Short Essay Response Black British Literature Circular Endings in Girl, Woman, Other and Hold
2 views 0 purchase
Course
Black British Literature (BBL)
Institution
Leiden University College The Hague (LUC)
Comparing how both Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo and Hold by Michael Donkor utilize the structure of circular endings to emphasize the relationships, bonds, and friendships of the characters
Both Girl, Woman, Other and Hold have similar structures regarding their beginning and end.
For starters, they both have circular endings: Girl, Woman, Other starts and ends with Amma's
party, and Hold opens and ends with Mary's funeral (although we only know it's Mary's later in
the novel). They also highlight the importance and value of relationships which allow the
characters to grow.
The opening of the funeral depicts the devastation that Belinda feels and will later be put in
perspective when it is discovered to be for Mary. The devastation and sadness illustrated in the
beginning can be contrasted with how Belinda's grief is not a concern for the adults around her in
later chapters. There is no one to truly support her in her grief or shame in how she treated Mary
and Amma. Instead, characters surrounding Belinda worry about performing the most grandiose
funeral and eulogy. The novel ends with Belinda going to meet her mother before leaving for
London. After regretting how she treated Mary and thinking of how she felt ashamed of Amma,
looking for her mother, a symbol of shame for her which she couldn't tell anyone except Amma,
is a sign of personal development due to this tragic event. Belinda, rather than feeling ashamed
of her mother or Amma's sexuality, the sad event of Mary's death leads her to value the
relationships in her life. Belinda wants to meet her mother (which she always thinks about) rather
than pretend she is dead like she asked Belinda to do.
Similarly, the ending of Girl, Woman, Other ends with the opening party to put all of the
characters we've seen together. Hence, it shows to the reader the tensions, resolved, and
unresolved issues between the various characters after learning about their backstories. This
union helps the readers understand the significance of these different relationships, something
the novel has always emphasized. The stories were never about individual characters, and the
ending highlights this tendency aside from the chapter sections that rely on relationships between
three people. Like Hold, this book ends with Penelope also leaving to meet her birth mother,
growing from her racial prejudice just like Belinda. The latter was ashamed of Amma's sexuality
and her mother's previous profession. Penelope, like Belinda, starts to grow due to the value of
their bonds, learning about her mixed ancestry and caring about forming a relationship with her
non-white mother.
This focus on relationships reminds me of Johny Pitts' comments on how his understandings of
the world and his identity were based on his relationships from the first chapter. The first person
he introduces is his neighbors. He grows and develops and learns about himself and the people
around him through his relationships, like Belinda and Penelope.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller valeriagarro. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $7.29. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
