Student Blogs

I enjoyed Zobel's "Black Shack Alley" very much. At first, I was a little intimidated by the number of pages, but once I started reading, I was glued to it. It is definitely one of my favourites so far. Not only does it raise awareness, but it is told ... read full post >>

Black Shack Alley by Joseph Zobel has to be my favourite novel we have read in class so far. The story of transformation and expectations is one I think many people can relate to, even in today’s society. One thing about the novel that particularly stuck out to me, was the way Zobel wrote about […] read full post >>

“Deep Rivers” by José María Arguedas delves into the intricate dynamics of culture, identity, and the internal conflicts faced by its central character, Ernesto. Unfolding within a societal backdrop marked by ethnic divisions, the novel portrays Ernesto navigating the tumultuous waters of adolescence, contending with two worlds that refuse to coexist harmoniously, even within his […] read full post >>

The early 20th-century French Caribbean island of Martinique serves as the setting for Joseph Zobel’s book Black Shack Alley. The story revolves around José, a young child of mixed ethnic background, and his struggle to define himself in a world defined by racism, colonialism, and social injustice. The book tracks José’s early life and development […] read full post >>

Despite finding “Black Shack Alley” a bit slow-going at first, I appreciate how Zobel depicts the reality of Caribbean society following the abolition of slavery in implicit, but nevertheless, powerful ways. His emphasis on the sense of community throughout the novel goes hand in hand with the idea of resistance. Zobel illustrates his childhood memories, […] read full post >>

I enjoyed this week’s reading of Black Shack Alley. I found it fairly easy to follow along yet it was still filled with intricate descriptions and exciting moments. One thing I really liked was how the book set a tone of childhood and youthfulness. I got a good sense of what life is like in […] read full post >>

Favourite book so far.  The first section of the book where José describes the alley was the most impactful to me. There is a strong sense of imagery and I think the setting is very well built. This section is … Continue reading → read full post >>

Hey everyone!  This week I read Black Shack Alley written by Zobel. I didn’t enjoy this novel as much as I have enjoyed the other reading material in this course. I found it a bit slow to start, but I found it interesting in regards to the way it discusses themes of race, class and […] read full post >>

Black Shack Alley is probably my favourite novel compared to the others we have read in this class. I noticed that in most of the books we’ve read so far, literature has a significant effect on the protagonist of the book. For Jose, books allowed him to deepen his knowledge of the world. He saw […] read full post >>

The novel, Deep Rivers, takes the reader through the lens of life in a municipality in the mountainous interior of Peru through a personal perspective of a middle school student. Most of the inhabitants are Quechua-speaking Indians and mestizos. The novel reflects that although they live in pain and poverty, they are noble in spirit and full […] read full post >>

In the process of reading Deep Rivers, I couldn’t help but take note of Ernesto’s sensitive character as he tries to make sense of the injustices he witness towards the Quechua people. Even though he was sent to a Catholic boarding school in the hopes that the education would help him integrate within white society, […] read full post >>

This week’s novel Black Shack Alley by Joseph Zobel talks about the life of the main narrator José who lives with M’man Tine. This novel uses a linear narrative to tell the story of his experiences in Black Shack Alley and pursuing education to address the problem of colonialism, racialization and class inequality. I wanted […] read full post >>

This week I read Deep Rivers. While I did enjoy this reading, all the vivid descriptions, and the bits of information about Peru, I had a lot of trouble paying attention and finishing it. This book felt very long to me and at times I was unsure of what was really going on. I think […] read full post >>

 This book was a great read and set in a very familiar environment, I studied abroad in Barcelona last semester! I really enjoyed the writing style and reading a book set in a place that I have been – it really helped me to better picture the char... read full post >>

 This book was a great read and set in a very familiar environment, I studied abroad in Barcelona last semester! I really enjoyed the writing style and reading a book set in a place that I have been – it really helped me to better picture the char... read full post >>