AUNT JEN

Table of content
AUNT JEN...............................................................................................................................................1
PLOT:.................................................................................................................................................2
THEMES:............................................................................................................................................2
LITERARY DEVICES.............................................................................................................................2
SYMBOLS...........................................................................................................................................2
CHARACTERIZATION..........................................................................................................................3
NARRATIVE TECHNIQUE....................................................................................................................3
LANGUAGE........................................................................................................................................3
POLITICAL CONTEXT..........................................................................................................................3
SOCIAL CONTEXT (food, fam rela, occup, superstition, diaspora)......................................................4
CULTURAL CONTEXT (Superstition Jam, Patois, Commun bond, trad, cultural change)....................6
PLOT:
Sunshine, a young Jamaican girl mainly grows up under the care of her grandparents with the
support from friends and relatives. Sunshine is desperate to know her mother who refers to as
Aunt Jen. Consequently, she writes a series of letters, post them to England, waits for a reply
but is always disappointed. Despite not receiving any reply, she continues with her writing as
is a form of coping for her. Unfortunately, the family experiences a multitude of events
consecutively which had a great impact on each member, especially Sunshine. As the novel
progresses, we see the growth of Sunshine from a child into an adult as she begins to accept
the truth behind her mother's departure.

THEMES:
Superstition beliefs – This is evident at Miss Clara's daughter's funeral. When all the things
started to tumble cut of the coffin PG41. Also, Ma went to Madda Penny to interpret the
dreams so therefore she believed that the dreams meant something.

Betrayal – Aunt Jen betrayed her family and most importantly, her daughter. She rarely
replied to the numerous letters that Sunshine sent. She also came for Sunshine's inhertitance
while she was unwell.

Escaping Reality- Sunshine wrote letters to exclude her from the real world. Similarly, her
mother wrote 'Je veux quitter cet ertdroit' (I wish to quit). This is a sign of wanting an escape.

LITERARY DEVICES
Simile- Ma was like a cloth-dolly pg60

Metaphor – Ma is my lion pg 61

SYMBOLS
Sunshine – a symbol of being a happy child despite all of the troubles that she is facing. She
brings light into darkness

Letters- alleviate Sunshine's boredom and aid her in escaping reality. In these letters she uses
her voice and it is her coping mechanism.

Dreams- Sunshine's dreams focus on Aunt Jen. This symbolizes the pain Aunt Jen brings to
the family
Water- Sunshine has multiple dreams in the beginning of the novel. These dreams center on
bodies of water and ships. The ship that’s described in Sunshine’s dream is the same as the
one Aunt Jen left in. “She asked me to describe the ship and when I did, she said it looked
just like the one you went to England on.” When analyzing Sunshine’s dreams, Madda Penny
comes to a conclusion that Aunt Jen is living a double life in England as the alleged partner
she has, has no clue of Sunshine’s existence. “She says you are afraid of him and he doesn’t
know you have a child in Jamaica.” These dreams are symbolic as it represents the vast
Atlantic Ocean between Aunt Jen and Sunshine. Her mother left her while she was very
young to find a better life in England; this created distance between them. Sunshine has
unresolved feelings for her mother and therefore has manifested into her nightmares as she
longs for Aunt Jen. This leads to Sunshine trying to reconnect with her mother through these
letters as she feels this is the only way she is able to besides her dreams.

CHARACTERIZATION
Sunshine- She is a very persistent child and was loyal to those who brought her up

Aunt Jen- She was deceptive to her family and greedy, irresponsible and heartless.

Ma- She is hard working so that her family is comfortable. She ensures that sunshine has a
great upbringing.

NARRATIVE TECHNIQUE
Single Voiced Epistolary – Spars from 21st of February 1970- June 1st 1993

Bildungsroman – Traces the growth and development of protagonist

LANGUAGE
Jamaican Dialect

POLITICAL CONTEXT
Sunshine's coming of age story corresponds to Jamaica's coming of age after it gained
independence. In the years following independence, the country faced the challenge of
discerning itself and asserting authority as an entity separate from the UK. As Sunshine
continues to write she reflects on a critical period in Jamaica's political development, the
Manly campaign that resulted in national exploration of self and heritage.
SOCIAL CONTEXT (food, fam rela, occup, superstition, diaspora)
Food - Dishes such as; callaloo, duckunoo, gizada, grater cakes, run dong, totoes, curried goat
as well as the traditional Sorrel drink for Christmas. The dishes described are all local cuisine
and truly shows the Jamaican culture within the novella. Traditions are passed onto Sunshine
through Ma’s instructions when preparing Christmas foods. Cooking showed a sense of
community within the letters as Ma made so much food to cater for those who didn’t share
Christmas with family and the fact that their neighbour, Aunt Sue joins in on the cooking
routines every year.

Family Relationships- Sunshine is brought up by her grandparents and uncle as both parents
are absent from her life. Her mother, Aunt Jen, migrated to England when she was young and
her father left. She however, has a close bond with Ma and Gramps as well as Uncle Johnny.
The relationship Sunshine share with Ma is one of the most important ones in the novella as
she acts as a mother figure. She looked after Sunshine for the majority of her life. Ma was
Sunshine’s only confident as she was there for Sunshine through many obstacles. When Ma
falls ill and unconscious on the floor, Sunshine becomes distraught at the idea of Ma gone.

– ‘I thought she was dead… I got so frightened, I just heard myself screaming for Gramps.’

Unlike her relationship with Ma, her one with Gramps was not as close knit but they did
share love and laughter. This can be seen when Gramps insisted Ma take his money to carry
Sunshine to Madda Penny. – ‘Guess what? Gramps just told me that he’s going to give Ma
the money to go see Madda Penny… I was so shocked when he said it, I almost dropped off
the chair.’ Gramps’ death shocked Sunshine as she was just getting closer and closer to him.
His death was the furthest from anyone’s mind.

Uncle Johnny was the only one of Ma and Gramps’ children living in Jamaica. He was an
asset in Sunshine’s life. Uncle Johnny was almost like a best friend and someone she could
have related to. He also provided Ma with money. The relationship they share is fun and
lovable as they share a mutual likeness and tolerance to each other. Sunshine clearly enjoys
her time with her uncle and does not want him to leave. – ‘I don’t want him to go because I
won’t have anyone to play dominoes and cards with me.’ When Uncle Johnny gets into his
accident, Sunshine felt helpless and wished she could have done something to help him
which shoes her love for her uncle. When he dies, Sunshine describes the event as the worst
day of her life.

Sunshine is granted the opportunity to meet her father with a surprise visit. After the
interaction, Sunshine immediately dislikes her father. During the visit, he gave her a beating
because she would not clean his shoes. This was shocking as her father just assumed that
authority after not caring or enquiring about Sunshine for a long time.

Sunshine’s relationship with her mother is one sided. Her mother sent her letters which
vaguely answered questions or asked anything. As Sunshine grew older, she was not bothered
by the fact their relationship was one sided because she does not care anymore. Sunshine is
angered at the fact that Aunt Jen does not put in any effort to rekindle their relationship. She
is even more angered because Aunt Jen missed Johnny’s and Gramps’ funerals and when she
did not reply to her messages about Ma falling ill.

Occupation- Many during this time in Jamaica, left to countries like England and the United
States to acquire better jobs. Aunt Jen and Uncle Roy are examples of this. Uncle Johnny also
thinks of leaving to America and says so during his drunken outburst. They did not believe
Jamaica had quality Job opportunities compared to those abroad. Sunshine goes against this
belief at the end of the novel and decides to stay in Jamaica to study and gains a career as an
engineer.

Customs- For the multiple funerals, many of the neighbours joined Sunshine in grieving as
they would have been in a close-knit community. Aunt Sue and Ma would bake and cook
various dishes for those who came over to the house for Christmas. It was a Jamaican custom
to share out food during the holidays and to invite friends and family over.

Superstition- Madda Penny is an oracle or visionary woman in ‘Aunt Jen’. Ma turns to her for
answers when Sunshine begins to have strange dreams. She gave Ma and Sunshine a
prediction of sudden death which came to pass when Uncle Johnny died. – ‘Madda Penny
started to rock back and forth and roll over her eyes and chant, “Sudden death! Sudden
death!”’ Jamaica is a very superstitious country where obeah had been practiced from days of
slavery to present. During Miss Clara’s daughter’s funeral, her coffin dropped open and
revealed things such as: scissors, broom, needle and thread, baby nappy, baby bottle, baby
pin, olive oil and vials with other oils. The daughter died while giving birth. Ma believed that
this practice was work from a world of darkness and Miss Clara should not be involved in
such things as she was a good Christian woman. There is a folklore connected to these items
explained in the line, ‘ She says that when she was a girl if a woman died in childbirth it
meant that she died unhappy so they would give her all the baby’s things to keep her busy so
she wouldn’t come back and look for the baby.’ Ma and Aunt Sue chased away evil from the
lawn and Sunshine questions if that was also the work of the world of darkness. They
explained that it was not and it helps the prayers to get rid of evil.

Diaspora- Diaspora is a large group of people with a similar heritage or homeland and who
have since moved out to place all over the world. In this case, the two characters diaspora is
evident in is Uncle Roy and Aunt Jen. They both moved from Jamaica to the United States
and England, respectively, in order to live a better life. Aunt Jen’s silence suggests that she
does not wish to maintain the Jamaican identity which she left behind with her family
members. – ‘She said that is white people style you pick up.’ Unlike Aunt Jen, Uncle Roy
frequently contacts his parents and Sunshine. It has been argued that migrants adapt to their
new societies but they may also forget their cultural links and emotional attachments to their
homelands.

Letters- A formal description was never given of Sunshine however, many aspects of her
heritage and her character are brought to light through personal letters to her mother. Letters
were the only way of communication for Sunshine to contact her mother as she did not have
her telephone number. The letters document Sunshine’s growth throughout the years to her
mother as she was never around to care for Sunshine. Within these letters as well, readers
learn that Jamaica seems to be a part of Sunshine as she loves everything Jamaican in her life
such as food, culture and family.

Community- Sunshine’s community of Flour Hill, Jamaica is a close knit one. She is well
known in her neighbourhood because of her grandparents. She shows respect to all
neighbours and has a good bond with all of them. Aunt Sue is her next door neighbour who
they treat like family; she even raises Sunshine after the death of Ma. During Christmastime,
Ma cooks a buffet of food for those in the community who don’t have a family to spend
Christmas with.

The extended family plays vital role in Sunshine's upbringing

Ma and Aunt Sue formed a strong foundation for Sunshine

Great belief in God and therefore attending church was important for the family.

CULTURAL CONTEXT (superstition in Jamaica, patois, community bond,

tradition, cultural change)
Superstition among Jamaicans- Jamaica is a very superstitious country where obeah had been
practiced from days of slavery to present. Madda Penny is an oracle or visionary woman in
‘Aunt Jen’. Ma turns to her for answers when Sunshine begins to have strange dreams. She
gave Ma and Sunshine a prediction of sudden death which came to pass when Uncle Johnny
died. – ‘Madda Penny started to rock back and forth and roll over her eyes and chant,
“Sudden death! Sudden death!”

Patois- Jamaican Patois is common among the older generations as their ancestors created the
language from the mixing of cultures during the plantation society. Patois is used mostly by
Ma as she gives various proverbs and saying to Sunshine who has a hard time properly
understanding their meanings.
Community Bond- Sunshine’s community of Flour Hill, Jamaica is a close knit one. She is
well known in her neighborhood because of her grandparents. She shows respect to all
neighbors and has a good bond with all of them. Aunt Sue is her next door neighbor who they
treat like family; she even raises Sunshine after the death of Ma. During Christmastime, Ma
cooks a buffet of food for those in the community who don’t have a family to spend
Christmas with.

Tradition- For the multiple funerals, many of the neighbors joined Sunshine in grieving as
they would have been in a close-knit community. Aunt Sue and Ma would bake and cook
various dishes for those who came over to the house for Christmas. It was a Jamaican custom
to share out food during the holidays and to invite friends and family over. Ma and Sunshine
also have a tradition of cleaning up the house and hanging and making curtains for the
windows.

Cultural Change- Aunt Jen’s silence suggests that she does not wish to maintain the Jamaican
identity which she left behind with her family members. – ‘She said that is white people style
you pick up.’ Her actions can suggest that she adapt to her new English society and in doing
so may also forget her cultural links and emotional attachments to her homelands.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Set in the early 1970', most of Aunt Jen spans nearly four critical years in Jamaican history

Sunshine learns about her great great-grandmother being a maroon.

MORAL CONTEXT (maturity, Ma+ Gramps, Aunt Jan, sunshine's dad)

Maturity- As the letters progress through the years, you can tell she gains maturity as she gets
older. She learns to not waste her time on waiting for her mother anymore and ending up
disappointed. Sunshine did not follow her relatives’ footsteps in moving abroad for a better
life as she thought Jamaica was her only home and she would not rather anywhere else.

Ma & Gramps- Sunshine’s grandparents raised her to be respectful and responsible. They
taught her right from wrong and grew her up with good morals and values. Ma and Gramps
did not like the treatment they received from Aunt Jen as they thought she should have been
more considerate towards them and Sunshine. She disregarded them and her homeland when
she created a new life in England.

Aunt Jen- Aunt Jen’s attitude and persona has changed from what those in Flour Hill
knew her as before she migrated. Her behaviour shows that she thinks of Jamaica as
 inferior to England. As she adjusts to a new society in England, she gains a new set of
morals and values due to conformity.

Sunshine’s Father- Sunshine’s father has been absent all through her life. When he finally
arranges a meeting with her, he gives her a beating for not wanting to clean his shoes. He
has no right to lay a hand on Sunshine even though he is her biological father because he
did not raise her. She has a different upbringing compared to what he assumed she would
be raised. His abusive mentality is reflected onto Sunshine.

ETHNICAL CONTEXT (Jam, America and English society)

Jamaican Society- Jamaican society during the 1970s was based on Christian beliefs as
majority of the island consisted of Anglicans and different varieties of Christianity from
colonization and traditions passed on from ancestors.

American Society-Many left Caribbean island and left to go to the United States as it was a
beacon of hope for those who wanted a better life. Uncle Roy left Jamaica to seek a better life
for him and his family. He sent money back to Ma and the others in Flour Hill.

English Society-Aunt Jen left Jamaica in search of a better life as well as away from
Sunshine’s father. In this society, she had to conform to different norms and values compared
to those she grew up with in Jamaica. In England she created a new life for herself and forgot
the old one she left in Jamaica.