explore the way jackie kay presents colman stuggle for identity in trumpet
Explore the way Kay presents Colman and his struggle for identity.
Jackie Kay reveals in ‘trumpet’ Colman’s battle and inner conflict to identify himself as an individual rather than the son of a famous trumpeter. Nevertheless, Jackie Kay conveys Colman’s most bitter struggle and his anguish at being unable to relate to himself when the intricate lie of his father Joss Moody is revealed.
In the beginning of the novel, in the third chapter, Colman’s voice is portrayed to the readers almost literally as the title of the chapter ‘cover story; suggests Colman was being interviewed (which is later revealed to the readers).
In the previous chapters, one and two, Jackie Kay chooses to present the character of Mille through her most inner thoughts and feelings. However Kay chooses to reveal the character of Colman through an interview, with the character of Sophie Stones, which is contradictory to the other chapters whereby Kay chooses to present Colman in third person ( for example in the chapter titled ‘sex’). One reason for Kay presenting the character of Colman in this format may be to create ambiguity and for the readers to question all that was being said by Colman in the interview.
When Colman is recalling memories of his father Joss Moody, in the beginning of chapter three, it is clear that the death of his father had a detrimental effect on Colman mentally. This is shown in the quotation ‘’only when I became Colman Moody did everything start to become a total fucking drag’’. The quotation suggests that Colman was used to being known as Joss moody’s son. The words ‘Fucking drag’ highlights the anguish at perhaps himself as he may of felt he was unable to identify with himself as an individual since the death of his father. Rather he prefers to be referred to as Joss Moody’s son. This correlates with the quote ‘it’s a tall order when someone expects you to be somebody just because your father was somebody’. This quotation conveys the depth of Colman’s
Jackie Kay reveals in ‘trumpet’ Colman’s battle and inner conflict to identify himself as an individual rather than the son of a famous trumpeter. Nevertheless, Jackie Kay conveys Colman’s most bitter struggle and his anguish at being unable to relate to himself when the intricate lie of his father Joss Moody is revealed.
In the beginning of the novel, in the third chapter, Colman’s voice is portrayed to the readers almost literally as the title of the chapter ‘cover story; suggests Colman was being interviewed (which is later revealed to the readers).
In the previous chapters, one and two, Jackie Kay chooses to present the character of Mille through her most inner thoughts and feelings. However Kay chooses to reveal the character of Colman through an interview, with the character of Sophie Stones, which is contradictory to the other chapters whereby Kay chooses to present Colman in third person ( for example in the chapter titled ‘sex’). One reason for Kay presenting the character of Colman in this format may be to create ambiguity and for the readers to question all that was being said by Colman in the interview.
When Colman is recalling memories of his father Joss Moody, in the beginning of chapter three, it is clear that the death of his father had a detrimental effect on Colman mentally. This is shown in the quotation ‘’only when I became Colman Moody did everything start to become a total fucking drag’’. The quotation suggests that Colman was used to being known as Joss moody’s son. The words ‘Fucking drag’ highlights the anguish at perhaps himself as he may of felt he was unable to identify with himself as an individual since the death of his father. Rather he prefers to be referred to as Joss Moody’s son. This correlates with the quote ‘it’s a tall order when someone expects you to be somebody just because your father was somebody’. This quotation conveys the depth of Colman’s