Foreign Literature Studies ›› 2020, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (3): 153-164.

• Criticism and Review • Previous Articles     Next Articles

The Writing of the Caribbean Community: Ethnographic Narrative in Walcott's Another Life

Shi Lei   

  • Online:2020-06-25 Published:2021-02-28
  • About author:Shi Lei is a PhD candidate at the School of English and International Studies, Beijing Foreign Studies University (Beijing 100089, China) and lecturer at Yanjing Medical College, Capital Medical University. Her research focuses on English-language literature and culture. Email: shilei_nankai@126.com
  • Supported by:
    “Study on the Travel Writings and Space Poetics of the Caribbean Writer Derek Walcott” (2018JX007) sponsored by Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities; “Trauma and Healing: Travel Study of Derek Walcott” (PYS1902) sponsored by the Research and Cultivation Fund of Capital Medical University

Abstract: Another Life is a key work to understanding St. Lucian Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott's literary thoughts and writings. Unlike the autobiographical writings by other writers, Walcott in this autobiographical long poem juxtaposes the Caribbean images of local characters with that of himself in adolescence and links all of them in local history and culture to construct a unique mode of ethnographic narrative for the “whole self” of the Caribbean community, which echoes the current transition of ethnographic narrative with a panoramic view. In this process of constructing the collective ethnography, Walcott highlights the local landscape of the Caribbean with the artistic expression from the West, re-examines the relationship between the Caribbean and the West, allows the Caribbean portrayed in his writing to transcend the fence for “the other” installed by the West, hence accomplishing the representation of a brand new Caribbean community of peoples.

Key words: Derek Walcott, Another Life, the Caribbean community, ethnographic narrative

Journal Integrated Operation and Management Platform with Network JMPN-2.0
Journal Integrated Operation and Management Platform with Network

《Foreign Literature Studies》editorial department
Foreign Literature Studies, 152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. To subscribe to this journal or purchase any single issue, please contact us at wwyj@mail.ccnu.edu.cn. Phone: (86) 2767866042.
Copyright © 2021   System Management
Statistical information:total visitors Online