetheepoem.e

e

B.Problem Formulatione

Ine ordere toe reveale thee resistancee againste racisme ine “Inglane ise ae Bitch”,e Ie

formulateetwoeproblemsetoebeeanswered:e

1.e Howeareetheeimagesepresentedeinetheepoem?ee

2.e Howeisetheeresistanceeagainsteracismereflectedethroughetheeimageryeinethee

poem?e

e

C. Objectives of the Study

Basede one thee probleme formulatione mentionede above,e theree aree twoe

objectiveseofetheestudy.eTheefirsteoneeisetoefindeoutehowetheeimageseareepresentede

inetheepoem.eTheesecondeoneeisetoediscoverehoweresistanceereflectedethroughethee

imageries.ee

D. Definition of Terms

Toeavoidemisunderstanding,esomeetermseusedeinethiseresearcheareenecessarye

toebeeclarified.eTheeterminologiesewillebeeasefollow:e

1. Resistance

Theenouneresistanceemeansedislikeeofeoreoppositionetoeaeplan,eaneidea,eetc.;e

refusaletoeobey.eAnotheremeaningeisetheeacteofeusingeforceetoeopposeesomebodyeore

somethinge (Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary,e 2005:e 1292).e Thee firste

definitionefitewithetheefunctioneoferesistanceewhicheAshcroftedescribedeaseaeconcepte

identifyinge anye kinde ofe struggle,e regardlesse ofe modese ore aimse (Ashcroft,e 2001:e

20).eInethiseresearch,eIeuseetheefirstedefinitioneoferesistance.e

e

2. Racism

Ine hise essaye “Racee ande Racism”,e Tzvetane Todorove statede thate thee worde

“racism”ereferetoetwoedifferentethings.eTheefirsteiseracismecouldebeedesignatedetoe

behavior,eaemanifestationeofehatredeorecontemptetowardseindividualsewithedifferente

physicalecharacteristicsefromeoureown;eitealsoecouldebeedesignatedetoeideology,eae

doctrineeconcerningehumaneracee(Back,e2001:e64).eTheefirstedesignationeoferacisme

iseusedetoeansweretheeproblemeformulationeofethiseresearch.e

6

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

e

Thisechaptereisedividedeintoethreeeparts.eTheefirsteparteisetheerevieweoferelatede

studieseoneLintoneKwesieJohnsonewhichewereetakenefromeessayseaboutehim.eThee

seconde parte ise thee reviewe ofe relatede theories,e whiche includee theorye one literarye

elements,e theorye ofe racism,e somee socio-politicale background,e ande somee

characteristicse ofe Jamaicane Creole.e Thee thirde parte ofe thise chaptere ise theoreticale

framework,ewhicheexplainsetheeapproacheusedeinethisestudy.e

e

A. Review of Related Studies

LintoneKwesieJohnsoneiseknowneforehiseresistanceepoems.eManyeessayseande

theseseofehisepoemseareewrittenebyecriticseandestudentsewhoeareeinterestedeinedube

poetry.eHowever,eaccessetoethoseeessayseandetheseseiselimited.eInethiseparteIegiveeae

revieweofetheeessayseIecanegetefrometheeinternet.eTheefirsteiseoneeise“LintoneKwesie

Johnson’sepoetryeaseaecollectiveesemantics:eAxeleHonneth’setheoryeoferecognitione

ande thee poetice intellectual”e bye Christophe Novake ande thee seconde onee ise “Word,e

Sounde&ePower:eTheeDubePoetryeofeLintoneKwesieJohnsoneandeJohneAgard”ebye

GustavoeJ.eAdrieleSoléefromeUniversitatedeeBarcelona.e

Ine hise essay,e “Lintone Kwesie Johnson’se poetrye ase ae collectivee semantics:e

Novake usede ae methode ofe textuale analysise aimede toe finde thee intermediarye spacee

betweene ane author’se worke ande itse effectse withine thee contexte ofe sociale struggles.e

Novak’secentralehypothesiseis:e

Johnson—throughe hise workse ande performances—takese upe thee sociale functione ase ae certaine kinde ofe Gramsciane intellectuale whilee hise poetrye constitutese ae collectivee semanticse fore thee strugglee ofe non-whitee Britishe citizenseandetheireoffspringewithineBritishesociety.eByetheseemeans,eJohnsone definesethoseeneglectedebyetheehegemonice’white’eBritishesocietyeandespeakse onetheirebehalfe(Novak,e2009:e2).e

Hee latere dividede hise centrale argumente intoe threee parts.e Thee firste onee ise Lintone

Kwesie Johnsone functionse ase intellectuale fore non-whitee ande moldse theme intoe ae

groupeofeindividualsesubjectedetoemoraleinjurieselikeedegradationeandeneglect.eThee

seconde onee ise LKJ’se poetrye enforcese ae commonlye sharede understandinge ofe thee

underlyingepatternseandesocietalemechanismseresponsibleeforeindividualeviolations.e

This,easeaeconsequence,ecanebeereadeaseaecollectiveesemantics.eTheethirdeoneeisethee

logicale result,e LKJe articulatese strategiese toe overcomee thee obstaclese non-whitee

Britonse havee toe facee ande proclaimse sociale organizatione ande resistancee (Novak,e

2009:e6).e

Ine thee firste levele whene discussinge hise firste point,e Novake tooke ane examplee

frome thee refraine ofe LKJ’se poeme “Forcese ofe Victri”e wheree LKJe usese “we”e

predominantlye toe refere toe Blacke Britons.e Bye quotinge Ashleye Dawson,e Novake

statedethatethisepoeme“servesebotheaseaeremembranceeofeblackepeople’sehistoricale

resistanceetoetheeracistestateeandeaseaneactiveeperformanceeofeaecounterehegemonice

Blackeaesthetic”e(Novak,e2009:e6).eOnetheesecondelevel,eheearguedethateJohnsone

LKJ’se poeme “Newe Crasse Massakah”e ase ane examplee wheree thee worde “we”e ine

Johnson’seconcepterefersetoeBlackeBritishepeopleeandestandeineslightecontrastetoethee

Asians.eNonetheless,eaccordingetoeNovak,eLKJementionsethatetheeAsiansealsoehavee

similareexperience.e

Ine hise seconde pointe Novake assumede thate Johnson’se workse contributee toe ae

sharedeunderstandingeeofeetheeeunderlyingeemechanismseeofeepoliticaleandeesocialee

neglecte e amonge e non-whitee Britons.e e Thise e interpretatione e ofe e individualee

experienceseeaseewide-spreadeesocietaleepatterns,eesucheeaseracism,eeiseomnipresent.e

NovaketookeexampleefromeLKJ’sepoeme“NeweCrasseMassakah”eandestatedethatethee

interpretationeofetheeattackeasebeingecausedebyeracistemotivationeremainseimplicite

butehighlyevisible.eAnothereexampleeisetakenefrometheepoeme“DreadeInnaeInglan”,e

whereeJohnsonecallsetheepoliticianseenduringeoreevenepromotingeracismeanderaciste

violenceebyetheirerealenames.eBesidesetheeidentificationeofetheeenemy–theestate,eitse

institutions,e discriminatinge lawse ande provisions–thee thirde aspect,e thee positivee

articulatione ofe ae strategye toe addresse thee obstacle,e comese through.e Thee positivee

emphasisetoeholdetheemarchenoteonlyeforemereeamusement,ebuteaseaesymboliceacteofe

resistanceeagainstetheestateecanebee reade aseaestrategice calleforeciviledisobediencee

andeactiveeresistancee(Novak,e2009:e8).e

Accordingetoehisethirdepoint,eNovakearguedethateaepossibleecounter-strategye

oresolutionetoetheesocietalemechanismseandeproblems,ewhicheareeconsideredetoebee

thee sourcese ofe neglecte ande degradation,e ise verye likelye toe bee intertwinede withe ae

collectivee semantics.e Hee continuede thate thise laste aspect,e althoughe note beinge ae

theeveryeformeaesocialestruggleetakes.eThiseisetheepointeatewhicheaesocialestrugglee

mayeeithereleadetoemoreeandemoreeviolence,eehatredeeandeeprejudiceseeoreebecomesee

aeemovementeemodifyingeetheeemoraleenorms,efoundationseandetheeself-perceptione

ofeae(national)esocietye(Novak,e2009:e9).e

Frome thee previouse analysis,e Novake statede thate LKJe putse forwarde variouse

strategieserangingefromecounter-violenceetoeciviledisobedience.eTherefore,eiteseemse

clearethateJohnson’sepoliticalepoetryegoesebeyondesimplyecallingetheeevilsethatenon-whiteeBritonsehaveetoefaceebyename,ebuteheeactivelyeputseforwardestrategieseande

solutionse toe overcomee thosee experiencese ofe degradatione ande neglecte (Novak,e

2009:10).eNovaketheneconcludedethat:e(1)eLKJ’sepoemseincludeeandehomogenizee

differentegroupsebyementioningedifferentegroupse(Blacks,eAsians,eAfricans,eWeste

Indians,ePakistani),ewhicheareeequallyeaffectedebyetheeracismeofetheeBritishesociety.e

(2)eLKJeputseforwardeaecertaineinterpretationeofespecificeevents,ehighlightingethee

underlyinge societale patterne (racism)e ande politicale mechanismse responsiblee fore

individualeexperienceseofeneglecteandedegradation.e(3)eJohnsoneproposesepossiblee

solutionseandestrategiesetoeovercomeetheseenegativeeexperiencese(violenteandenon-violente resistance,e protests,e counter-violence).e Bye thesee meanse hee shapede thee

knowledgeeabouteetheeesocialeestruggleeeofeenon-whiteeeBritonseeandeehelpedeeinee

creatingeeaeecollectiveeefronteeagainsteracismeandeformseofepoliticaleneglecte(Novak,e

2009:e10-11).e

TheenextestudyeisefromeGustavoeJ.eAdrieleSoleeofeUniversitatedeeBarcelonae

paper,eGustavoeanalyzeseword,esoundeandepowereinedubepoetryeandethenecomparese

theepoeteLintoneKwesieJohnsonewitheanotheredubepoeteJohneAgard.ee

GustavoebeginsehiseanalysisebyegivingedefinitioneofedubepoetryeaseChristiane

Habekoste definede it:e “ae significante literarye forme withe itse rootse ine politicale ande

reggaeecultureeofeJamaica...”e(2008:e1).eGustavoealsoeconfirmsethatedubepoetryeise

onee ofe thee moste importante militante voicese ofe Blacke peoplee ande hase itse rootse ine

Africaneoraletraditioneofecombiningespokenewordseandetheesoundseofedrums.eIteise

usede ase ae politicale meanse ofe denunciatione ande assertione ofe identity.e Therefore,e

Gustavoe arguese thate dube poetrye ise foundede one threee concepts,e namely:e word,e

sound,eandepower.e

Ine hise analysise ofe word,e Gustavoe statede thate spokene worde functionede ase ae

vehicleetoetransmitepoliticalethemes.eFurthermore,eheearguedethatedubepoetryeusese

language,einethisecaseepatois,etoeexpresseideaseabouteracism,eequality,ejusticeeande

oppressionesoeasetoeavoidethateofeestablishment.e

TheenexteconceptethateGustavoeanalyzedeisesoundeofedubepoetry.eHeestatede

thatedubepoetryeiseuniqueebecauseetheeuseseofemusicebyetheepoetsewhenetheyegivee

liveeperformancee(2008:e2).eHeementionedethatedubepoetryeoriginatesefromereggaee

music.eIteisewhenediscejockeyse(DJ)ebeganetoeuseetheeB-side,econtainingethee‘dub’e

ore‘instrumentaleversion’,eofeaesongerecordeasetheebaseeforetheireannouncementeande

tellinge ofe jokes.e Latere on,e thee announcemente wase extendede intoe longere storiese

Gustavoe alsoe claimede thate ase Lintone Kwesie Johnson’se albume “Dreade Beate an’e

Blood”ewasereleasedeine1978ethenedubepoetryewaseborn.e

Nexte one Gustavo’se analysise ise thee concepte ofe power.e Hee claimede thate thee

powereofedubepoetryecaneonlyebeetransmittedethroughetheevoice.eThus,etheemoste

powerfule interpretatione ofe dube poetrye comese ine thee forme ofe livee performancee

(2008:e3).eGustavoereasonedethatethisecanehappenebecauseetheepoeteisefaceetoefacee

withehiseaudience.eDubepoetryeisedifferentefromeclassicalepoetry,etheepoetedoesenote

readehisepoemebuteperformsetheepoem,edrawingetheerealepowerefromehisevoice.eThee

powereofedubepoetryeisealsoereflectedeonetheeeffectiveewayseinewhicheitetransmitse

theepoliticaleaimseofetheepoet.e

Gustavoe thene continuede hise papere comparinge Lintone Kwesie Johnsone ande

Johne Agarde startede withe theire background.e Hee comparede thee birthe placee ande

LintoneKwesieJohnsonewaseborneineJamaicaeine1952eandemovedetoeLondonewhene

hee wase 11e yearse old.e Ine hise earlye youth,e hee joinede thee Blacke Pantherse toe fighte

againstepoliceebrutalityeanderacism.eLater,eheejoinededifferenteactivistecampaignse

committede toe improvinge ande drawinge attentione toe thee Blacke Britishe experiencee

(Gustavo,e2008:e3).eOnetheeotherehand,eJohneAgardewaseborneineGuyanaeine1949e

whene thee countrye wase stille ae Britishe Colony.e Agarde wase ae journaliste ande ae

newspaperesub-editoreuntileheemovedetoeEnglandeine1977,ewhereeheeworkedeaseae

lecturere fore thee Commonwealthe Institute.e Agarde begane toe publishe poetrye ande

children’se bookse ine 1983e whene hee alsoe becamee Poete ine Residencee ate thee BBCe

Inehiseanalysis,eGustavoediscoveredethateevenethoughebothepoetseusedepatwa,e

JohneAgardeiselesseconsistentewheneitecomesetoewriting,easeheespellsehiselyricsewithe

Standarde Englishe whene hee addressese children,e whilee LKJe constantlye reflectse

speecheinehisepoem.eInetermeofetheme,eGustavoementionedethateLKJ’sekeyeconcepte

ise‘dread’,eaetermeLKJeuseetoedescribeetheematerialeconditionseofeblackeBritain,eore

‘Inglan’,e ane existencee suppressede ore marginalizede ine thee consciousnesse ofe

England,eorewhiteeauthority.eJohneAgard,eaccordingetoeGustavo,ehasemoreesubtlee

style,efulleofeimageryeandesymbolism,eevenethoughehisethemeseareenotetooedifferente

fromeJohnson’s.e

Gustavoe concludede hise analysise bye statinge “dube poetrye continuese toe bee ae

powerfuletooletoeexpresseideologyeandetoedenounceesocialeinjustice,ealthougheitehase

adaptedetoetheetimeseandebroadenedeitsehorizons”e(Gustavo,e2008:e5).eHeeclaimede

thate duee thee powerfule performancee bye Johnsone ande Agard,e ande thee issuese theye

explored,edubepoetsehaveesucceededeinereachingeaewideeaudienceeandetheyehavee

becomeepopularewithemanyegenerationseandepublicseofedifferenteraces.eAccordinge

toehim,eLintoneKwesieJohnsoneandeJohneAgardeareeauthenticetheetroubadourseofe

theemoderneera.e

Whate makese thise researche differente frome bothe relatede studiese reviewede

aboveeisetheescopeeofetheeanalysis.eThiseresearcheisemyeattempteineanalyzingethee

useeofelanguageetoecreateeimageryeaseaetooleoferesistanceebyeLintoneKwesieJohnsone

frome thee postcoloniale perspectivee ande findinge thee poete worlde viewe ore reactione

B. Review of Related Theories

Toeansweretheeproblemeformulationsestatedeinetheefirstechaptereofethisestudy,e

someetheoriesewereeused.eTheetheorieseusedeareeasefollows:e

1. Theory of Imagery

Abramse ine hise bookeA Glossary to Literary Terms statede thate ine moderne

criticismeimageryeiseoneeofetheemostecommoneandetheemostevariableeinemeaning.e

Itse applicationehaseaewideerangeeinepoetry;e fromethee“mentalepicture”e which,ease

sometimeseclaimedeareeexperiencedebyetheereadereofeaepoem,etoetheetotalityeofethee

componentsewhichemakeeupeaepoeme(1999:e121).ee

AseAbramsepointedeout,ethereeareethreeepointsetoebeeconsideredeineorderetoe

findeimagerieseineaepoem:e

1.e“Imagery”e(thateis,e“images”etakenecollectively)eiseusedetoesignifyeallethee

objectseandequalitieseofesenseeperceptionereferredetoeineaepoemeoreothere

worke ofe literature,e whethere bye literale description,e bye allusion,e ore bye

similese ore metaphors.e “Imagery”e ine thise usagee includese visuale sensee

qualities,e auditorye (hear),e tactilee (touch),e thermale (heate ande cold),e

olfactorye (smell),e gustatorye (taste),e ande kinesthetice (sensatione ofe

movement).e

2.e Moree narrowly,e imagerye ise usede toe signifye onlye descriptione ofe visiblee

objectse ande scenes,e especiallye ife thee descriptione ise vivide ande

3.e Imagery,e commonlye ine recente usage,e signifiese figurative language,e

especiallye thee vehicles (thee secondarye reference)e ofe metaphorse ande

similese(1999:e121).e

e

2. Theory of Racism

Encyclopedia of Race and Racism Vol. 3 mentionede thate racisme hase beene

definedeinemanyedifferenteways.eItecontinuesethatethereeareefourefeatureseofethesee

definitionseareemostesignificant.ee

First,e racisme ise ae forme ofe dominancee ine whiche onee raciale groupe enjoyse

controleoveretheeoutcomeseofeanothereracialegroup.eSecond,etheebeliefsethatesustaine

anderationalizeegroupedominanceepresumeetheesuperiorityeofetheein-groupeandethee

inferioritye ofe thee out-group.e Third,e racisme ise ae multilevele phenomenone thate ise

expressede bye individualse (microe level),e ise criticallye influencede bye institutionse

(mesoelevel),eandedeeplyeembeddedeinetheeentireeculturee(macroelevel).eInfluencese

amonge thee levelse aree bidirectionale ande evolvee ande changee overe time.e Fourth,e

racisme contributese directlye ande indirectlye toe persistente raciale inequalitye

(Encyclopedia of Race and Racism Vol. 3,e2008:e74).e

Individuale level,e ore overte racism,e ise similare toe raciale prejudice.e Ate thee

individuale level,e negativee attitudes,e feelings,e ore behaviorse aree directede ate thee

targetseoferacism.ePrejudiceeiseusuallyelinkedetoenegativeestereotypeseheldeabouteane

whethereorenotetheyefitetheegroupestereotype.eAseiteoperateseonepersonalelevel,eoverte

racismecaneeasilyebeerecognized.e

Institutionaleracism,eonetheeotherehand,eiseprettyemuchesubtle.eIteworkseinsidee

theesystem,erunebyeindividualsewitheracismetendencies,eandeiteisehardetoebeeclearlye

pointede out.e Stokelye Carmichaele (later,e Kwamee Ture)e ande Charlese V.e Hamiltone

introducedetheeconcepteofeinstitutionaleracismeinetheirebookeBlackePowere(1967).e

Institutional-leveleracismeis,e“theeprocessebyewhicheracialeoppressioneiseimposede

one subordinatee raciale groupse bye dominante raciale groupse throughe institutionale

channels”e(Encyclopedia of Race and Racism Vol. 2,e2008:e180).e

e

3. Theory of Nation Language

Ine hise essaye Natione Language,e Edwarde K.e Brathwaitee clearlye declarese hise

stancee againste thee usee ofe thee worde ‘dialect’e ase ae terme referse toe thee Englishe

variatione usede bye Caribbeane people.e Thee reasone ise thate “thee worde ‘dialect’e hase

beene bandiede aboute fore ae longe time,e ande ite carriese verye pejorativee overtones”e

(1995:e 311).e Instead,e hee offerse ande choosese thee terme ‘natione language’.e Natione

languageeiseBrathwaite’setermeforeculturallyespecificeformeofeCaribbeaneEnglish.e

Accordinge toe Brathwaite,e natione languagee maye havee Englishe lexicale

features,ebuteiteisestronglyeinfluencedebyetheeAfricaneaspecteofeCaribbeaneheritagee

(1995:e311).eHeefurtheredescribesenationelanguageeaseaenotetheestandard,eimported,e

educatede Englishe bute onee thate bearse thee experiencee ofe Caribbeane peoplee (1995:e

Theree aree twoe characteristicse ofe natione language.e First,e natione languagee

emphasizese thee orality.e Hence,e eache noisee ine natione languagee ise parte ofe thee

meaning.eSecond,enationelanguageeiseaeparteofetotaleexpression.eItedemandsetheenote

onlye thee speaker/performere bute alsoe thee audiencee toe completee thee communitye

(1995:e311-312).ee

e

4. Theory of Ambivalence

InetheirebookeKey Concepts in Post-Colonial Studies,eAshcroft,eGriffithseande

Tiffine mentionede thate thee terme ambivalencee wase adaptede bye Homie Bhabha,e “ite

describese thee complexe mixe ofe attractione ande repulsione thate characterizese thee

relationshipebetweene colonizerseandecolonized”e(1998:e12).eTheye continuedethate

ambivalencee suggeste thate theree aree complexe relatione ande resistancee existe ine ane

unsteadyerealtionewithinetheecolonialesubjectse(1998:e12).e

AccordingetoeBhabhaethereeisenoesimpleerelationshipebetweenecolonizereande

colonized.e Thee coloniale discoursee wantse toe producee compliante subjectse whoe

reproduceeitsehabitseandevalues,ewhichetheetermeofethiseconcepteise‘mimic’e(1998:e

13).eHowever,etheeresulteiseambivalentesubjectsewhichetheemimicryeisenoteveryefare

frome mockery.e Ambivalencee describese thise relationshipe betweene mimicrye ande

mockeryeandetheeeffecteisetoeproduceeaedisturbanceeofetheeauthorityeofetheecoloniale

discoursee(1998:13).e

C. Review of Jamaican Creole Used in the Poem

MosteofeLKJ’sepoemseareeperformedeJamaicaneCreole,eorepatwa,eandewrittene

usingeJamaicaneCreoleeorthography.eHence,eiteiseimportantetoeknowehoweiteworkse

ine ordere toe understande LKJ’se poems.e Ine Jamaica,e colonialisme broughte differente

racese intoe contacte withe onee another.e Suche varietiese ofe language-communitiese

resultedeinetheedevelopmenteofepidgin.ePidginethenedevelopedeintoecreoleewhenethee

descendante ofe thee slavese ande indenturede laborerse livee ande worke togethere overe

generations.eCreoleewaseusedeineJamaicaelongebeforeeitewaseusedeinepoetry.eInehise

bookePostcolonial Poetry in English,e Rajeeve S.e Patkee quotede Louisee Bennette

whenesheerecollects,e“WheneIewaseaechild,eeachedayecontainsepoemeofefolkesongs,e

folke stories,e streete cries,e legends,e proverbs,e riddles”e (2006:e 96).e Yet,e thee orale

traditionselackederespectabilityeduringetheecolonialeera.eBenneterecollects,e“Theye

hadenoesocialestatuse.e.e.eInefact,etheyewereetoebeedeploredeandedespisedeasecominge

frome thee offspringe ofe slavese whoe weree illiterate,e uncultured,e ande downrighte

stupid”e(2006:e96).e

Patwaehasetheeuniqueepronunciationeneededetoecreateetheedistinctiveeaesthetice

soundseofedubepoetry.eJohnson’sepoem,eandedubepoetryeinegeneral,eareeoralepoetry,e

poeme whiche intendede toe bee performede ine ae communitye ore publice spaces,e note

merelyetoebeereadeindividually.eThiseisesimilarewitheJamaicaneCreoleethateheeusede

inehisepoem.eSinceeJamaicaneCreoleehasetraditionallyebeene confinedetoeoraleuse,e

theree ise noe generallye acceptede spellinge system.e Therefore,e thee spellinge usede ise

IneorderetoeunderstandeJohnson’sepoemeoneeneedetoeunderstandehowespellinge

inepatwaeworks.eToereadewrittenepatwa,eoneeneedsetoeconsiderethatetheespellingse

are:e

1.e Identicale withe thee spellinge ofe itse Englishe cognate,e thoughe thee Creolee

pronunciationeisequiteedifferent.eForeexample,etheeworde‘this’eiseveryelikelye

toebeepronouncedease‘dis’.e

2.e RepresenteaneattemptetoeproduceetheeCreoleepronunciation,eforeexamplee‘di’e

fore‘the’,e‘mi’efore‘me’,e‘lickle’eore‘likkl’efore‘little’,e‘waak’efore‘walk’eande

soeon.e

3.e Combinee featurese ofe Creolee pronunciatione withe thee usuale spellinge ofe thee

StandardeEnglishe(SE)ecognate,easeine‘de’efore‘the’,e‘bwoy’efore‘boy’,e‘cyar’e

fore‘car’,e‘dyamn’e‘damn’,e‘eediot’efore‘idiot’,e‘perfec’e‘perfect’.e

4.e Suggeste thate thee writere ise patterninge ite one thate ofe ane unrelatede Standarde

Englishewordewhicheisepronouncedesimilarly,ee.g.e‘ole’e‘old’e(cf.eSEehole),e

‘sum’ee‘some’e(cf.eSEesum)e

Anotherethingewortheconsideringeinepatwaeisetheegrammarewhichesometimese

confusinge fore peoplee whoe nevere hade contacte withe thee Jamaicane Creolee before.e

Belowe ise somee parte ofe thee Jamaicane Creolee grammare usede ine LKJ’se poeme ine

particular.eTheefirsteoneeisepersonalepronoun:e

e

e e e Subjecte Objecte Possessivee

Singulare

Firstepersone mi / a mi Mi

Secondepersone yu yu Yu

ThirdePersone (h)im (h)im (h)im

Plurale

Firstepersone wi wi Wi

Secondepersone unu yu Yu

Thirdepersone dem dem Dem

e

TheeexamplesefromeLKJ’sepoemseare:e

•e “W’enemiejus’ecomeetoeLandanetoun”.e‘WheneIejustecameetoeLondonetown’e

(Johnson,e1980,estanzae1,elinee1).e

•e “Y’uehaffiestruggleefiemekeen’semeet”.e‘Youehaveetoestruggleetoemakeeendse

meet’e(Johnson,e1980,estanzae1,elinee4).e

•e “Demestaatemieaafeaseaedish-washah”.e‘Theyestartemeeoffeaseaedish-washer.’e

(Johnson,e1980,estanzae3,elinee11).e

•e “Fusedemerabeitewidedemebigetaxerackit”.e‘Firstetheyerubeitewithetheirebigetaxe

Theerelativeepronounseare:edate‘that’,ew(h)e(y)e‘which/what’,ehue‘who’.eThee

examplesefromeLKJ’sepoemseare:e

•e “Deme sehe date blacke mane ise verye lazy”.e ‘Theye saye thate blacke mane ise verye

lazy.’e(Johnson,e1980,estanzae9,elinee35).e

•e “Ise wheye wie ae gohe dhue ‘boute it?”.e ‘Whate aree wee goinge toe doe aboute it?’e

(Johnson,e1980,estanzae14,elinee56)e

Theenexteoneeisetheelisteofedemonstratives:e

Singulare

dis(ya), dis ‘this’e

dat (de), dat ‘that’e

Plurale

dem(ya), dem ‘these’e

dem(de), dem ‘those’e

e

TheeexampleefromeLKJepoemeis:e

•e “Innaedisyaefacktriealledemedhueisepackecrackry”.e‘Inethisefactoryealletheyedoe

isepackecrackery.’e(Johnson,e1980,estanzae11,elinee42).e

VerbseineJamaicaneCreoleesometimesedoenotechangeetheireformetoeindicatee

timee referencee (tense),e number,e continuouse action,e ore passivee meaning.e Fore

exampleeine“mieuseetoeworkepanedieandahgroun”e(Johnson,e1980,estanzae1,elinee2)e

AnotheredistinctiveeuseeofegrammareineJamaicaneCreoleeisetheeprepositionse

andeconjunctions.eSomeecommonlyeusedeprepostionseare:ein(n)ae‘in’,eout(a)e‘oute

of’,e pan/pone ‘on’,e a/afe e ‘of’,e e fah/e fi/fee ‘for’,e fie ‘to’.e Ande ine additione toe moree

commonlyeusedeformselikeeane‘and’,eare‘or’ebote‘but’,esomeeconjunctionseinepatwae

are:ecause/cawe‘because’,edo(w)ealthough’,etille‘until’.e

e

D. Review on Socio-political Background

Mosteofe LKJ”sepoemsedealewithetheesocialeconditioneofeEnglandeine1970se

ande1980s.eTherefore,eiteiseimportantetoeknowetheesocio-politicalebackgroundeofe

Englandeduringethoseetimes.e

Ine thee 1950se workerse frome thee Caribbean,e camee toe Englande toe worke ase

laborerse ande transporte workers.e Moste ofe thee immigrantse livede ine London,e

Birminghame ande Nottingham.e Manye Caribbeane camee withe skillse bute theye weree

marginalizede ande givene meniale jobse thate whitee peoplee didn’te want.e However,e

Britaine needede cheape labore fore reconstructionse poste Worlde Ware IIe ande thee

immigrantse weree chosene toe doe thesee jobse (Lolley,e 2002).e e Thee presencee ofe thee

blackecommunityeinetheemetropolitanecentreewaseconfrontedewitheprejudiceefuellede

byeyearseofeimperialerule.eAsetheeriseeineimmigrationecontinuedesoedidetheeriseeine

racialeviolenceeinethoseecities.eDuringe1950s,edebateeoneimmigrationeineparliamente

andemediaefocusedeonetheeneedetoecontroleblackeimmigratione(Solomos,e2003:e53).ee

Blackeimmigrantsebecameethee“problem”eineBritishesocietyeandeclashesewithewhitee

Nottinge Hille wheree African-Caribbeane youthse weree attackede bye whitee youths.e

TheseeriotsequicklyespreadetoeLondon.e

Theeriotseledetoethee1962eCommonwealtheImmigrantseActewhicherestrictede

theeentryeofeimmigrantse intoeBritain.eTheepredominanteviewewasethaterestrictinge

entrye woulde easee raciale conflict.e Althoughe thee Acte dide note specificallye mentione

race,e “immigrant”e becamee synonymouse withe “black”.e Duringe thee 1960se thee

economyeineEnglandewasedeclining,econsequentlyeBlackeworkersewereetheefirstetoe

losee theire jobs.e Thosee whoe managede toe keepe theire jobse usuallye havee toe doublee

worke withe lesse pay.e Ande bye 1972e non-whitese coulde onlye livee ine Britaine withe ae

workepermiteoreifetheireparentseoregrandparentsewereeborneineBritain.ee

Theeinjustice,ediscriminationeandeoppressioneagainsteBlackepeopleeledetoethee

risee ofe “Blacke Power”.e Thee terme “Blacke Power”e wase firste coinede duringe thee

formationeofeBlackePantherePartyeineMississippi,eUS,eine1966.eThisemovementewase

quicklyespreadeacrossetheeglobeefromeUSetoeEurope,eAsiaeandetheeCaribbean.eIne

England,eBrixtonebecameetheecentereofeblackeyoutheorganizationewhichelateregavee

birthetoeEngland’seBlackePanthereMovement.e

Duringe thee 1970se policee usee ofe Suse lawe (frome “suspectede person”e law)e

increased.eThiselaweseemedetoeepitomizeeracism.eItewaseaelawethatepermittedepolicee

toe stop,e searche ande evene arreste peoplee merelye one thee suspicione thate theye weree

loiteringewithetheeintentioneofecommittingeae crime.eManyeofe Blackepeopleeweree

arrestedeusingethiselawe(Lolley,e2002).eTheeBlackePanthereMovemente(BPM)ewase

discriminationeandeinjusticeeagainsteblackepeople.eBPMerecruitedeblackeyouthsetoe

joine thee Panthere Youthe Leaguee wheree theye weree taughte toe defende themselvese

intellectuallyeandephysicallyeagainsteinjusticeeandeoppression.eByedoingesoeBPMe

wase tryinge toe givee ae sensee ofe pridee amonge blacke youths.e LKJe himselfe wase ae

membereofeBPM.e

Ase ae blacke persone growinge upe ine Englande LKJe hade toe deale withe raciale

oppression.e Subjectede toe suche hardshipe madee LKJe decidede toe joine thee Blacke

PanthereMovementeine1970e(Pryce,e2009).eAseaemembereofeYoutheSectioneinethee

Blacke Panthere Movement,e LKJe wase activelye involvede ine thee studye ofe Blacke

History,e Politicse ande Culture.e Ite wase duringe hise involvemente withe thee Blacke

Panthere Movemente thate LKJe discoverede Blacke Literature.e Hee reade ae booke bye

W.E.BeDuboisecalledeTheeSouleofeBlackeFolkeandediscoverede“...theeproblemeofe

thee20thecenturyebeingetheeproblemeofetheecoloreline”eandealsoeheecouldeidentifiede

withe hise owne experiencee growinge upe ine Englande “...thee shadowe ofe thee veile thate

hungeovereblackelives”e(Lolley,e2002).eLKJethenewaseinspiredetoewriteepoetry.e

e

E. Theoretical Framework

Inethisethesis,eIeusedesomeetheoriesewhicheareehelpfuletoeansweretheeproblemse

formulatedeinetheefirstechapter.eTheyeareetheoryeofeliteraryeelementseandetheoryeofe

racism.eIeusedetheoryeofeimageryetoeanalyzeehowetheeimageseareepresentedeinethee

reactse towardse racism.e Thee theorye ofe Natione Languagee ande thee theorye ofe

ambivalencee aree usede toe analyzee howe thee resistancee ise reflectede throughe thee

25

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

e

A. Object of the Study

TheeobjectseofethisestudyeareetwoepoemsebyeLintoneKwesieJohnsoneentitlede

“InglaneiseaeBitch”.eThisepoem,eandealleotherepoemsebyeLKJ,ebelongsetoedubepoetrye

genre.e Ite ise ae forme ofe performancee poetrye ofe Weste Indiese origin,e ae kinde ofe orale

poetryeperformedetoetheeaccompanimenteofereggaeemusic.e

Thee poeme “Inglane ise ae Bitch”e usede ine thise researche ise takene frome LKJ’se

albume releasede bye Islande Records.e “Inglane ise ae Bitch”e ise takene frome hise albume

Bass Culturee releasede ine 1980.e “Inglane ise ae Bitch”e ise onee ofe thee poemse whiche

appeare ine hise bookeMi Revalueshanary Frene publishede bye Penguine Classice ine

2002.eIne“InglaneiseaeBitch”eJohnsoneusedetheepersonaeofeaneagingeimmigrant.eIne

thisepoem,etheespeakeredescribeseaelisteofepoorlyepaidejobseheehasetoedoeineorderetoe

surviveeineLondon.eHere,eLKJeraisedetheeissueeofelaboreexploitationeandeisolatione

ofe blacke peoplee ase thee poem’se theme.e Thise poeme ise ae testimonye toe thee

disillusionmenteandeangereofetheeblackeimmigrants’eexperienceeineLondon.eInethise

B. Approach of the Study

Ine ordere toe producee ae goode analysise ofe ae literarye worke onee ore moree

approacheseareeneeded,eforeexamplesetheeformalisticeapproach,etheepsychologicale

approach,etheesociologicaleapproach,etheegendereapproach,epost-colonialeapproach,e

etc.e “Inglane ise ae Bitch”e ise ae poeme dealinge withe thee strugglee ofe ae Caribbeane

immigranteineLondon.eThus,etoeunderstandehoweresistanceeworkseinethisepoemeisetoe

seeeiteinepostcolonialeperspective.e

Postcoloniale approache dealse withe thee issuese like:e slavery,e race,e gender,e

place,eoppression,erepresentation,eanderesponseetoetheeimperialeEuropeediscoursese

suche ase linguistics,e history,e ande philosophy.e Post-colonialisme focusese one thee

effectse ande resistancee ofe colonizede people.e Ine manye ways,e thee subjecte ofe

postcolonialismeiseresistanceeandepostcolonialismeitselfeiseaeprojecteoferesistance.ee

PetereBarryedividedefourecharacteristicseofepost-colonialereading.eTheefirsteise

thee awarenesse ofe representationse ofe thee non-Europeane ase exotice ore immorale

“Other”.eTheesecondeandetheethirdecharacteristicseareelanguageeandehybrideidentity.e

Thee laste characteristice ise thee stresse one ‘cross-cultural’e interactionse (Barry,e

2002:194-196).e “Inglane ise ae Bitch”e ise ae poeme wheree blacke peoplee aree beinge

stereotypede negativelye ande thee languagee usede ise unique.e Therefore,e ite seemse

C. Method of the Study

Thise studye ise ae librarye research.e Thee primarye datae usede ine thise studye ise ae

poemebyeLintoneKwesieJohnsoneentitlede“InglaneiseaeBitch”.eTheeotheredataeIeusede

areetheebookseofetheories,eandesomeeotherestudieserelatedetoetheeissueseoferacism.e

Inethiseresearch,eIeappliedesomeesteps.eTheefirstestepsewasecloseereadingeande

closeelisteningetheepoem,ewhichewouldeleadetoeaecontextualecomprehensionetowarde

theeimageryeusedeinetheepoem.eByedoingeso,etheemessageeofetheepoemewouldebee

recognizablee throughe thee expressionse bothe ine musice ande thee writtene forms.e Thee

secondestepewasecollectingetheedataeneededetoeanalyzeetheeproblemeformulation.e

Next,e Ie conveye thee poemse ande analyzede thee resistancee ine it.e Finally,e Ie drewe thee

28

CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

e

A.Imagery in “Inglan is a Bitch”

W´enemiejus´ecomeetoeLandanetoune Mieuseetoeworkepanedieandahgroune Buteworkin´epanedieandahgroune

Y´uedon´tegetefieknoweyourewayearounde (Johnson,e1980,estanzae1,elinese1-4)e e

Frometheespellingeofetheeworde‘Inglan’einetheetitleetheereaderecaneassumeethate

thisepoemeisedifferentefromepoemsewritteneineStandardeEnglishespelling.eTheereadere

canefurthereinferethatewhetheretheespeakereofetheepoem,eoretheepoetehimself,emuste

haveecomeefromedifferenteculturalebackgroundeorefromedifferentecountry.eAsethee

linese ofe thee firste stanzae continue,e ite becomese clearere thate thee speakere ise ane

immigrantewhoecomesetoeLondoneandehisefirstejobeiseworkingeonetheeunderground.e

InethisestanzaeLKJeemploysevisualeimageryeofeLondoneandeunderground.eTheeworde

‘London’e createse thee imagee ofe metropolitane citye withe alle thee luxurye ande thee

advancede technologye thate ite has.e Ite cane bee assumede thate thee speakere comese toe

Londonehopingetoefindeaepropereandesuitableejobeforeaebettereliving.eHowever,ethee

realitye turnse oute toe bee different;e hee workse ine thee ‘andahground’.e Thee worde

‘andahground’ehereerefersetoetheesubwayeoreundergrounderailwayeineLondon.eThee

worde‘andahground’ebringseoutetheeimageeofeaedarkeplaceeunderetheegroundewhiche

isetheeoppositeeimageefrometheeluxuryeofetheemetropolitanecityeaboveeground.eThee

imageeofehowedeepeandedarkeplaceeundergroundereallyeis.eThen,eproblemeariseseine

theelasteline,e“Y’uedon’tegetefieknoweyourewayearound”e(Johnson,e1980,estanzae1,e

linee 4).e Together,e thesee twoe linese createe thee sensee thate thee speakere feelse loste ore

disorientedeandetheelackeofeknowledgeethatetheespeakerehaseofetheecultureeandethee

countryeheeisetryingetoeintegrateeineto.eFrometheefirstemomenteheearriveseineLondon,e

theespeakerehasealreadyebeingerejectedetoethee‘underground’.eIneotherewordseiteise

hardeforehimetoeadaptetoetheeneweenvironment.e

InetheesecondestanzaetheepersonaeexpressesehiseresentmentetowardseEnglande

byestatingethate“Inglaneiseaebitche/eDere’senoeescapineit”e(Johnson,e1980,estanzae2,e

linese5-6)eande“Dere’senoerunnin’ewheyeframeit”e(Johnson,e1980,estanzae2,elinee8).ee

TheeimageryeinethisestanzaeisearticulatedebyetheeuseeofemetaphorewhereeEnglandeise

describede ase ae bitch,e ane unpleasante difficultye thate thee personae hade toe deale with.e

Thee personae cursese Englande becausee hee feelse rejectede frome thee firste timee hee

arrivedeandeworkedeineLondone‘andahground’ewhileethereeisenothingeheecanedoetoe

avoideit.eThisestanzaeis,einefact,erepeatedethroughoutetheepoemeaseaekindeoferefraine

witheaeslightedifferenceeinetheelasteline,ewhereeeachelineeiseaekindeofeadviceeforethee

readereinedealingewithetheeharshelifeeineEngland.eTheedifferentelineseofethisestanzae

willebeeexplainedelater.e

Miegeteaelickleejabeineaebihe´otelle

An´eawftaheaewhile,emiewozedoin´equiteewelle Demestaatemieaafeaseaedish-washahe

Butew´enemietekeaestack,emienohetuneclack-watchahe (Johnson,e1980,estanzae3,elinese9-12)e

e

atmospheree ofe inferioritye thate thee speakere feels.e Despitee thee inferioritye thate hee

feels,etheespeakerementionseinetheesecondelineethatesomehoweheemanagedetoegete

usedetoehisesecondejobewhereeheeworkserelentlesslyeaseaedish-washer.eTheephrasee

‘bigehotel’ecreatesetheeimageeofeaegrandeandeextravaganteplace.eYet,etheespeakere

onlyegetseaemeniale‘littleejob’easeae‘dish-washer’einethee‘bigehotel’.eThougheonlye

workeaseaedish-washer,etheespeakereworkserelentlesslyeaseheementionseinetheelaste

lineeofethisestanza.eHeedoesenotebecomeeae‘clock-watcher’,eaepersonewhoealwayse

checketheetimeetoemakeesureenotetoeworkeovertime,eevenewheneheegete‘stack’eofe

worksetoedo.ee

Inetheefifthestanza,eLKJeusesevisualeimageryeofe‘littleewageepacket’.eHere,ethee

speakerecomplainseaboutetheelowepaidejobeheehasetoedoeandehowesmallehisewageeise

wheneheesaide“eW’enedemegi’eyouedielickleewageepackite/eFusedemerabeitewidedeme

bige taxe rackit”e (Johnson,e 1980,e stanzae 5,e linese 17-18).e Thee worde ‘racket’e hase

severale meaningse ineOED,e onee ofe theme ise ae dishoneste ore illegale waye ofe gettinge

money.e Ine othere words,e thee speakere accusese hise employeee (ore government)e fore

stealinge hise hard-earnede wage.e Ine thee nexte twoe line,e thee speakere sayse thate “Y’ue

haffiestruggleefiemekeen’semeete/eAn’ew’eney’uegoheaey’uebedey’uejus’ecan’tesleep”e

(Johnson,e1980,estanzae5,elinese19-20).eThisemeansethatetheespeakerehasetoestrugglee

toe finde ae solutione toe overcomee hise incomee probleme whiche givese hime ae restlesse

night.e

InetheeseventhestanzaeLKJecreatesetheevisualeimageryeofetheespeakereworkedige

ditcheinetheecoldeenvironment.eTheeworde‘bitch’eine“Mieuseetoeworkedigeditchew’ene

theeoneeusedetoedescribee‘Inglan’.eTheeworde‘bitch’einetheetitleefunctionseaseaenoune

whileeine“...w`eneitecowlenohebitch”eiteserveseaseaeverb.eIneotherewords,etheelinee

meanse“evenewheneit’secoldeIedidn’tecomplain”.eLKJeusedetheesimilee“strangelikeeae

mule”einetheesecondelineeofethisestanzaetoeemphasizeelaboriousejobeofetheespeaker.e

Itewillecreateedifferentesenseeifetheepoetehadechosen,eforeexample,e“strongelikeeae

horse”eore“strongelikeeaelion”esinceeaemuleeisemostlyeusedetoecarryeheavyeloads.e

Thee seconde linee continuese withe thee phrasee “bute bwoy,e mie dide fool”e (Johnson,e

1980,estanzae7,elinee26)ewhichebyelookingeatetheepreviousesimileecanebeeassociatede

withe thee idiome “stubborne ase ae mule”.e Thise linee thene meanse thate whene hee wase

youngetheespeakereworkedesoehardeandeheeignoredesomeeadvicesethatepeopleemighte

haveegivenetoehim.eTheespeakerethenerealizedehisestubbornnessewheneheesaide“Dene

awftaheaewhileemiejus’estapedhueovahtimee/eDeneawftaheaewhileemiejus’ephuedunge

mietool”e(Johnson,e1980,estanzae7,elinee27-28).e

InetheeninthestanzaeLKJeusesetheeimageeofedayework,enightework,ecleaneworke

andedirtyework.eTheespeakeresayseinetheefirsteandesecondelinesethate“Wellemiedhue

daye woke an’e mie dhue nitee woke /e Mie dhue cleane woke an’e mie dhue duttye wok”e

(Johnson,e1980,estanzae9,elinese33-34).eTheseelinesesomehowesumeupetheevariouse

jobsethatetheespeakerehasedoneeandeitecreateetheeimageeofeaehard-workingeman.eYet,e

hee stille ae victime ofe whitee people’se stereotypee thate “blacke mane ise verye lazy”e

(Johnson,e1980,estanzae9,elinee3).e

Thee eleventhe stanzae thee speakere tellse hise experiencee ofe workinge ine ae

crockerye factorye ine Brackleye wheree hee workede fore fifteene years.e Frome thee firste

ine Brackleye whiche ise quitee fare frome London.e Thee imagee ofe ae factorye upe ine

BrackleyeisedifferentefrometheeimageeofetheemetropolitaneLondon.eTheespeakerehase

toe finde ae jobe fare frome thee luxurye ofe ae bige citye wheree hee wase rejectede toe thee

‘underground’.e Aftere fifteene yearse workede withoute promotione thee speakere wase

fired.e Ine thee thirteenthe stanzae thee speakere complainede aboute thee injusticee ine thee

employmenteofeblackepeople.eHeeknewethatethereewereeplentyejobsethateavailablee

buteitewasehardeforeaeblackemanetoegeteaejob.eTheespeakerementionedeinetheethirde

andefourthelineseofetheethirteenthestanzaethate“Now,eatefifty-fiveemiegettin’equiteeol’e

/eYetestill,edemesen’emiefiegohedrawedole”e(Johnson,e1980,estanzae13,elinese51-52).e

Doleeiseaejobseekereallowanceepaidebyetheegovernmentetoeunemployedepeople.eIt’se

onlye applicablee toe thosee whoe paide ae certaine amounte ine Nationale Insurancee

Contributionseinetheepastetwoeyears.eThiseshowsethatedespiteealletheehardeworkethee

speakerehadedoneewheneheewaseyoung,eheedidn’tehaveeenoughemoneyeaseaepensione

toesupportehiseoldedays.eHeestillehadetoeworkeinehiseoldeageeineorderetoesurvive.eThise

isetheeresulteofelaboreexploitation.e

Frome thee beginninge untile thee ende ofe thee poem,e thee personae ise constantlye

speakingeineJamaicaneCreole.eEvenethoughetheepersonaehasebeenelivingeineEnglande

longeenough,eheestilleuseepatwaeasehiselanguageepreference.eAccordingetoeAbramse

imageryeofepoemecanebeecreatedefrometheetotalityecomponentsewhichemakeeupeae

poeme(1999:e121).eLanguageeisetheemainecomponenteofeaepoem.eThus,ebyeusinge

JamaicaneCreoleeandeitseorthographyeinethisepoemeLKJehasecreatedetheeimageeofeae

blackeimmigrant.ee

B.Resistance as Reflected in “Inglan is a Bitch”

InethisepoemeLKJeaddressesetheeracismeineEnglandethroughetheeexperienceeofe

aneagingeimmigrant.eTheeimageryeofetheespeaker’sejobseineeachestanzaeputetogethere

depictse thee racisme thate blacke peoplee hase toe deale withe ine England.e Thee racisme

depictse heree ise thee institutionale levele ofe racism.e Frome thee firste timee thee speakere

cameetoeLondoneuntileheeisefiftyefiveeyearseoldeheeonlyedoesetheeunskilledejobs.eIne

fact,eheeneveregetsetheechanceetoeescapeefromethee‘andahgroun’.eThiseinstitutionale

levele ofe racisme ise thee resulte frome individuale levele racisme withe stereotypee likee

‘blackemaneiseveryelazy’.eThisenegativeestereotypeetheneisebroughtebyeindividualse

toetheeworkseplaceeandelaterecreateseaesubtleeinstitutionaleracism.eAseCarmichaele

ande Hamiltone explaine aboute thee institutionale levele ofe racism,e thee speakere ine thee

poeme ise subjectede toe ae raciale oppressione bye thee dominante group.e Thee dominante

groupe heree referse toe thee employerse ofe thee immigrante speaker.e Thee institutionale

leveleoferacismeappliedehereeisetheeexploitationeofeimmigranteworkersewhoeareepaide

verye littlee fore beinge marginalizede toe doe laboriouse jobe withe noe prospecte fore

promotion.e Alle thee “daye wok”e ande “nitee wok”e ande evene thee “cleane wok”e ande

“duttyewok”ethatetheespeakeredoneecannoteguaranteeethateheewillehaveebetterecareer.e

Thise kinde ofe racisme ise basede one thee stereotypee thate “blacke mane ise verye lazy”e

(Johnson,e 1980,e stanzae 9,e linee 3),e ae representatione ofe blacke peoplee ase immorale

‘Other’.ee

ItecanebeeclearlyeseenethatethisepoemeisewrittenealmosteentirelyeineJamaicane

Creoleeorthography.eTheeonlyeSEefoundeinetheepoemeiseinetheephrasee“blackemaneise

sincee ite ise thee poem’se onlye sustainede momente frome usinge patwae spellinge ande

pronunciation,eandeitestrengthensetheepresenceeofe‘dem’,etheeoutsidersecommentinge

one thee speakere ande thee communitye withe whiche hee ise associated.e Ite cane bee

concludede thene thate patwae ande SEe usede ine thise poeme servese differente function:e

patwae ise usede toe createe thee imagee ofe thee speakere ase ane immigrante frome thee

CaribbeanewhileeSEeiseusedetoerepresentsetheegroupewhoemaintainsetheehegemonye

i.e.etheewhiteeBritons.ee

Frometheeimagerieseanalyzedebefore,eitecanebeesaidethatetheepoemeemergede

outeaseaevoiceetoearticulateetheeinjusticeeandeoppressionethatetheyeexperience.eIne

“Inglane ise ae Bitch”e LKJe usese thee appealinge ande metaphoricale titlee toe showe hise

discontenteofetheesocialeconditioneineEngland,eparticularlyetheeraceeissue.eEngland,e

previouslyeconsideredeasethee‘motherland’ebyeitsecolonieseduringetheecolonialetime,e

ise metaphoricallye describede ase ae bitch,e ane awful,e displeasing,e nasty,e ande

unpleasante‘woman’ethatecausesedifficultieseoreproblems.eTheephraseeiserepeatede

throughoutetheepoemetoeemphasizeetheeresentmentetowardsetheehardeconditionethate

theeblackepeopleemustedealewithelivingeineEngland.e

Theeresistanceeagainsteracismeinethisepoemecanebeeseenefrometheerepetitioneofe

theeimagerye“InglaneiseaeBitch”eandetheelinesethatefolloweiteinetheesecondestanza.e

Theerepetitioneaseaekindeoferefraineinethisepoemehasesomeedifferenceeineeachelaste

line.eTheelastelineeinetheesecondestanzae“Dere’senoerunnin’ewheeframeit”e(Johnson,e

1980,estanzae2,elinee8),efourthestanzae“Noebaddahetryefiehideeframeit”e(Johnson,e

1980,estanzae4,elinee16)eandesixthestanzase“Aenohelieemieaetell,eaetrue”e(Johnson,e

England.e However,e ine thee eighthe stanzae “Y’ue haffie knowe howe fie survivee ine it”e

(Johnson,e1980,estanzae8,elinee32)etenthestanzae“Y’uebettahefaceeupetoeit”e(Johnson,e

1980,estanzae10,elinee40)eandetwelfthestanzase“Dere’senoerunnin’e wheye frameit”e

(Johnson,e1980,estanzae12,elinee48)eshowethatetheespeakereisenoelongeresubmitetoe

hise fate.e Thesee linese showe insteade thate thee speakere intentse toe fighte againste thee

injusticeeandeoppressioneratherethanegiveeupetoetheesituation.eAndeinetheelastestanzae

“Isewheyewieaegohedhue‘bouteit?”e(Johnson,e1980,estanzae14,elinee56)etheespeakere

addressesetheequestionetoetheereadereandealsoeblackepeopleeineparticular.eTheeusede

ofetheeworde‘wi’einethiselineeiseworthetoenotice.eFrometheebeginningetheespeakere

onlyeaddressesehimselfease‘mi’eandetheereader/audienceease‘y`u’.eWhenetheespeakere

finallyeusesetheeworde‘wi’eheewantsetheereader/audienceeandetheeblackepeopleeine

particularetoecomeetogethereineunityetoefighteagainstetheeoppression.eTheeintendede

answereofetheequestioneisenotetoegoebacketoetheeCaribbeanebutetoelearnefromethee

speaker’sebadeexperienceeineorderetoesurviveeineEnglandewhereeinstitutionaleracisme

exists.e Thus,e thise poeme cane alsoe bee seene ase LKJ’se supporte ofe thee diasporice

movementeofetheeblackepeopleetoetheemetropolitanecenter.e

Thise poem,e however,e alsoe showse ae kinde ofe ambivalencee relationshipe

betweene thee subalterne (thee immigrant)e ande thee dominante powere (thee whitee

employee/thee government).e Evene thoughe thee imagerye ofe “Inglane ise ae bitch”e ise

repeatede fourteene timese ine thise poeme toe showe thee discontente feelinge ofe blacke

peopleetowardethee‘motherland’eEngland,etheyestilleneedeEnglandeandetheyedon’te

goebacketoetheirecountries.eIteisetheesameewithetheedominanteblocetoo.eEvenethoughe

someeofetheeemployeesestilleneedeblackemeneasecheapelaboretoedoesomeemenialejobe

thatewhiteemenedon’tewant.e

Frometheepostcolonialeperspective,etheeresistanceefromethisepoemecanealsoebee

explicitlyeseenefrome“theesecondeareaeofeconcerneinepostcolonialecriticism”e(Barry,e

2002:e195),elanguage.eInetheeseventhestanzaeLKJeusedeaesimilee“strangelikeeaemule”e

(Johnson,e1980,estanzae7,elinee2)etoedescribeetheepersona’sephysicalestrengtheinehise

youtheage.eTheesimileeiseinterestingesinceemuleeiseaehybridedomesticatedeanimale

withehorseeaseitsesireeandedonkeyeaseitsedam.eTheehybridecharacteristiceofemuleeis,e

ine ae way,e suitse thee hybride identitye ofe thee speaker,e thee languagee hybriditye ine

particular.ePatwaeusedebyetheespeaker,ehasesimilarecharacteristics;eitehaseEnglish’e

vocabularieseandegrammarewithesomeemodificationeinfluencesefromeWesteAfricane

languages.eJamaicaneCreole,eorepatwa,eusedeineLKJ’sepoemeisetheeresultefromethee

interactionebetweeneBritishecolonisteandeAfricaneslaveseduringetheecolonialetimese

ine Jamaica.e Thee languagee ande itse placee ine societye reflecte thee cruele historye ofe

JamaicaeaseaeBritishesugarecolonyeuntileitseindependenceeine1962.eIteiseclearethene

thatepatwaeiseaehybridelanguage.ee

RajeeveS.ePatkeementionedethateatetheesocialelevel,epatwaerepresentseclassese

andeindividualsewhoseeuseeofelanguageewasenoteaccommodatedeinetheenormseofethee

middle-classeminorityethatebenefitedefromecolonialeeducation.eAtetheeliteraryelevel,e

patwae givese linguistice subculturese ae placee withine ae revisede concepte ofe literaturee

(2006:e97).eMosteofetheetimeseJamaicaneCreoleeiseconsideredeasebrokene Englishe

andeaseaecorruptioneofeEnglisheandeaedialecteusedebyeuneducatedepeople.eHowever,e

corruptioneoredecline,ehybridityemayebeetheemostecommoneandeeffectiveeformeofe

subversivee oppositione sincee ite displayse thee “necessarye deformatione ande

displacementeofeallesiteseofediscriminationeandedomination”e(Ashcrofteet.al,e1995:e

9).eSo,ewheneLKJeusesepatwaeheedistortsetheedominationeofeStandardeEnglishe(SE)e

byeturnseaeblindeeyeetoetheeformalepatternsedictatedebyeEnglishegrammareandewritese

ineJamaicaneCreoleeorthography.eInesoedoingeLKJeadoptedewithehonoresomethinge

thatetheehegemonyeblocemeanteaseaneinsult.e

RelyingeoneEdwardeK.eBrathwaite’setheoryeofenationelanguage,eLKJ’sepoemse

embracesetheespectrumeofelinguisticeexpressioneaffordedetoeblackepeopleethroughe

thee historye ofe resistancee ande survival.e Whilee Englishe languagee cane conveye

intellectuale conceptse ande denotativee reference,e onlyepatwae whiche ise spokene ine

childhoode ande ine homee carriese thee emotionale weighte ande connotatione thate aree

importantetoeLKJ’sepoem.eThus,ebyeemployingeJamaicaneCreoleinehisepoemeLKJe

alsoe representse thee experiencee ofe Caribbeane people.e Bye writinge hise poeme ine

Jamaicane Creolee orthographye LKJe appropriatede thee languagee to,e ase Chinuae

Achebeesaid,e“bearetheeburdeneofeanothereexperience”e(Ashcrofteet.al,e1995:e19).e

Thee Jamaicane Creolee orthographye thuse usede toe confronte thee historye ofe mimicrye

andemockeryebyetheemetropolitan.e

AseAshcrofteexplainsetheecontroleoverelanguageeiseoneeofetheemainefeaturese

ofeimperialeoppressione(2002:e7).eThisecontroleisemaintainedebyetheeinstallingeofe

‘standard’eversioneofeEnglishelanguageeasetheenormethrougheeducationesystemeande

marginalizingealle‘variants’easeimpurities.eAseaepoeteborneineJamaicaeandelatereone

system’easeAshcroftedescribes.eFrometheetitlee“InglaneiseaeBitch”eitecanebeeseenethate

Johnsone refusese toe speak/writee ‘England’.e Bye usinge ane abbreviatede Inglan,e LKJe

translatesetheeproudeimperialesignifieretoefiteaeparticularevoiceeandesensibility.eThee

thuddinge ‘an’e suffix,e whiche ise alsoe attachede toe thee empire’se capitale ‘Landan’,e

phonicallye articulatese thee poem’se dejectede tone.e Ine fact,e thee wholee Jamaicane

CreoleephonemiceorthographyeusedeinetheepoemeiseLKJ’seattemptetoesubverteSE.e

Ande thee strongeste momente ofe resistancee ine LKJ’se poeme againste SEe ase thee

dominantelanguageeisewhenetheepoeteperformsehisepoem,eeithereinepubliceoreonethee

recordedemedia.e

SoeLKJ’sestrategyeoferesistanceeisebyecreatingetheeimagerieseofehard-workinge

blackemanewhicheiseclearlyetheeoppositeefrometheenegativeeracistestereotypeethate

blacke mane ise verye lazy.e Frome thee imageriese ine thee refraine LKJe alsoe encouragee

blackepeopleetoenotetoegiveeupetoetheeharsherealityebutetoefighteforetheirerights.eLKJe

mostlyeusedepatwaeandeonlyeaebiteofeStandardeEnglisheinethisepoemetoereverseetheire

positions,e patwae becomese thee dominante languagee whilee SEe becomese thee

subordinate.ePatwaeineLKJ’sepoemegiveseethniceandelinguisticediversityeitsespaceeine

theemiddleeofetheemetropolitanecentreeofeLondon.eInefact,eineaneintervieweine2002e

byetheeBBCeRadioe4eLKJestatedethatewritingeandeperformingeusingepatwae“...wase

ane acte ofe rebellione really....Ie supposede subconsciouslye Ie wante toe subverte thee

39

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION

Ine “Inglane ise ae Bitch” LKJe providese settingse wheree blacke peoplee suffere

constantlyefrometheepressureeracismebutestillekeepingealiveetheehopeeofebeingeablee

toeovercomeetheeproblems.eTheeracismeinetheepoemecanebeeseeneinetheeimageryeofe

lowlyepaidemenialejobs.eIteisetheeexactepictureeofetheeblackeimmigranteineLondon.e

Eveneifetheyehadeskills,emosteofetheeimmigrantsewereegivenetheemenialejobsethate

whiteepeopleedidn’tewant.eTheeargumenteagainsteemployingeblackepeopleewasetheye

wereelazy.eIne“InglaneiseaeBitch”eLKJerefuteetheestereotypeeandeshowsethateblacke

peopleewereehardeworkers.eWithehisepoemeLKJeurgedeblackepeopleetoestandefirmeine

Englandeandefighteforetheirerightseagainstealleprejudiceeanderacialestereotype.ee

Theeimagerieseinetheepoemeareepresentedethroughevisualeimageries,emetaphore

ande simile.e Thee visuale imageriese aree thee Jamaicane Creolee orthographye whiche

createsetheeimageeofeaeblackeCaribbeaneandealsoefrometheejobsethatetheespeakeretellse

ine thee poem.e Thee metaphore ise frome thee titlee “Inglane ise ae Bitch�