Black Shack Alley by Joseph Zobel: Showing Only José's World or Our Current World?

Hi, everyone!

Just finished reading the Black Shack Alley, I feel a little sad because of José. I am sad because in José’s world, the life constrained by structure is sad.

M'man Tine as a perfect example of being constrained by structure, is working as a cane field hand/weeder. “Her black hands, swollen, hardened, cracked at every joint, and every crack incrusted with a sort of indelible mud.” This comes with working and be with her for the whole life. So I really understand why she tries so hard to let José get out of this fate, by disciplining with punishment like spanking. I know she loves José, but that love under that situation became distorted. Because of their race, class, poverty.

I remember M'man Tine sacrificed so much just to let José get education – moving to Petit-Bourg, living in poorer conditions. This is love. It is like no matter what I will suffer, I will try my best to let José have a better life. I wouldn’t say my family is exactly like M'man Tine, but I can relate strongly. My scores used to be really low in elementary school. Normally, I wouldn’t have been able to attend any good middle school, as they required entrance exams and had high standard for admission. However, I got admission to an famous school without having to take the entrance exam. This was because my family bought an apartment right beside the school, which granted me a guaranteed admission spot. My family and I moved directly from a small town to a big city just so I could get better education. This is somehow like what happened to José.

I realized the ugly fact, the reality. Even José went to Lycée Schoelcher later on, the difference between him and other classmates is still obvious. For example, Serge, wearing gold watch, velvet breeches, and silk jacket. Then look at José, wearing old clothes and rubber-soled shoes. This is just killing me. The difference in school should be the score, or your morality or smt, but in reality, it is still your family background, your wealth, your status. This book impressed hugely because our society nowadays is just having same logic. There are many students like José in Lycée. Some take student loans to attend universities, and some are taking five courses while working part-time, while some just exploring fancy restaurants or traveling during reading weeks.

We all have been told that “Knowledge changes destiny”, however, this book reveals the reality of inequality, making those who have disadvantaged social origins suffer. 

Do you find the quarter scholarship as a good thing or bad thing? In my opinion, it is like the institution shows that they are offering opportunities, but the fact is giving you something that hard to reach and bring out the inequality issue.