James’s Minty Alley the farming of the community

The novel Minty Alley by C.L.R James touches on the lives of Indian Coolies and descendants of West African slaves in Trinidad. Mrs. Rouse is enraged but unsurprised by Mr. Benoit's deception as her husband, who has gone to live with another woman. Benoit is ideally Mrs. Rouse's common-law partner. Mrs. Rouse, on the other hand, is black, while Mr. Benoit is half-Indian. James illustrates how Indian Collies regard women of African descent as inferior despite their higher social status. Minty Alley reveals that, amid the obstacles, they encounter in a patriarchal society, women are resilient and fearless. This essay demonstrates that C.L.R James uses, interactions and symbolism that are deeply rooted in the conventional Trinidad society to condemn racial stereotypes and condemn the notions of social classes that lead to marginalization of some groups in the society.

The Presentation of Women in Minty Alley

Women are presented as highly enduring creatures in an oppressive society. For example, they suffer the pain brought by the promiscuity of their male counterparts without retaliating. According to the view of outsiders such as Reginald Selwyn and William Cain the manner in which Mr. Benoit treats Mrs. Rousse is equivalent to a dream because it incorporates devaluing and threatening her (James 74). In the atmosphere that brings emotional suffering, women are also more open and willing to seek advice during hardships in their relationships. For example, Mrs. Rouse assets that her spiritual counselor once told her that her blood and that of coolies do not take (James 240). Mr. Benoit is a half a coolie but carries treachery against black women because he is not black. He is an embodiment of Afro-Indian intimacies that is unfruitful.

In a contemporary patriarchal society, people perceive their ethnicity and gender as an advantage. Despite that he brags of being a non-African, Mr. Benoit's race roots are hard to trace. Additionally, he is not financially-well-off because he depends on the bakery that is owned by Mrs. Rouse for his upkeep. According to Cain and Cudjoe, Mr. Benoit's contribution to his household was negligible. In most of his days, Mr. Benoit concentrated on waking up, eating nuts and bragging about his sexual appeal (James73). Ideally, the author demonstrates the macho image that Benoit portrays which entails a belief that women are sex objects. However, he does not appreciate it. Being a person of a non-African descent justifies cheating on the woman that has supported him for eighteen years. Apparently, the case of Mr. Benoit and Mrs.Rouse indicates how women are marginalized based on race in Trinidad. James basically demonstrates awareness about the racist struggles that are ongoing that occur on the basis of gender and sex.

C.R.L. James also portrays that women are relegated to the position of sexual objects because of their gender, social status, and ethnicity. For instance, Mr. Benoit is a sensualist based on the description of his strong sexual appetite for women (James73). He acts against the ordinary societal expectations about elderly people with families. He is aged between thirty-five and forty but his conduct does not reflect maturity. His negative perception about women is demonstrated in the way he talks to Mr. Haynes. In their conversation, Mr. Benoit points out that Mr. Haynes has a nice, fat cook and that he had liked her in the first time she had come to ask for a room. He continues to assert that Mrs. Rouse had told him that she does everything for his manager and the boss is unwilling to let her go. He ends up telling Mr. Haynes that "anyway keep your property... If she falls in my garden it will not be necessary to lock the gate to keep her in"(James 31).As a matter of fact, the author suggests that Mr. Benoit has a maniacal appetite for women despite that had been a fiancé to Mrs. Rouse for eighteen years.

Additionally, C.L.R James presents women as the primary advisors and arbiters in the society. For example, amidst uncertainties, Ella, the servant of Mr. Haynes helps him move and lodge a house in Minty Alley to enable him to realize his dreams. On the other hand, Maisie and Mrs. Rouse who belong to the class of “others” help Mr. Haynes, a member of the middle class to socialize when he is in need.

Spatial Metaphors

Spatial metaphors are metaphors with space as the source domain and mapping the structure of image and schema onto domains that are abstract and nonspatial. Ideally, they act as fabrics that connect concepts. When assessed carefully, it can be established that C.L.R. James’s setting of Trinidad and its inhabitants is a spatial metaphor because it reveals different aspects of the lives of masses with equal portions of lover, consternation, confusion, and curiosity (Nielsen 16).The following are the literary devices that CLR James uses in his book, Mint Alley.

Imagery

James uses figurative language to describe how the middle and upper classes can afford expensive goods that are not common among the middle class. For instance he asserts that Mr. Haynes’s affluent home had pleasant furniture and mahogany sideboards imported from China. The items were stuck in his mind because he lived with them for long. Ideally, the idea that they had stuck in his mind reflects on the memories that he had for the expensive items (James 23). Nonetheless, the author asserts that Haynes mother remained her only memory to imply that he could not help thinking about her deceased mother every time. He also says that James’s life is empty and the sea of life was beating at the walls which enclosed him (James 23)

Symbolism.

James uses both direct and indirect symbols to present the attributes different people and places in Minty Alley. The following are the main symbols that James presents. In the book

Negative vertical Status Mobility in social class. The premise of Minty Alley is superficially simplistic. C.L.R. James suggests that social class is temporary using various characters. For instance, .James reflects on Mrs. Rouse that once lived a wealthy life with Mr. Benoit but eventually becomes indebted in a house that is heavily mortgaged and Mrs. Atwell that once depended on her fiancé for money is forced to work for half a day in a factory that manufactures shirts. The reflection on a downward social status mobility seeks to condemn the notion of social class.

The meaning of Love and Relationships. C.L.R. James reflects on a triangular relationship between Nurse Jackson, Mrs. Rouse and Mr. Benoit. Nurse Jackson’s taking of Mr. Benoit away from Mrs. Rouse unravels the ideal life of Minty Alley. Mr. Benoit parts with Nurse Jackson when he falls sick. In this case, CLR. James presents the notion of ideal love in an intimate relationship. The separation between Mrs. Rouse and Mr. Benoit and his subsequent indulgence with Nurse Jackson resulted from ethnic differences and male chauvinism. Specifically, Benoit left Mrs. Rouse for Nurse Jackson to exhibit his male chauvinism and adherence to the notion of ethnic superiority. However, the new relationship did not last long because of a weak bond between the two of them, which came to light when Nurse left him as a result of sickness. In this case, CLR argues than the closeness of a relationship is more important that the closeness on the basis of race and class.

Vernacular.

The vernacular dialogues among the larger-than-life characters of Minty Alley give insight about the formative period in accordance to the thoughts of CLR James.Matiz has two male friends, Popo, the person that loves luxury and is irresponsible and Nicholas, the Butcher that pays for her rent. Irene makes an attempt to summon Nicholas at an unexpected hour which leads to violence that is associated with dialect. James asserts that Mamitz went straight to Mamitz and seized her by the throat and asked, “Where the hell is that man you had in the room with you-the room I payn’ rent for?” In her reply, Mamitz yelled that” don’t talk dam foolishness man, le’mme go’ (James 8). The use of vernacular helps the reader to understand the immoral character of the residents of Minty Alley. Some women have more than one man as their boyfriends and some men spend a significant proportion of their income to fend for such women. Such women believe that it is not wrong to have more than one man while the men believe that by paying for their needs, they are entitled to them.

Similes and Metaphors

C.L.R. James incorporates metaphors and similes in the text. For instance, while quarelling, Nicholas says that “I will stick my knife into you as I will stick it in a cow…Speak the truth, you dog.” (James 9). From Nicholas’s statements, the assertion that he will pierce Mamitz with a knife like he does to a cow is a simile while calling Matmitz a dog is a metaphor. Another metaphor is the assertion that the bourgeoisie were the eyes of patrons in England (James 9). Therefore, the author utilizes similes and metaphors in his book.

Conclusion

With the use of interactions and, C.L.R James reveals the negative effects of upholding onto status quos associated with gender , race and social classes. Specifically he demonstrates that status quos result in marginalization of other people that are perceived to be inferior in the society. To make his points clear to the audience, CLR James focuses on realism, social class and race to set the tone of many ideals of Caribbean life. A macho image that relegates women to a position of mere sexual objects is presented negatively with a notion that as opposed to the stereotypes, women are an important part of the society. Minty alley is a spatial metaphor that reflects on the concepts of marginalization of societal groups such as class, ethnicity and gender and their effects on the social fabric. The author utilizes imagery, symbolism, similes and metaphors and vernacular to advocate for a shift from notions of status quos to enhance social fabric.



Works Cited

James, C L. R, and Kenneth Ramchand. Minty Alley. London: New Beacon Books, 1981. Print.

King, Nicole. C.l.R. James and Creolization: Circles of Influence. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2007. Print

Nielsen, Aldon Lynn. CLR James: A Critical Introduction. Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2010.Print