A significant theme throughout the book and the
movie “Small Island” is escape.
1. What do
these characters want to escape?
2. How do
these characters try to escape?
3. How
successful are they in escaping their situations and circumstances?
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Character
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Wants to escape from
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By
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Succeeds/Fails
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Hortense
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Gilbert
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Michael
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Arthur
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Queenie
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Bernard
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ReplyDeleteYou really brought up good points but i don't feel Bernard was running away from Queenie's love, i think he was fearful of loosing her.
DeleteThe theme of Escape is constant in the motion picture "Small Island." Each character in "Small Island" is presented an obstacle that he/she has to escape and attempt to triumph over. Some character succeed while others fail to accomplish their aspiration. One of the main characters Hortense, a teacher in Jamaica, wants to have a house with a doorbell and a garden along with a husband and some kids. Her chance to escape Jamaica is by marrying Gilbert an aspiring lawyer who tries to escape Jamaica as well. Both characters want a better life and retain better chances. A vital character is Michael, a handsome black man who is a pivotal character between two love stories. Queenie, a white woman from England successfully escapes farm life by marrying Bernard, who doesn't fit her ideal husband.The concept of irony is presented when Queenie meets Michael while Bernard is at war trying to prove himself to Quennie. As the theme of escape continues the story, Hortense finally reaches England still in love with Michael who she hasn't seen in many years. Ironically enough Queenie is carrying Michael's son when she meets Gilbert, who is Hortense's husband. Queenie is constantly trying to get in contact with Bernard because his father Arthur was killed. Arthur a World War 1 vet. was suffering from PDSD and wanted to escape the smothering of his family and the thoughts from his head. As each of these character slowly meet the presence of escape is persistently there. As the factors such as prejudice and racism hit each character, the pressure to escape the "small island" becomes more
ReplyDeleteMichael is definitely a pivotal character hes the climax in Queenie's and Hortene's life.
DeleteThe theme of escape is present throughout the movie "Small Island". Each character wants to escape a specific need, some found success and others failed. Hortense, a beautiful young women seeking a bright career as a teacher, wanted to escape Jamaica in an attempt to better herself as a teacher and find her love Michael. She did so by marrying Gilbert. However,she fails in that she was not able to teach in England and finally accepts that Michael is not coming back. Queenie,another significant woman in the movie, wanted to escape from not only returning to her family's pig farm but yearned for abandoning not having true love and comfort. She found peace with love when she came into contact with Michael falling for his incredible charm and aura of confidence. Having once again felt the excitement of love Queenie felt defeated when he took off for the final time, thus being a reminder that she was the wife of Bernard, a man she does not love, a man who hasn't called or wrote in months after going to war, and a man who her fate of not returning to the farm relied on.
ReplyDeleteGilbert and Michael both wished to leave their current locations. Gilbert wished to escape Jamaica in hopes of pursuing law, and being in his beloved mother country however, when arriving to England he was disappointed when he found it was a place not as picture perfect as he was taught it would be. He faced tremendous amounts of prejudice and was disturbed at the fact that the "mother country" didn't even know its own children. Like Gilbert, Michael also wanted to escape England, he instead went off to Canada where blacks would have a better chance of fitting in and starting anew better life.
I agree with what your saying 100%. I feel that when you try to escape a situation you may end up in a place that you least expect
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ReplyDeleteHortense wants to escape from Jamaica to have a better life as a teacher. She does this by offering Gilbert a passage to England in exchange for marriage. This backfired because when she got to England she was told that her training was no good to England and she has to start over. Her husband Gilbert wanted to escape from his mother land and join the war in England. To achieve his goals he takes Hortense offer and moves to England where strives to make a better life for Hortense. Michael wanted to escape being tied down. After attending Boarding School he had an affair with a local teacher. He later finds Queenie in England (immediate connection) later leading into another affair. Queenie wanted to escape from her life on the farm so she gets married and moves in with Bernard, a man which she doesn't love. While he's at war she has an affair with Michael who she later gets pregnant by. When her husband comes back from war she gives birth and gives her child to a Jamaican family so her child can have a better life. Bernard wants to escape the fact that he cheated on Queenie and thinks he caught something so he stays away from home for 6 months. He figures out he didn't catch anything and returns home to his pregnant wife
ReplyDeleteThe theme of escape is present throughout the movie "Small Island". Each character wants to escape a specific need; some found success and others failed. Hortense, beautiful young women seeking a bright career as a teacher, wanted to escape Jamaica in an attempt to better herself as a teacher and find her love Michael. She did so by marrying Gilbert. However, she fails in that she was not able to teach in England and finally accepts that Michael is not coming back. Queenie, another significant woman in the movie, wanted to escape from not only returning to her family's pig farm but yearned for abandoning not having true love and comfort. She found peace with love when she came into contact with Michael falling for his incredible charm and aura of confidence. Having once again felt the excitement of love Queenie felt defeated when he took off for the final time, this being a reminder that she was the wife of Bernard, a man she does not love, a man who hasn't called or wrote in months after going to war, and a man who her fate of not returning to the farm relied on. Bernard wished to escape not being all that Queenie wanted. He went to the Army to prove himself however while away he had relations with another women. Thus making him feel guiltier and less redeemed as a fit husband.
ReplyDeleteGilbert and Michael both wished to leave their current locations. Gilbert wished to escape Jamaica in hopes of pursuing law, and being in his beloved mother country however, when arriving to England he was disappointed when he found it was a place not as picture perfect as he was taught it would be. He faced tremendous amounts of prejudice and was disturbed at the fact that the "mother country" didn't even know its own children. Like Gilbert, Michael also wanted to escape England; he instead went off to Canada where blacks would have a better chance of fitting in and starting anew better life. Arthur wished to escape the feeling of war and daily fear. Looking for safety he would find himself lost and away from home. Ultimately he ended up dying from the same thing he feared…danger.
I agree with you that the theme is said throughout, and yes not all succeeded many failed.
DeleteI like how you ended your second paragraph with Arthur. I especially loved your last sentence, " Ultimately he ended up dying from the same thing he feared,, danger." Very Nice :)
DeleteThis is true, for all of the Characters,had their senses of escape, and have and haven't succeeded in them. Hortense in fact succeeded later on in life and became a Teacher.
Deletewow! Kyra i loved yours it was so good and i have to agree with Destiny De Jesus said that last sentence is so true and you put it in a really good way
DeleteLinette Santana
A significant theme throughout the book and the movie "Small Island" is escape.
ReplyDeleteAs seen in the film, each character is trying to escape from issues going on around them, for example Queenie is a woman who doesn't want to work in a farm, but when her aunt dies she has to marry a man that she doesn't love, by the name of Bernard in order to escape farming life. But, after a year of marriage she still doesn't love Bernard, and when he leaves for the war, she later on meets Michael and has an intimate night with him, leading to being pregnant with his child.
Next is Hortense, a young head strong Jamaican woman. She wants to become a teacher in England, after training on how to become one for three straight years. Hortense had tried to get a teaching job in England but she was denied and had to redo her training in England. she had succeeded later on in life to become a teacher.
There was also Gilbert, a young Jamaican man who was a Soldier in the army. He wanted to be treated equal by people and not seen as just a "Black man" and he escaped by brushing off the racism and continuing to be his own man.
Bernard, is Queenie's husband who desperately tries to escape not being loved, and accepted by Queenie. He joins the Army to prove that he's worthy to be a man that she'll eventually love.
His Father Arthur tries to escape his fear of shock when he sees a plane or hears a loud commotion, he escapes by moving away with Queenie in a small house with a farm, he fails when he sees the brutal fight between the racist soldiers and Gilbert dying in the crossfire.
Last but not least Michael, Hortense's step brother, wants to escape the life of being with just one woman and settling down. He sleeps with many women and later on meets Queenie, who he sleeps and impregnates later on. He comes back unaware that she was 8 months pregnant and has one more intimate night with her before leaving for Canada.
I agree with your take on Benard
Deleteawesome I agree with what you said about Bernard
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ReplyDeleteI like how you highlighted Hortense story. I believe she was the most interesting story in the movie " Small Island".
DeleteI can agree that Hortense is the most intriguing Character because she had so many faces. she had her Michael devoted face she had her stuck up face and she had arrogance mixed with pure determination. She's by far the most interesting character that shows true pride and power in her abilities.
DeleteI liked the way you discussed queenie
Deletei agree with Teneil!
Deleteomg i loved it write more cause i was really interested i may watch the movie Thank you very much.. You really grasped my attention and i barely read thank you for that Dollar-es
DeleteEach character has something that they wish to escape from, and a certain way they wanted to go about it. Hortense wants to escape from her life in Jamaica and goes about it by marrying Gilbert and moving with him to London. Gilbert wants to escape from Jamaica as well and make a good living for himself. He is able to do this by agreeing to Hortenses' offer and getting himself to London. Michael wants to escape the life he lives now. He wants something better that offers him more than what London can offer him. He goes about that by leaving London and moving to Canada. Bernard wants to escape from the torturous images of things he faced during the war. He tries to go about that by spending time at the beach instead of coming home and alerting his wife of his struggle. Arthur's struggle is his post traumatic stress disorder from being a War World One veteran. His experiences in the war have left him frightened, mute, and inescapable of providing for himself. He escapes this by retreating to the refuge of his daughter in law Queenie. Queenie is escaping her life on the farm and accomplished this in marrying Bernard.
ReplyDeleteEach character, in my opinion, succeeds in their goal to escape, BUT, they are faced with many obstacles after that. Hortense has to shapoe herself into becoming a wife to Gilbert and a mother to baby Michael. Gilbert has to take on the role of a providing husband and become a father to baby Michael as well. Queenie must deal with the fact that the man she truly loves is never coming back for her and she has to make the decision to give up her newborn son. Bernard has to deal with the fact that his wife cheated on him and the stress from all that he endured during the war. Poor Arthur is dead, and Michael hasn't been heard from after his disappearance
I like your statement, "Poor Arthur is dead". I found it funny :D
DeleteIn the movie Small Island the theme of it is escape. The main characters all wanted to escape from something. Hortense wants to escape from Jamaica and come back to England. She wanted to escape by marrying Gilbert and going to England and she ended up succeeding. Gilbert wants to escape from Jamaica because the country is poor and the only option he has to get to England is marrying Hortense and he did he was successful in coming to England. Michael wanted to escape all the problems in Jamaica and he also wanted to escape Jamaica because of the hurricane that destroyed his neighborhood. Michael wanted to escape Jamaica by going to Canada he ended up succeeding. Arthur wanted to escape the war by going somewhere private away from his town and to a farmland with Queenie to help him out. Arthur fails from escaping the war because he got shot in the head by the military officials. Queenie wants to escape from her husband and racism, by having sex with other man and giving away her child and she ends up failing. Bernard wants to escape from his life by joining the military he ends up failing.
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ReplyDeleteThroughout the movie "Small Island" the theme of escape is presented. Each character deals with something they want to escape from. These characters wanted to escape from the life they had. One of the characters, Hortense, the dreamer, she wanted to escape from Jamaica and poverty. Her dream was to move to England and become a teacher there. She did succeed on moving to England by marrying Gilbert. However, on becoming a teacher she did not. They told her she needed to train there in order to become a teacher in England. Gilbert aka Mr. Joesph wanted to escape from his motherland Jamaica. He did so by joining the war in England. Him and Hortense built a new life together. Michael was Hortense's foster brother. He wanted to escape from limitations. He wanted to be free. He wanted to do whatever he wanted. He did so by leaving Jamaica and having coitus with several amount of white woman. One of these woman being Queenie. Queenie was married to Bernard but after he went to war she didn't hear about him for years. She wanted escape from working in the farm so that's why she married Bernard. While he was in the war she had affairs with black men and that lead to her getting pregnant with a bi-racial child. Bernard wanted to escape the fact that he cheated on Queenie. He had an affair with an Indian woman and he was afraid that he might have caught something. Arthur was Bernards father as well as World War 1 vet. and he was suffering from PDSD. He wanted to escape being treated like an object from his family and the thoughts inside his head.He tried to escape by running away and getting lost around town.
ReplyDeleteGreat response very helpful and understanding. Keep it up.
DeleteHortenese is a very strong dedicated character in the movie 'Small Island". She highly viewed herself as a independent woman who would do anything for her future which was to become a teacher in England. She wanted to escape Jamaica and the poverty. She made a deal with Gilbert which lead to them to getting married so she can end up going to England and simply moved in together.Her husband Gilbert wanted to escape from his mother land and join the military in England. Gilbert and Hortense soon began creating a life together with a new born. Michael wanted to get away from small minded people because when he came to England he expected something different something better than Jamaica but he then learned it is nothing different they are the same. As he said " its just another island". He escaped by leaving England and headed to Canada. Arthur was traumatized from being in the war he had small panic attacks when he would hear anything related to war. He wanted to be away from the people who treated him as an object, he tried running away but simply got lost around town and being found by Queenie constantly. Queenie a not racial woman who had an affair with a negro but didnt care she was a very caring, kind women who just wanted to escape her life in England and be free and also her husband. Bernard, Queenie's husband wanted to escape his own life and try to make things better for Queenie by going to war to prove a point to Queenie. He was the main cause to Queenie's depression and her choice of giving away her baby.
ReplyDeleteIn the movie adaptation of Small Island, the characters of the movie embody the theme of “escape”, but they each had different reasons as to why they wanted to escape from their circumstances. The fortunate characters that were able to escape their circumstances were Hortense, Gilbert, and Michael. Hortense, a prideful woman, wanted to escape the life she lived in Jamaica. Meeting Gilbert gave her the chance to finally live in London, and fulfill her dreams of being an English woman and a renowned teacher—and see Michael again. She succeeded in the first two aspects, after overcoming the obstacles that she faced while there, but she never saw Michael again. The specific circumstance that Gilbert wanted to escape was the racism that surrounded him. He simply tried to ignore it, but the racism still deeply affected him to the point where he broke down in front of Hortense. He didn’t actually fail to escape, yet he simply had to deal with the fact that racism will always be an ongoing issue. However, he later enjoyed a pleasurable life with Hortense. The specific thing that Michael was trying to escape was literally everything about his old life, beginning with his childhood in Jamaica, to the incident involving his affair with the White minister’s wife. He definitely succeeded in that aspect, since he was able to start a short-term romance with Queenie, and move to Canada to begin a new life.
ReplyDeleteThe characters who unfortunately did not escape their circumstances were Arthur, Bernard, and Queenie. For Arthur, the thing that he wanted to escape the most was inescapable—it involved his mentality. The PTSD he acquired as a result from war trauma lead to him to become mute, even fearful of simple things such as airplanes. When Queenie moved him away from the warzone, his fear only got better by an inkling. This fear he never escaped, and he tragically died. For Bernard, he wanted to escape the fact that he would never be a suitable man for Queenie. He enrolled in the military in hopes of becoming that ideal man, but it didn’t work out in the least. He ended up being “un-loyal” to Queenie, and worsened his already dead relationship with his wife. Lastly for Queenie, she was the most unfortunate of the characters. Much like her lover Michael, she wanted to escape the dull, repetitive life of a formal woman in London. Queenie was able to momentarily escape this when she rendezvoused with Michael, and thought for she’d be free for sure if he took her with him to Canada. The latter did not happen; instead, she was stuck in an unwanted marriage and knocked up with a lovechild. That child ended up being given to Hortense and Gilbert, where it would have a better life, and stayed trapped in her tedious life.
Linette A. Santana
ReplyDeleteEscape is the theme shown throughout the movie Small Island. Each character tries to escape a specific need, some found success in their way and others failed. Hortense a young, intelligent girl who study to become a teacher in Jamaica wants to escape Jamaica so that she can better herself as a teacher . However she did not succeeded in her dream to become a teacher in England because according to the law she had to study in England in order to teach in England. On the other hand she did succeed in her dream of moving to England and having a big house with a garden. This dream came true to her when she married Gilbert Joseph, who was the man who brought her to England. Queenie another significant women in this movie tried to escape her mom and the pig farm, she also tried to escape Bernard’s hate toward her newborn baby. She successfully escaped from her family and the pig farm, although she had to risk her freedom by marrying a man she did not love, Bernard. She also successfully sadness in her heart , escaped from the hate she saw in Bernard by giving her baby away to Gilbert Joseph and Hortense so that they can give him a better life . On the other hand Bernard is trying to escape from the friend zone and from facing Queenie. At the beginning he succeeds because he lets go of the friend zone and marries Queenie, but he also tears down his marriage with Queenie by cheating on her with another women in India and because of that he gets syphilis. Arthur, Bernard’s father is a veteran of WWI who now suffers from PTSD. He tried to escape this trauma by hiding in his house and playing card games. Unfortunately he fails because he never got rid of the trauma and he ends up dying at the end. Michael another main character in this movie ,also wants to escape England, he successfully escaped it because he went off to live in Canada where blacks were treated better and he would have a chance of starting a new and better life.
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ReplyDeleteThe characters from small island all had something they wanted to escape from whether they were battling others or their own mind. Hortense wanted escape Jamaica through marriage for her chance to teach in London. She was able to succeed with the help of Gilbert her husband because it is dangerous for a single woman to travel alone and was able to live the rest of her life in London. Gilbert wanted to escape the racism that he was receiving in the military and his mailing service job in London. His friend who he helped get a room to live in returned the favor and gave Gilbert a house for him to live in and rent out rooms and become his own boss. Michael wanted to escape his previous life from being disowned from this father to being part of the military. He succeeded by leaving everything behind him and moving to Canada alone. Arthur tried to escape his memories of the war that caused him to have PTSD. He was able to overcome it by being around others that will keep him company and distract him when he had a panic attacks. Queenie wanted to escape her boring farm life in the country. At first she was able to do it because of her aunt and her candy store. Yet when her aunt died a frequent customer that had a crush on Queenie offered to marry her. She failed because life with Bernard the frequent customer was duller than being at the farm. Last but not least Bernard he wanted to escape Queenie’s negligence because he wanted her to be proud and in love with him so he went to war to prove to Queenie that was worthy of her. He failed by cheating on Queenie in India and avoiding her for several years then coming back into her life out of the blue and acted like nothing had change.
ReplyDeleteHortense wants to escape from Jamaica by going to England. She fails in becoming a teacher in England but succeeds in her her training over in England to become a teacher in England. Gilbert wants to escape from Jamaica by going to England . He succeeds in having better living conditions in England. He fails in understanding that England was not what he though it would be ( colored people was not treated equally). Michael wants to escape from Jamaica by traveling to the war . He goes to England and then goes off to Canada Michael succeeds in going to England and Canada and , getting away from the drama he created for himself in Jamaica . He fails in being committed to anybody that he comes across in his life. Arthur wants to escape from England by going with Queenie to her homeland farm area . He failed in forgetting about his war experiences and suffered from shell shock syndrome . Queenie wants to escape from England by either going to Canada with Michael who she fell passionately in love with or leaving and taking Arthur to her childhood territory. She succeeds in taking charge of her life and making very smart decisions . She fails in understanding the consequences and the outcome to her decisions of sleeping with Michael and becoming pregnant . Bernard wants to Escape from his life in London by going to the war . He fails in never coming back home to Queenie letting her assume he was dead . and, putting her through all that heartbreak.
ReplyDeleteHortense has a dream of teaching in England. Hortense does this by making a deal with Gilbert to marry her, so she would be able to travel as a married woman. Gilbert does not know hortense is still secretly still in love Michael but accepts she will not see him again. Both want to escape from Jamaica as a whole and racism. Gilbert decides to join the Britain army but realizes England isn’t all that it seems, and then warns hortense about the reality of England. Hortense Fails at understanding the racism in England but succeeded at raising Queenies child. Gilbert succeeded at providing hortense with what she wanted and needed but failed at making his own dreams come true.
ReplyDeleteGilbert succeeded at being a good husband
Working hard to provide Michael is escaping Racism, He moves to Canada after leaving the army because of the racial freedom there. Mean while Queenie Keeps her Pregnancy hidden from everyone including Michael. Queen has thoughts of following Michael to Canada but decides not to and gives the baby to Gilbert and Hortense, she is escaping responsibility. Queenie comes to terms with the fact that Michael is not coming back for her. Bernard is escaping His life in England, after being released from the military his spends 6months away with another woman, leaving Queenie wondering what has happened. Bernard is beyond upset when finds out Queenie was pregnant with a black man’s baby but soon steps up to care for baby Michael before he is given away. Queenie uses Bernard as an excuse for not keeping baby Michael; she does this to avoid having to take care of him. Queenie failed at being a good mother and raising her baby, also being faithful to Bernard. Bernard failed at raising Queenies baby and being loyal to her.
In the movie small island, every main character is trying to escape from something and they each find their own ways and opportunities to do so. Gilbert and Hortense want to escape poverty and find an opportunity to do so by marrying. Gilbert and Hortense are successful in that they get a house and live happily married. Michael tries to escape racism by moving to Canada but fails. Queenie tries to escape from her old life in the pig farm, but when she is about to be forced back to that life, she finds a way out by marrying Bernard. Queenie is successful in escaping the pig farm but she’s miserable with Bernard.
ReplyDeleteHortense wanted to escape her life in Jamaica, all she wanted to do was go to England and become a teacher. To escape this life she betrayed her friend by telling Gilbert that her friend Cecilia was going to be leaving her mother all alone in Jamaica which made Gilbert retake his invitation, after that Hortense TOLD Gilbert that she will give him the money he needs to go to England only if he marries her and sends for her after he finds a house in England. She ends up escaping and starting a new life
ReplyDeleteGilbert was trying to escape the racism and the horrible conditions that he faced in his life. He was trying to make a life with his FORCED wife. Gilbert believed that life outside of Jamaica was good but then felt that life outside of England would be good. The only reason (I Feel) that Gilbert stayed in England was to make Hortense happy and to go to law school. He ends up escaping....in a way
Michael was trying to leave all the hate and disgust that English people had and that his father had towards him. first he left Jamaica and joined the army. Then was shown that racism in England and left for Canada. he escaped and was never seen again
Arthur was trying to escape the memories of the war and his fear. He also wanted to escape his son. Bernard treated him like a child, he was always trapped in the house. When Michael came and actually interacted with Arthur, he was happy, he saw how happy Queenie was. He would walk around trying to find someone that was like Michael and found Gilbert. Gilbert made Arthur happy for a long time. I think that's why Arthur tried to help Gilbert in that fight outside the theater. in a way Arthur was able to escape but in a tragic way, death.
Bernard was trying to escape what he did to Queenie while he was in the war. he ended up cheating on her and believed that he got an STD. In my opinion Bernard didn't really love Queenie as much as he thinks. i believed that he was always just trying to prove himself to be a big man that Queeine loved but he wasn't. so in this aspect he wasnt able to escape what he was trying to escape.
Queenie was trying to escape the farm that she lived on, that is what i believe to be the reason why she married Bernard. later on in the movie she was trying to find real love and run away from the fake love that she had with Bernard and at the end she was running away from being a mother. she slept with Michael while Bernard was in the war, when Bernard came back she didn't care and at the end she gave away her baby, she said for his well being, but i would disagree
I agree! I don't think she did the right thing by giving her child away.
DeleteAll the characters in the film “Small Island” are trying to escape from something or someone, some of them succeed but some fail. Hortense tries to escape Jamaica, she succeeds by marrying Gilbert and she gives the money to Gilbert so that they could travel to England. Gilbert is trying to escape from poverty and become something bigger. When they both get to England, Gilbert knew Queenie so she offered them a place to stay. Towards the end one of Gilbert’s good friend offered them a bigger and better place to stay and the house had a door bell “Hertense’s dream”. Michael was trying to escape from Jamaica because he had an affair with a white lady and that wasn’t legal in Jamaica, the punishment was death. Michael decided to join the army so that they could send him to England. When he went to England he meets with Queenie. Michael tells her stories about Jamaica and she fell in love with Michael. Queenie is trying from not going back to the pig farm because her aunt died in the candy shop so she decided to marry Bernard. She goes back to the farm for a while but then she goes to Bernard’s apartment. Bernard is trying to escape from telling Queenie the truth about his affair in India. Arthur, Bernard’s dad, was trying to escape from the war that was going on in England. When Queenie went t the farm for a while he went with her and unfortunately he died in a fight between Gilbert and some American soldiers.
ReplyDeleteIn the movie “Small island’ each of the characters wanted to escape their own lives to be in a new one. Queenie wanted to be seen more than being over looked by the people in England. She wanted to feel the way she did before she married Bernard. She felt as if her life was boring and she needed someone to make her feel important like she once did. Meeting Michael was her Fantasy world. For her, Michael was the only man that made her feel worthy and beautiful. When Michael told her he was going to leave for Canada, She wanted to leave behind her boring life with Bernard to start a new life with Michael. But Quinine wasn’t successful. She never asked Michael if she could go along with him to Canada .For Gilbert, he knew from the start that there was life outside of Jamaica. By going in to the army Gilbert thought his mother country would accept him as her own but he was wrong. In England there were things that were not accepted. Being a black man with a white woman was one of them. Being sent back home from a fight with some white army men, Gilbert and Hortense agreed that they would become married and start a new life for themselves in their mother country. After a long time trying to be united with England, he a Hortense finally was given a place they could all home. Michael from the beginning of the movie wanted to leave his old life. After meeting Queenie he decided that he wanted his own life in Canada. It’s not certain if he became Successful once he got there, but many would hope he have. Hortense on the other hand wanted a fancy world even before meeting Gilbert. She always dreamt of living in England with a doorbell and lights in the house. Hortense wanted to be in England so bad, she did anything to hurt anyone’s chances of having the life she wasn’t going to have. She didn’t care much about Gilbert in the beginning, but there love grew through the movie.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes down to Arthur, it more difficult. Being a man that suffers from PTSD is much more a struggle than escape. When going in to the army there is many things that could go wrong. Arthur wanted to leave his past behind him but had a hard time doing so. Arthur wasn’t able to express himself to those who really didn’t take the time to listen to him. Queenie and Bernard only thought of Arthur as another person to take care of instead of looking at him as a man who wanted to let them in to his own little world. Arthur didn’t have much of a vocal voice but he spoke out to Michael when they played cards. Having just someone to talk to or maybe even play card with helped see the happiness in Arthur’s eyes. Bernard wanted to escape from the fact he couldn’t be the man Queenie wanted. When a man goes away to join the army they don’t expect to come back to their wife pregnant by another man. It was evident that Queenie wasn’t in love with him but Bernard overlooked that in hopes of her growing to love him. He could escape this because he had a job to do. He had to be a husband no matter what she did or he did while they were apart. Even though Queenie gave the baby away, Bernard still has to face the fact that the love he thought Queenie had for him was never really there to start with.
I agree!
DeleteHortense wanted to escape Jamaica to have a better life as a teacher and get her dream home. She did this by marrying Gilbert because she knew he was going to England. Her training was no good in England so she had to train all over again but Gilbert said he;'d pay for it and he ended up providing her with a beautiful home.Gilbert wanted to escape from poverty. He went to the military and was given an honorary discharge. He was devoted to finding Jobs and after marrying Hortense , he was devoted to finding a home. He ended up making a little bit of money and knowing the right people so he was able to provide a better house for him and Hortense. Michael wanted to escape Jamaica , his dad , and his reputation of being with the pastors white wife. He went to the military and moved to England and met Queenie. He ended up moving to Canada but no one knows if he ended up happy. Arthur wanted to escape from his past memories from the war. He tried to find someone to talk to him to get rid of the thoughts and memories. he ended up dying because he wondered away from Queenie. Queenie wanted to escape from Bernard and White society. She walked so proudly with blacks and she doesn't care for Benard the same. All she wanted was Micheal. She ended up standing her ground and telling Benard about himself but she stayed with him. Bernard wanted to escape from the fact Queenie was into black men and the fact that he cheated on her during the war. He tried to kick Gilbert out and when Queenie exploded he started being sweet and tried to do everything to win her trust back. Gilbert and Hortense ended up moving out and they took baby Michael and that's what he wanted.
ReplyDeleteHortense wants to escape Jamaica to meet Michael in England. She does this by bribing Gilbert. She buys his ticket so when he finds a job and a home he can bring her to England. She believes that it is indecent for an unmarried woman to travel alone. Gilbert is forced into marriage with Hortense. Hortense fails in finding Michael.
ReplyDeleteGilbert wants to escape Jamaica because the "mother country" is portrayed as inviting to all her children. Gilbert gets sold false dreams of England. The first way he escapes is by volunteering for war, but once the war is over he goes back home. The second way Gilbert escaped was when Hortense bought him his one way ticket to England. Gilbert succeeded in escaping Jamaica because he was living a batter life in England. He had a new home, and he had a newborn child.
Michael wants to escape shame from his country. Michael did this by fleeing to Canada after the experiences he faced during the war. Michael succeeded in escaping shame.
Arthur wanted to escape the memories of the war and his post dramatic stress disorder. The only way he escaped this was when he died.
Queenie wanted to escape poverty and her life on the farm. Queenie escped this by marrying Bernard and moving in with him and his father. Queenis succeeded in escaping poverty and the farm.
Bernard wanted to escape his neighbor's judgement and his infidelity. Bernard escaped this by going to war. Bernard succeeded in escaping his neighbor's judgement by kicking out the Black tenants. He confessed his infidelity to Queenie.
Destiny De JesusMay 19, 2014 at 9:45 AM
DeleteI like how you highlighted Hortense story. I believe she was the most interesting story in the movie " Small Island".
Genesis ShulerMay 19, 2014 at 9:50 AM
I can agree that Hortense is the most intriguing Character because she had so many faces. she had her Michael devoted face she had her stuck up face and she had arrogance mixed with pure determination. She's by far the most interesting character that shows true pride and power in her abilities.
Teneil JamesMay 19, 2014 at 9:57 AM
I liked the way you discussed queenie
Natalie AguirreMay 19, 2014 at 10:00 AM
i agree with Teneil!
Mark SaldanaMay 19, 2014 at 10:06 AM
omg i loved it write more cause i was really interested i may watch the movie Thank you very much.. You really grasped my attention and i barely read thank you for that Dollar-es
awesome
DeletePeople don't make changes because things are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteRead more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jamaicakin519318.html#yGaxXtGxPZOvpK2c.99
This a quote by Jamaica kincaid a Caribbean author who escaped herself to become a Caribbean american author. In the novel and Film Small island all the character me a change in their life by escaping from one place to another . Each character has their own aspirations. Hortense wanted to escape from Jamaica and the example her mother was. She wanted to do more than just survive ,Hortense wanted to live. Her dream was to be a teacher in England . In her mind she believed that her step- brother Micheal would comeback to get her and bring her to England . She believed that all the tales her heard from England were true. Unfortunately she learned that they weren't the hard way . In order to get to England Hortnese knew she had to have a man by her =side to take her their . Long story short she stole Gilbert from her friend Celia. Gilbert and Hortnese married and moved to England . So Hortense was successful in her dream to go to England but was at first unsuccessful in becoming a teacher. Gilbert wanted to escaped poverty and discrimination. He way of escaping this was by joining the military during the war. He figured he be a pilot . After dealing with the discrimination , he is told that he cant become a pilot . He was sent back to Jamaica were he marries hortense.
Micheal wants to escape from the discrimination and black women . He chooses not to date black women which get him in trouble because at the time that was not accepted . He is sent away were he again dates Queenie . Micheal is successful in escaping discrimination and having white women . Arthur was just a lost and confused soul. He was trying to escape from war . He didn't nesscaliy fail in that it may not have been the exit he was thinking but he died I see that as an escape . Queenie's escaped her life on the farm and Bernard . She was eventually freed from those setback . However she still wasn't happy so I feel the escape for Queenie was through her son by Micheal. By letting him go and be with Hortense and Gilbert.
It was a good read thanks for sharing your thoughts bili
DeleteThe theme of Escape is constant in the motion picture "Small Island." Each character in "Small Island" is presented an obstacle that he/she has to escape and attempt to triumph over. Some character succeed while others fail to accomplish their aspiration. One of the main characters Hortense, a teacher in Jamaica, wants to have a house with a doorbell and a garden along with a husband and some kids. Her chance to escape Jamaica is by marrying Gilbert an aspiring lawyer who successfully to escape Jamaica as well. Both characters want a better life and retain better chances. A vital character is Michael, a handsome black man who is a pivotal character between two love stories. Queenie, a white woman from England successfully escapes farm life by marrying Bernard, who doesn't fit her ideal husband. The concept of irony is presented when Queenie meets Michael while Bernard is at war trying to prove himself to Quennie. As the theme of escape continues the story, Hortense finally reaches England still in love with Michael who she hasn't seen in many years. Ironically enough Queenie is carrying Michael's son when she meets Gilbert, who is Hortense's husband. Queenie is constantly trying to get in contact with Bernard because his father Arthur was killed. Arthur a World War 1 vet. was suffering from PDSD and wanted to escape the smothering of his family and the thoughts from his head but unfortunately never succeeds. As each of these character slowly meet the presence of escape is persistently there. As the factors such as prejudice and racism hit each character, the pressure to escape the "small island" becomes more undeniably there. All of these characters have presented a sense of escape and either succeed or fail at escaping for the life binds and failed paths.
ReplyDeleteHortense want to leave her life in Jamaica, and create a new life in England. Where she is able to teach at the finest schools, and take her education further. She tries to escape by marrying man she doesn’t love, or know; so he can send for her because a single women wasn’t really able to travel. As for a married women who can go anywhere. She had standards that were way beyond ordinary, such as to be a teacher, to get back Michael, finding true love, and motherhood. She failed to get back Michael, but received something much greater; motherhood, true love, and becoming a teacher. Gilbert wants to leave his life in Jamaica, to become a lawyer. He wanted to leave Jamaica to escape the neglect of the government and struggle of racism and the struggle of Jamaica by joining the Britain army to be acknowledged as equal. He married Hortense as an agreement, so he can go to England to pursue his life. He failed at Being a husband, and being a lawyer. He later grew love for Hortense and winded up being a wonderful husband. Michael escaping commitment, he constantly has affairs with women he knows he cannot have a committed relationship. He escapes by Haves affairs with married women and leaves them without returning. He succeeds because he returns without looking back, only leaving them with sweet memories, and photographs. Author Want to escape his life he severed in war. He escapes by going place to get his mind off things. He fails because he still suffers from P.T.S.D. Queenie trying to escape the farm life, thinking she is going to be happy. She escapes by Marrying Bernard, and moving to more of an urban lifestyle. She fails at Finding love, Happiness but successes at Motherhood. Bernard is trying to escape from reality. Reality that he lacks to be a good supporter, a good provider, and a good lover. He escapes by Staying in war, never checking in on Queenie, and leaving her alone . He fails at being a husband.
ReplyDeleteWho Wants to Escape?
ReplyDeleteThere are many reasons and circumstances a person would like to escape their life. In the book and movie “Small Island “ The main characters Hortense, Gilbert, Michael, Arthur, Queenie, and Bernard all have many issues they face and would try to flee away from. All of their stories strangely intertwine to where they have a part in assisting or affecting the other character negatively.
Queenie is a white women born on a pig farm. She escapes to England with her aunt where they owned a candy shop.Unfortunately her aunt dies, threatened to be pulled back into the life she had on the pig farm she is forced to marry a man named Bernard. The second thing she escaped from was witnessing the ridicule her colored son would face day upon day if he lived in her household. This she extinguished or put an end to by Queenie giving up her son and having him grow up with her friends Hortense and Gilbert a married black couple.
Bernard is a white man living in England who is obsessed with Queenie. His downfall is his love for Queenie and her not relaying the love back. But Bernard actually has the upper hand because when Queenie was threatened with having to return home with her mother, Bernard stepped in and offered to marry her in front of her mother. So she was forced to marry Bernard. And so Bernard Succeeded in “getting the girl” so to speak.
Michael is a black man born in Jamaica. unlike Queenie, Michael wants to escape the unending ridicule and racism he faces day in and out for being a black man and a black man with white lovers. In jamaica Michael messed around with the ministers wife and was pulled out of his life when his secret was spread around. He was kicked out of his home and thrown into the war taking place. During the war Michael met Queenie who was married to Bernard who at the time was also pulled into the war. After the war he met up with Queenie again and fooled around with her then left to canada leaving her behind for another fresh life free very harsh treatment he experienced in England.
Hortense is a black woman who was also born in Jamaica. Growing up with her uncle and cousin Michael. Hortense fell for Michael. Since Michael was unaware of Hortenses feelings for him, he went on his merry way and fooled around with white women. Hortense found this out and out of jealousy she spread rumor of Michaels’ lover so she could sabotage their love and win Michael over. But since Hortense was hard headed and prideful, she couldn’t accept rejection from Michael. This was the ultimate thing she couldn’t handle and wanted to escape from. She fails the escape from this because all the things she planned to achieve with michael were unaccomplished when michael was assumed to be dead during the war.
Gilbert is black Jamaican man who is married to Hortense. He Longs to escape the racism he faces every day. By acting like a civilized man in a world of dispute. but he fails to do this because racism goes undying.
Arthur is Bernards father. He also lives in England. Arthur suffers from memories of when he was in the war. He tries to escape this by attaching himself to people like Gilbert. He also focusses on cards and wanders the streets a lot. He succeeds by doing this for the time he was alive.
A significant theme throughout the movie "Small Island" is escape. Each character has something that they are trying to escape from. For Hortense she’s trying to escape the poverty of Jamaica by marrying Gilbert and moving to England. Hortense is a school teacher in Jamaica who wishes to live in a big house with a door bell, a garden and "electric lights in every room". Gilbert is an aspiring lawyer who also wanted to escape from Jamaica and start a new life in England and go to law school. Michael, Hortense's foster brother, whom she is madly in love with wanted to escape the disgust and revolt that both the white English people and his father had towards him. Arthur who was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) wanted to escape his memories of WWI. Bernard, Arthur’s son, wants to escape the wrong that he did in the war and also the PTSD that he acquired during the war. Queenie, Bernard’s wife, wants to escape Bernard and also the farm life that she once had before they got married.
ReplyDeleteEvery character in the movie is not as successful at escaping their problem. Queenie for one never escaped from Bernard even though she did escape the farm life she had before they got married. She married Bernard to get escape the farm life. Bernard was also unsuccessful in his “escape plan”. During the war Bernard had an affair with another woman and though that he contracted an STD. He found out that his “STD” was just PTSD from the war. Arthur was also unsuccessful because he died. He was shot in the back of the head by a bullet that ricocheted off of a wall. However Gilbert and Hortense were successful. Hortense and Gilbert both escaped Jamaica and started a new life together in England. Hortense got to live in a house with a garden, a doorbell, and electric lights in every room and she also got to fulfill her dream of being a teacher. Gilbert got the opportunity to start a new life even though he never got the opportunity to become a lawyer.
In the movie small island queenie was trying to escape from her past. By marrying bernard she knew the life of living on the farm again was not an option. Bernard was trying to escape his new life. By bernard going over seas leaving his father, whom he was overly attached to, he returned home with baggage and uncertainty of a sexual transmitted disease from a foreign woman he had slept with.
ReplyDeleteHortense was also trying to escape her past. The unfortunate event of her seeing michael , her step brother and crush, kissing a white woman in the mist of a terrible storm and jamaica shamed Hortense, Michjael, and their family. Her ambitions were to run off to England in search of Michael but instead fell in love with Gilbert.
Gilbert is trying to escape racism. Gilbert was constantly bullied and puummeled for his color. He thought the whites would be fair to him since they come from the same Motherland but he was wrong.