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Degree Name

MA (Master of Arts)

Program

English

Date of Award

8-2001

Committee Chair or Co-Chairs

Isabel B. Stanley

Committee Members

Sonya H. Cashdan, Thomas A. Holmes

Abstract

Although Jamaica Kincaid’s Annie John can be described as a bildungsroman or coming of age story, the novel raises complex and compelling issues. Both Annie John’s mother and the colonial school undermine her transition into adulthood by teaching Annie to devalue her individual identity and culture. When Annie questions this perception, both lash out against her. Through a close and sensitive examination of the text, the ethnocentric bias and hidden agendas of those closest to Annie is uncovered and analyzed. As West Indian writers, particularly women writers, gain more recognition, it is crucial to acknowledge and understand the effects that growing up on a colonized island has upon West Indians. A deeper reading of Annie John exposes the prejudices and power relationships that continue to haunt formerly colonized islands.

Document Type

Thesis - restricted

Copyright

Copyright by the authors.

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