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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 10, No. 4
Publication Date: April 25, 2023
DOI:10.14738/assrj.104.14366.
Tia, D. (2023). Migration, Identity and Proleptic Dynamism. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 10(4). 123-138.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Migration, Identity and Proleptic Dynamism
Daniel Tia
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2928-3257
American Studies, Department of English,
University of Felix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire
ABSTRACT
Migration is far from being a recent phenomenon. Nor is it the prerogative of the
twenty-first century. Wherever there are human beings, mobility emerges and
human history provides various reasons, which justify the presence of a given
community from one particular geographic region in another. Names, such as
melting pot, salad bowl, and tossed salad are attributed to the United States, for its
sociocultural construction was made of heterogeneous migratory flows. Those
respective waves represent an undeniable driving force in American cultural and
economic development. Like America, all other human societies have an experience
of migration, but to varying degrees. Political instability, colonial influences,
poverty, and armed conflict are the main factors of such an exodus. Individuals
migrate to other spaces either to acquire social security or to improve their
socioeconomic situation. In essence, migration creates the conditions for the
construction of a futuristic identity whose effective achievement requires the
acquisition of a stable and well-paid job. The more the world population increases,
the more the migration scourge grows. The second half of the twentieth century and
the first half of the current one are two periods in which the rate of migrants in
Western societies seems to have reached a peak. Chronologically, the novels under
consideration substantiate how the aforementioned periods remain paramount in
terms of displacement. This work will therefore examine the issue of that futuristic
identity, its related features and the conditions, which make it possible in Brown
Girl, Brownstones and Americanah. Through the lens of the comparatistic
perspective two points will be deciphered, inter alia "modalities of the migrants’
idyllic universe" and "impacts of hybrid identity."
Keywords: Migration, futuristic identity, mobility, sociocultural identity, Western society.
INTRODUCTION
A close look at human conditions helps to realize how nomadic the world’s population has
turned today.
This nomadism is explained by the recurrence of ethnic and armed conflict or other
sociopolitical crises in various regions of the world. In addition to that, other problems, such as
the aridity of lands in some areas, drawbacks of civilization, growth of poverty, and emergence
of corrupt systems in some countries, make impossible or complexify any eventual creation of
reliable and dignified jobs for the young generations. In the intellectual milieu, where scholars
try to suggest solutions, various disciplines or areas of knowledge are involved. Literary genres,
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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 10, Issue 4, April-2023
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
such as novel, poeticize those social phenomena, using a dose of constructive criticism, whose
purposes are to decry deviationist practices, sensitize, and educate individuals. The novels
(Brown Girl, Brownstones1 (1959) and Americanah (2013) under study respectively emanate
from Paule Marshall and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Both writers have African ancestral roots.
The former is an African-American and the latter is a Nigerian migrant evolving in the American
society.
Their texts were published at different periods of time; however, they share a number of
commonalities, namely the themes of migration, identity, and materials. Marshall’s fictional
work describes the difficulties faced by a Barbadian family (the Deightons) in the American
society. Its members have opposing views –the wife (Silla Boyce) struggles to acquire a large
fortune in order to buy a brown house. As far as the husband (Deighton) is concerned, he is lazy,
lackadaisical, nostalgic and is more interested in his Barbadian roots. As to Adichie’s novel, it
depicts two young Nigerians (Ifemelu and Obinze) who leave their country, one for the United
States and the other for England. Once in those respective host societies, they are confronted
with the problems of integration. Obinze is arrested and repatriated to his home country
(Nigeria) while Ifemelu continues her adventure.
In those novels, identity semantically acquires both converging and diverging orientations. To
further comprehend its textual occurrences, the current study proposes to consider some of the
critical studies already achieved on Marshall’s and Adichie’s works. From a feminist
perspective, Joyce Pettis’s article sheds light on Marshall’s novel. According to her analysis, in
Brown Girl, the female characters embody exceptional charisma. This means they are devoid of
selfishness and undertake some concrete actions aiming to free themselves from social
bondage. Despite Deighton’s laziness, Silla Boyce demonstrates an unconditional leadership,
which helps her feed the Deightons (family) and fulfills her dreams. Analyzing the unerring
power of that Barbadian woman in the American society, Pettis writes: "The earliest reviewers
of Brown Girl acknowledged its textual qualities its emotion, its genuine power, its sharp insight
into women, its decisive characterization, the dramatic element of marital discord, and the vivid
locale of the brownstones" (Pettis, 2000).
To this critic, Silla Boyce overcomes any forms of discord between her and Deighton; further,
she toils both at home and at factory to maintain a positive atmosphere and social balance in
her family. Silla Boyce’s critical, timeless courage and persistent dynamism enable her to
acquire her gender status. Indeed, Silla can survive thanks to her hard work and firm
commitment. Even though she experiences difficulties, it should be noted that her disposable
income contributes to sustaining her charges and those of her family. In that sense, Pettis’s
approach shows that anyone can succeed in the American society provided they are given
chances or opportunities. Besides, Evelyn Hawthorne’s article brings out the innovative
characteristics of Marshall’s fiction. Through her critical analysis, one discovers that Brown Girl
devotes special credit to language, history, and tradition. In essence, those three cultural
markers are integral part of African descents’ process of identity construction. Their
poetization makes Marshall’s novel a "authoritative weapon." This is why Hawthorne asserts
that "Brown Girl served to re-define the literary subject, to give validation to culture-specific
1 For any other references to this novel, we will use Brown Girl.
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Tia, D. (2023). Migration, Identity and Proleptic Dynamism. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 10(4). 123-138.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.104.14366
values, language, histories and traditions, and to revise literary work as a weapon of struggle"
(Evelyn, 2000).
In "Caribbean Migration and the Construction of a Black Diaspora Identity in Paule Marshall’s
Brown Girl, Brownstones," a critical reflection by Timothy S. Chin, interrogates the theme of
identity in a migratory context. Building upon the Deightons’ case, Chin reveals that the
twentieth century is a period of intense migration in the American society. Further, he
maintains that the migrants’ displacement from one place to another always affects their
standard of living. In Brown Girl, Silla is fully americanized while her husband (Deighton)
struggles to fit into the American social fabric. Scrutinizing black Diaspora, Chin indicates that
"Marshall’s narratives present an especially ripe opportunity for thinking about how migration
and displacement, key terms of the diaspora experience, affect the formation of cultural
identities in the twentieth century" (Chin, 2006).
According to Chin’s approach, in the twentieth century, migration significantly contributes to
the transfer of cultures in the American society. In such contexts, some cultural values are
profoundly and considerably influenced by others. In keeping with the Deightons’ conditions,
one discovers that each member of that family differently face the realities of migration and its
related pangs. Through the theory of intersectionality, Candice A. Pitts, another critic of
Marshall, scrutinizes Brown Girl. In her analysis, she shows that migration impacts on human
relationships and gender. According to her analysis, the migrant beings are always away from
their ancestral roots and sometimes experience pathetic socioeconomic and sociocultural
situations. Selina Boyce, Silla Boyce, and Deighton are some of Marshall’s characters who
experience tremendous social pressures in the American society because of their cultural roots.
The following utterances substantiate some of the obstacles affecting them: "Migration to the
United States of America, however, as the novel indicates, shifts gender relations and
expectations, and, to an extent, even inverts some gender roles" (Pitts, 2015).
Distinctly, migration embodies sociological and psychological implications. It can promote the
migrants’ empowerment or can further bring about their social exploitation. As a result, the
latter suffer from a cultural lack, which cannot be made up in the host society. In spite of the
harsh trials, it should be noted that the migrant subjects are always anxious. Obviously, being
far away from their ancestral homeland is always problematic for them. They have to toil to
acquire a prosperous social status. In "A Black Diasporic Identity in Paule Marshall’s Brown girl,
Brownstones and The Fisher King" (2016), K. Ramajeyalakshmi declares that Marshall’s Brown
Girl praises black women: "Marshall’s representation of the Barbadian immigrant community
reflects the central role that women played in the production of Caribbean identity in the United
States" (Ramajeyalakshmi, 2016). Ramajeyalakshmi’s analysis validates that the Barbadian
women evolving in the American society swim by their own efforts. Economically, their self- sacrifice helps them construct their social identity and subsequently be well-perceived or
appreciated.
Similarly, Adichie’s novel describes the trajectory of a Nigerian woman named Ifemelu who,
after completing her studies in the United States, finds herself confronted with the problem of
social integration. Despite the discriminatory deeds against her, she does not despair. Her
activism through her blog helps her be an outstanding figure. In "Theorizing Race,
Marginalization, and Language in the Digital Media" (2021), Deepali Mallya M. & Rini Susanti