Small Island, Andrea Levy
A fascinating book looking at England at the end of WW2 from the perspectives of 4 characters. The book majors on the issues of race and the racism of the white British empire which I found shocking but not surprising (recent surveys show that, depressingly, attitudes have barely changed). I was struck more by how each character viewed their own motives/story as being rich with meaning whereas their view of others was that they were superficial and shallow. I was desperate for their stories to somehow overlap/engage. Switching between the characters gave the book extra momentum and allowed the reader a better chance at making more rounded judgements on each character. Definitely worth a read.
posted by Graham @ 2:07 pm
1 Comments:
I think you are right that on the surface we are more tolerant of different races and aware of our racist language. However, surveys still show that over 2/3rds of whites believe the immigrants do not integrate or make a positive contribution to Britian (BBC Survey). We also are starting to recognise our institutional racism within the public sector and the workplace.
The theme of mother country/colonies is interesting and the branding of Britain and its culture. In theory, a more "global" view should provide more information on the "real situation" in each country and promote cultural awareness and diversity. In practice, the mother country probably needs to sustain cultural superiority for economic, social and political reasons.
Post a Comment
<< Home