This essay is graded A* (96%, 24/25) AS Level providing a heavily detailed critical appreciation of quotes on themes such as racism and prejudices, perceptive analysis of characters (not only Hortense) and a new view on how Levy makes one feel sympathy for Hortense. The essay is useful for notes, h...
In what ways and to what extent does Levy’s presentation of Hortense lead you
to sympathise with her?
In “Small Island” Levy presents all her characters, even the minor ones, with an
understanding view, inducing us to sympathise with them. She does this even
with the “insufferable creature” – as her husband first describes her –
Hortense, and we see, through Levy’s account different facets and layers to the
character at first so haughty, and makes us agree Hortense is nothing less than
human.
At many points in the novel, Hortense’s air of superiority lessens the readers’
will to empathise with her, but her initial off putting traits are countered by the
revelation of their origins. From a young age, she understandably declares she
is deserving of a great life: “there was a chance of a golden life for I” if she
lived with her father’s cousins, “after all, what could Alberta give?” We notice
Hortense values education, manners and the colonial style of life more than
love and close relationships. Her high self-esteem and discipline can be viewed
as admirable but her merits cease there; when she believes herself a cut above
other Jamaicans who are a darker colour than her we feel detached from her,
just as she has separated herself from others – “my skin was the colour of
warm honey… no one would think to enchain someone such as I”. With her
racist attitude Levy shows us it is not just white people who share this belief of
skin determining one’s future and gives away where this has stemmed from:
Hortense’s colonial education. Hortense at first serves as one of the empire’s
offspring where skin colour, manners and education rule over all else and the
reader can hardly blame her for following these unchallenged rules ingrained
in her from a young age. This implement of artificial values is visible when
Hortense proudly teaches Miss Jewel about “shepherds” and “daffodils” in
Wordsworth’s England. These values tend to kick in whenever she feels unsure
of how she should act, as seen when she repeats “a woman such as I” should
be treated differently; she uses this expression as a veil of protection. Hortense
can at various points in the novel act as a repellent to our sympathies; the
reader may feel like turning on her and feel glad England reduces her ego. This
though will never satisfy readers as it is not so much Hortense’s ego itself that
speaks but her coping mechanism – and the reader is conscious of this due to
Levy’s depiction of Hortense’s headstrong personality - and her struggles in
grasping her fractured identity: “is this the way the English live?” Once again
this question she demands repeatedly is a cover for her insecurities; it can be a
way of dealing with disappointments – detaching herself from being English
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