“Small Island” paints a vivid portrait of England and Jamaica at a turning point in their long relationship, when people whose ancestors had been slaves for the empire began coming to the mother country in search of opportunity.
Jamaicans of this era are proud subjects of the British Empire, looking up to all things English and ready to make sacrifices for the mother country.
With the arrival of World War II, they readily accept the call to service. Michael joins the RAF to fight in Europe; as does Gilbert, who is engaged to one of Hortense’s friends. Hortense trains as a teacher and saves her money, dreaming of marrying Michael and moving to England.
The British side of the story charts Queenie’s odyssey: from a pig farm in Yorkshire to the disenchanting freedom of London and an eventual troubled marriage to Bernard. He goes off to war, and she providentially meets Michael and later Gilbert. With her open heart and remarkable lack of prejudice, she represents the best that England has to offer her children from the colonies. For Queenie, it’s a gift that exacts a great price.
The relations between the four, each of whom faces a grueling personal struggle, are the occasion for gentle humor and intense heartbreak.
By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.