Small Island is a book written by Andrea Levy that focuses on race, war, and prejudice in London in 1948. The story is presented through the unique perspectives of four different narrators, each sharing their own past experiences through flashbacks. Among these narrators is Gilbert, a Jamaican newlywed and former RAF serviceman during World War II. Despite his hopes for a bright future in London, Gilbert is all too familiar with the reality of racial discrimination, understanding that achieving success will not come easily for him.
This excerpt demonstrates how the protagonist is prevented from sitting next to Queenie and Arthur by the usherette, which ultimately results in the death of Arthur (183-193). Despite serving England and reintegrating into society, he continues to face mistreatment. His young wife, Hortense, is portrayed as being more innocent and unaware of these harsh realities.
Arriving from Jamaica via the Empire Windrush, she hoped to pursue a teaching career and also search for her ex-partner Michael, who had left Jamaica to join the RAF after a scandalous affair. Desperate to fulfill her dreams, she quickly married Gilbert, believing life in England would be wonderful. However, she soon found herself feeling hopeless due to the rude rejections she faced and the difficulties she experienced in making herself understood by her white working-class neighbors. They seemed unable to comprehend the English she had learned back home on the island.
However, as the story progresses, Queenie and Gilbert develop a stronger bond. Eventually, they decide to take in Queenie’s baby, Michael, and raise him together. This decision comes after Queenie plans to leave Queenie’s house and settle down with Gilbert. Queenie is a tough and level-headed survivor who also possesses a kind heart. Growing up on a pig farm in Yorkshire, she quickly grows to despise the smell of pigs, the squalor, and the sight of blood. Yearning for a way out, her wish is finally granted when her compassionate Aunt sends her train fare to London. Queenie is open-minded and eager to embrace new experiences, much like Hortense when she also travels to London with hope for a better life.
Despite her efforts to improve her pronunciation through elocution lessons, she is unable to fully suppress her Yorkshire accent. However, a sudden death leads her to seek comfort in the arms of Bernard, an educated yet unremarkable man. Queenie believes her dreams are forever lost. When Bernard goes off to war, she becomes responsible for caring for his mentally ill father. During this time, she has a sexual encounter with Michael, a black serviceman whom she invites to her house. This encounter results in Queenie becoming pregnant. With Bernard still absent from the war, Queenie later invites Gilbert, a man she had previously met, to stay at her house after he rescued her father-in-law. Gilbert’s wife is also expected to arrive, along with a few other lodgers. Initially, Queenie and Hortense have a conflict, but due to their shared life experiences, they eventually develop a bond and become as close as friends could be. Eventually, Queenie decides to give them the baby she had with Hortense’s former companion, Michael.
After Bernard returns, he openly expresses his unhappiness with the presence of black people living in the house, questioning why they had to be “coloured.” Conversely, Queenie, unlike any other white character in the book, does not judge individuals based on their skin color. Bernard is married to Queenie, who works as a bank clerk. He is perceived as arrogant and racist, a stark contrast to his wife. Bernard’s father, Arthur, served in World War 1 and suffers from shellshock, leading him to become silent after meeting Queenie. Upon marrying Queenie, Bernard undergoes a transformation from being repressed and quiet to becoming lively and affectionate. However, this change is temporary as he eventually reverts back to his closed-off self and decides to join the army, where he befriends a man named Maxi. Surprisingly, after Maxi’s death, Bernard engages in a fight and cheats on Queenie with an underage prostitute, fearing that he contracted a life-threatening case of syphilis. However, it turns out to be just a simple flu.
After spending two years away, the protagonist goes to visit Maxi’s family and eventually returns home to a surprised Queenie. She recalls, “and I was collapsed sitting on the pavement.” However, Bernard dismisses Queenie’s concern with a simple “Indeed,” highlighting his perceived dullness, which Queenie seems to dislike. The narrative begins with a flashback to Queenie’s childhood, demonstrating the presence of racism from an early age. Queenie refers to the British empire exhibition as Africa due to the presence of black people, indicating how racism is ingrained in children. Emily’s statement, “go on queenie, kiss him, kiss him,” implies that the black man is seen as diseased, issuing a challenge to Queenie. The quote about gender roles, “A wife must do as her husband say. You ask a judge. You ask a policeman.” (Pg. 24), emphasizes the lack of autonomy and freedom for women, as the word “must” implies obedience.
The author adds to their argument by utilizing titles such as “policeman” and “judge”, both roles associated with authority and power. This implies the concept of ‘law’ and the potential consequences that may arise if this ‘law’ is violated. In the quote, “Everyt’ing in that trunk belong to you. What is hers is yours and if she no like it then………. a little licking will make her obey” (pg. 24), it is suggested that during WWII, women did not have outright ownership of any possessions, as everything they had belonged to their husbands. The phrase “A shadow come to life” (pg. 5) portrays black individuals as being somewhat incomplete or inferior to white people. Lastly, the statement “‘She can’t understand what I’m saying…” implies a communication barrier between characters.
The assumption that all white people made was that black people are inferior to them and have no concept of language; they can only communicate using primitive methods. Levy is showing how black people were viewed as animalistic, giving the image of them being savage, uncivilized, and uneducated. Black people are abnormal and therefore inferior to white people or it could show the naivety of people living in Britain. This racism is worse as it is a child using it, showing how racism was deeply rooted in English society to the extent that children would use it.
