Individual Subjectivity And The Question Of Selfhood Essay

Individual subjectivity and the question of selfhood have been common themes in Caribbean literature throughout the years, as the Caribbean has struggled to find its own identity. This search for selfhood is most evident in the work Lucy by Jamaica Kincaid. In this text, Lucy, a young woman from the Caribbean, moves to America to work as an au pair for a rich couple, Lewis and Mariah. However, she has not moved here for the money alone. Instead, Lucy is trying to escape her Caribbean roots and find a new identity in North America. To what extent, then, is Lucy able to change her selfhood? How malleable is a person’s individual subjectivity? To answer these questions, it is important to evaluate what affect various factors had on Lucy’s sense of self, paying close attention to her race and gender, the other people and the society that she chooses to surround herself with, and her own internal desire to change who she is. After exploring these topics, it should be safe to conclude that altering one’s individual subjectivity is extremely difficult, if not impossible, and Lucy is no exception. While there are many personal factors and situat ions that dictate Lucy’s experiences growing up and her opportunities in life, there are none as dominant as her gender and her race. Being a woman impacted Lucy in many ways, from her job opportunities to her sexuality. However, the impact of her gender on her life is most evident through her relationship with her mother. ThisShow MoreRelatedDisenfranchisement In â€Å"Franchise†. Isaac Asimov’S 19551170 Words   |  5 Pagessupercomputer, known as Multivac. In order to work, a single citizen is selected to answer a series of questions; Multivac uses that person’s responses along with other information to determine who the winner of an election is. 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