1.  How is the role of the “other” subverted regarding race/ethnicity in “Part One” of Wide Sargasso Sea?

In the text titled, “Wide Sargasso Sea” by Jean Rhys, the author discusses the unfortunate lifestyle lived by Antoinette and her family, who live in the estate of Coulibri, Jamaica. Antoinette and her emotionally distant mother, Annette, live an isolated life, hated by the black community for their Martinique origin and status as a former slave owning family. Aside from this, they lack financial stability due to the death of Mr. Cosway, Antoinette’s father; and the lack of labor workers from the Emancipation Act that freed all slaves has rendered them rather helpless. The portrayal of power within race and class take an alternate role in Jamaican society during this time period as ‘white authority’ is subverted and ridiculed by the people of color, portrayed through Antoinette’s family.

White authority can be seen weakened from the beginning with the suicide of Mr. Luttrell, Antoinette’s neighbor and the only other white individual living in Coulibri. His misfortunes following the enactment of the Emancipation Act, induced him to commit such actions of despair, further isolating Antoinette’s family in a neighborhood dominated by people of color. As a result, making the white individuals the minority and the former slaves the majority. In addition, Antoinette’s untamed garden from the lack of proper care, usually worked on by their former slaves, indicate their helpless situation and incapability to successfully live without the labor of slaves. Therefore, favoring the growth in authority for the black people.

In the text, Rhys illustrates the reversal of roles in regards to racial status by portraying ridicule and mockery towards the white individuals in the estate. For example, Racial slur is incorporated when Antoinette calls Tia a “cheating nigger”, due to a disagreements , and Tia shrewdly argues that “old time white people nothing but white nigger now, and black nigger better than white nigger” (14). This comment, reveals and further explains the current social differences that exist between the white individuals and former slaves. At one instance, after the death of Anneta’s beloved horse, who was poisoned by the black neighbors, Annette hopelessly expresses “now we are marooned…now what will become of us” as to draw a comparison between their current situation and the runaway slaves of the near past. Furthermore, more of their adversity is exhibited when Annette used to ride horse every morning and “the black people stood about in groups to jeer at her” (10)

Ultimately, the subversion of white authority is depicted through the actions taken against Antoinette’s family that is signified through racial slurs such as “white nigger” and “white cockroach” to make clear that in Jamaica, the minorities and unwanted people are the white individuals. In addition, the actions presented upon the family illustrate a sense of lost authority not only by them by the whole white population residing in the estates. This emphasizes the reversal of roles and clarifies growth of authority for the black people. The significance behind this idea illuminates the change is status between the white and black population in order to conforms to society’s current norm and acceptance.   

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