George Lamming Criticism
George Lamming, born in 1927 in Barbados, is a prominent Caribbean novelist, essayist, and poet renowned for his exploration of themes related to the decolonization of the West Indies. His work is celebrated for its nationalistic fervor and experimental prose, marked by allegory and metaphor that reflect the complex legacy of colonialism. Lamming's narratives often challenge the imposed colonial values and highlight the search for a new social and political identity in postcolonial Caribbean societies.
Lamming's debut novel, In the Castle of My Skin, is a seminal work of decolonization literature that draws from his own childhood experiences in Barbados, illustrating the protagonist's journey from childhood to adulthood amidst social upheaval. As noted by Carolyn T. Brown, the novel adeptly intertwines autobiographical elements with the broader political context. His subsequent novels, such as The Emigrants and Of Age and Innocence, delve into themes of migration, alienation, and the enduring impacts of colonial rule.
Lamming's use of Shakespearean motifs, particularly in Water with Berries, is a profound commentary on the colonial experience, as explored by Peter Hulme. In Natives of My Person, his narrative allegorizes the failures of colonial utopian aspirations, as critiqued by Reed Way Dasenbrock. Despite facing criticism for his complex narrative techniques, as mentioned in Neil ten Kortenaar's review, Lamming is defended by scholars like Viney Kirpal, who highlight the intricate political and social insights in his work.
Lamming's influence extends beyond his novels, contributing significantly to Caribbean intellectual and cultural discourse. His essays in The Pleasures of Exile critique colonial ideologies and celebrate Caribbean identity, though not without controversy, as noted by Reed Way Dasenbrock. Engaged in various educational and cultural initiatives, Lamming remains a pivotal figure in the literary portrayal of postcolonial Caribbean life.
Contents
- Principal Works
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Lamming, George (Vol. 144)
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Symbols Ahoy
(summary)
In the following review, the commentator voices his displeasure with Lamming's circumlocutory writing style.
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The Tyranny of History: George Lamming's Natives of My Person and Water with Berries
(summary)
In the following essay, Tiffin examines the underlying themes of enslavement and empowerment in Lamming's Natives of My Person and Water with Berries.
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Freedom after the Fall: Renaissance and Disillusionment in Water with Berries and Guerrillas
(summary)
In the following essay, Tiffin explores the interactions among characters in Lamming's Water with Berries and V. S. Naipaul's Guerrillas.
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The Myth of the Fall and the Dawning of Consciousness in George Lamming's In the Castle of My Skin
(summary)
In the following essay, Brown studies the autobiographical aspects of the character “G” in Lamming's In the Castle of My Skin, giving special consideration to the effect that Lamming, writing as an adult with an adult perspective, has regarding the awareness and experiences of a child.
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The Pleasures of Exile
(summary)
In the following review of the reprinting of Lamming's The Pleasures of Exile, Dasenbrock laments that the book has not aged well and finds it to be bitter and illogical.
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George Lamming in Conversation with Frank Birbalsingh
(summary)
In the following conversation, George Lamming and Frank Birbalsingh discuss the influence of African consciousness on Caribbean literature, emphasizing the dynamic evolution of cultural exchanges and the impact of the Rastafarian movement, while also exploring Lamming's thematic approach in his novels and the complex identity perceptions of Caribbean intellectuals like C. L. R. James.
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‘Within the Orbit of Power’: Reading Allegory in George Lamming's Natives of My Person
(summary)
In the following essay, McDonald examines the symbolic representations contained in Natives of My Person.
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Natives of My Person
(summary)
In the following review, Dasenbrock admires Lamming's attempt at the blending of historical fiction and allegory, but finds that Lamming's narrative fluctuates too often between the two genres to be considered a successful novel.
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C. L. R. James: West Indian George Lamming Interviewed
(summary)
In the following interview, George Lamming, conducted by Paul Buhle, discusses the profound influence of C. L. R. James on West Indian writers and political thought, characterizing James as a philosophical teacher whose ideas on Marxism, Caribbean civilization, and Pan-Africanism significantly shaped intellectual discourse and creative expression throughout the Caribbean.
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Carnival Strategies in Lamming's In the Castle of My Skin
(summary)
In the following essay, Jonas examines the essence of the “Trickster” and shows the instances of this imaginary creature presiding over Lamming's In the Castle of My Skin.
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The Strains of Apocalypse: Lamming's Castle and Brodber's Jane and Louisa
(summary)
In the following essay, Cooke studies the effect gender has on the tone of a “coming of age” novel written by a Caribbean writer. In the Castle of My Skin is written from the male standpoint, whereas Jane and Louisa Will Soon Come Home is written from the female point of view.
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George Lamming's In the Castle of My Skin: Finding Promise in the Land
(summary)
In the following essay, ten Kortenaar discusses his displeasure with In the Castle of My Skin, finding fault with Lamming's wordiness, insufficient character development, and lack of plot cohesiveness.
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Possession as Metaphor: Lamming's Season of Adventure
(summary)
In the following essay, Rohlehr examines the political metaphors and instances of allegory in Season of Adventure. The tendency to employ ecstatic possession as metaphor of the descent into the unconscious mind of the individual and the group, has become quite common in both Afro-Caribbean and Afro-American literatures. This essay seeks to explore Lamming's use of the possession metaphor in Season of Adventure.
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The Profit of Language: George Lamming and the Postcolonial Novel
(summary)
In the following essay, Hulme examines the reworking of Shakespeare's The Tempest in many of Lamming's works.
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‘Whirling out of the Dance …’: Three Autobiographies Written in Exile
(summary)
In the following essay, Bass finds many similarities among American Richard Wright's Black Boy, South African Ezekiel Mphahlele's Down Second Avenue, and Caribbean George Lamming's In the Castle of My Skin despite the different nationalities of the writers.
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Mothers and Their Defining Role: The Autobiographies of Richard Wright, George Lamming, and Camara Laye
(summary)
In the following essay, Williams compares the strong mother figures in Wright's Black Boy, Laye's The Dark Child, and Lamming's In the Castle of My Skin, and analyzes their effect on the lives of their children.
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George Lamming's In the Castle of My Skin: A Modern West Indian Novel
(summary)
In the following essay, Kirpal defends In the Castle of My Skin in light of Neil ten Kortenaar's negative critical review (Ariel 22:2 April, 1991). Kirpal evaluates the novel from a different perspective and finds it to be a worthwhile political/social endeavor and a complex work of fiction.
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Symbols Ahoy
(summary)
- Lamming, George (Vol. 2)
- Lamming, George (Vol. 4)
- Further Reading