Education, Emigration, and Exile: Intersecting Paths of Alienation in George Lamming’s In The Castle of My Skin

• Published in: Edebî Eleştiri Dergisi 2024-09
• Main Author: Taş, Mehmet Recep
• Format: Article
• Language: Turkish
• ISSN: 2602-4616
• DOI: 10.31465/eeder.1490866

George Lamming's In The Castle of My Skin offers a nuanced exploration of childhood in 1930s Barbados under colonial rule. The novel intricately navigates the theme of education as a double-edged sword. While it empowers G. with intellectual freedom and exposes him to a world beyond his village, it simultaneously unveils the stark inequalities and cultural clashes embedded within the colonial structure. This creates a sense of dissonance and isolation, positioning G. on the margins of both his traditional community and the dominant colonial elite. Furthermore, the ongoing emigration serves as a potent symbol of colonial dependence and cultural displacement. The protagonist witnesses fellow villagers departures. Each departure erodes the protagonist's sense of belonging, propelling him further into a liminal space between two worlds. Ultimately, G.'s alienation culminates in a profound internal exile, a state of psychological dislocation arising from his fractured identity. Building upon these insights, this paper delves into the protagonist's experience of alienation, arguing that it stems from societal forces like education, emigration, and exile. Through G.'s journey, Lamming portrays the struggles of a generation grappling with the legacies of colonialism, yearning for authentic belonging amidst the ruins of dispossession, and striving to redefine the notion of “home” within the constraints of their circumstances.