THE CHILD NARRATOR

Narrative voice is an important aspect of prose writing. Creative writers make conscious stylistic choices regarding the kind of narrator that is best suited to deliver a particular story. In Caribbean literature, the child occupies a significant place as a narrator, protagonist, or major character. Yet, despite the considerable presence of children in literature from this region, this stylistic choice remains largely unexplored. In this book, Jennifer Muchiri examines the use of a child narrator in Caribbean Literature, with a special focus on George Lamming's novel In the Castle of My Skin. She discusses the role of the child's narrative voice in revealing the effects of colonialism on the Caribbean individual. The study reveals that the choice of a child narrator in Lamming's novel has the effect of presenting the reality of colonial Barbados in a most sincere manner owing to the innocence of the child in observing society. The book is recommended for university professors and students who have an interest in literature from the Caribbean and other formerly colonised regions.

Autorentext

Jennifer Muchiri, PhD: Studied Literature at the University of Nairobi, Kenya. She is a specialist in African Literature, Caribbean Literature, and Autobiographical Studies. She has previously taught at Kenyatta University and Daystar University. She is currently a lecturer in the Department of Literature at the University of Nairobi.