Idora Morrison
More – Austin Clarke
Summary
This novel takes the reader through a series of thoughts and memories as a single mother named Idora Morrison reminisces about the struggles and hardships she has to endure coming from a foreign country to Canada. Not only does she have to find a way to get comfortable in her new surroundings, but she must also deal with racism to a degree that she never has before. Despite being able to make ends meet for her and her child, after her deadbeat husband has left her for America; she is alarmed to find out that her son BJ, has gotten into a gang. This news sends her into a downward spiral, where she feels alone, disappointed, invisible and let down by the place that she figured would be able to make her dreams come …show more content…
true – Toronto. This novel deals with a Caribbean woman who comes to Toronto and feels uncomfortable in her own skin, yet despite all odds is able to survive in a world that seems so cruel.
Thesis
More is an allegorical novel, which portrays the difficulties experienced by a woman of a different race who's accommodating to the Western culture and community as a society.
Arguments/Supporting Themes 1.
acculturaltion 2. social construct 3. immigration 4. religion 5. racism 6. responsibility 7. adaptation
Course Connections/Themes
Aspects of the company town from Margaret’s Museum * Immigrants are given these jobs where they make little money that barely gets them by * This causes them to only be able to spend their money on the necessities, and having a child makes things harders * The money made can’t help Idora get an education and go to college like she planned to because she is a single parent * Both had expectations for how they wanted their children to live * Both has expectations that were not fulfilled
Defining The Border
Us and Them/Dichotomy
Racism
* Idora constantly put herself, among others in a box and never thought of herself as one who belonged in the community * Canada promotes multiculturalism, and that’s what Idora expected, but it is not what she got * She literally saw the world in black and white * Thought that THEY (white people) had it easy, got what they wanted, were educated, and had many opportunities – the world worked in their favour * And her among others “US” were pushed down and given as little leeway as possible to
grow
POWERPOINT US (Idora)Minorities – mainly black people | THEMWhite society | Pushed Down | Have it easy | Given little paying jobs | Always judging | Set up to fail | High paying jobs | Limited opportunities | Easy access to education |
Defining the Border: father from the core means your sense of belonging is weaker
US (MINORITIES)
US (MINORITIES)
THEM = WHITE
SOCIETY
THEM = WHITE
SOCIETY
Summary
This novel takes the reader through a series of thoughts and memories as a single mother named Idora Morrison reminisces about the struggles and hardships she has to endure coming from a foreign country to Canada. Not only does she have to find a way to get comfortable in her new surroundings, but she must also deal with racism to a degree that she never has before. Despite being able to make ends meet for her and her child, after her deadbeat husband has left her for America; she is alarmed to find out that her son BJ, has gotten into a gang. This news sends her into a downward spiral, where she feels alone, disappointed, invisible and let down by the place that she figured would be able to make her dreams come …show more content…
true – Toronto. This novel deals with a Caribbean woman who comes to Toronto and feels uncomfortable in her own skin, yet despite all odds is able to survive in a world that seems so cruel.
Thesis
More is an allegorical novel, which portrays the difficulties experienced by a woman of a different race who's accommodating to the Western culture and community as a society.
Arguments/Supporting Themes 1.
acculturaltion 2. social construct 3. immigration 4. religion 5. racism 6. responsibility 7. adaptation
Course Connections/Themes
Aspects of the company town from Margaret’s Museum * Immigrants are given these jobs where they make little money that barely gets them by * This causes them to only be able to spend their money on the necessities, and having a child makes things harders * The money made can’t help Idora get an education and go to college like she planned to because she is a single parent * Both had expectations for how they wanted their children to live * Both has expectations that were not fulfilled
Defining The Border
Us and Them/Dichotomy
Racism
* Idora constantly put herself, among others in a box and never thought of herself as one who belonged in the community * Canada promotes multiculturalism, and that’s what Idora expected, but it is not what she got * She literally saw the world in black and white * Thought that THEY (white people) had it easy, got what they wanted, were educated, and had many opportunities – the world worked in their favour * And her among others “US” were pushed down and given as little leeway as possible to
grow
POWERPOINT US (Idora)Minorities – mainly black people | THEMWhite society | Pushed Down | Have it easy | Given little paying jobs | Always judging | Set up to fail | High paying jobs | Limited opportunities | Easy access to education |
Defining the Border: father from the core means your sense of belonging is weaker
US (MINORITIES)
US (MINORITIES)
THEM = WHITE
SOCIETY
THEM = WHITE
SOCIETY