Texts and Contexts: Sam Selvon's The Lonely Londoners

A few key concepts to understand prior to reading this paper:

LNG Linguistic: These will explain an unfamiliar, foreign, or vernacular word or phrase. You might also look up word origins or word histories as relevant (the online Oxford English Dictionary is a good place to do this).

INT Interpretive: These annotations will offer some kind of interpretation of a word, phrase, or other chunk of your passage-a kind of mini-version of the explication you did in your literary analysis paper. You should look for words that resonate symbolically throughout the text, striking images that might have some wider significance, or moments when significant changes or transformations occur in the narrative.

XRF Cross-reference: These might refer the reader to other moments in the text where a character, place, or incident occurs that is related to something in your chosen passage. You should only cross-reference something if a) it's significant enough to the narrative, and b) if it's not likely that the reader would immediately make the connection between these separate moments in the text.

HGC Historical, geographical, or cultural: This will be the broadest category for your annotations, including any reference to a historical event or circumstance, a geographical location, a political or celebrity figure, a newspaper, a film, a song . . . really, any aspect of the cultural world in which The Lonely Londoners takes place. These are the textual threads that truly connect Selvon's novel to a time, place, and history in the "real world." (Hegglund).

The aim of this paper, outlining the sections p.p. 47-67, in Sam Selvon's The Lonely Londoners, will discuss four particular categories in this section consisting of

Linguistics, Interpretive, Cross-reference, and lastly but not least, the Historical, Geographical and/or the Cultural textual threads that will invariably lead to a better understanding of Sam Selvon and his wriitten book. The aspects of this particular time and setting along with Sam Selvon's wriiten interpretation of an account in a foreign unfamiliar country, will prove to be an interesting dive into someone else's shoes. One of the most important concepts to remember in this discussion is that although some of the common sayings are almost unintelligible to grasp the meaning of without the proper cultural background. Selvon's particular background leads to a more varied and individualized form of free expression through his writing.When reading a published form of any book the words will reveal that there are many texts, in which understanding the contexts of what that author is attempting to show through his/her own personal voice will allow the reader/audience a better understanding of the author's attempt. Reading and Understanding the Section This section of the book, The Lonely Londoners, introduces Moses in his first account of when he 'arrived fresh' into London.

"For this city powerfully lonely when you on your own. - It had such a place, a hostel, and you could say that in a way most of the boys graduate from there before they branch off on their own and begin to live in London. This place had some genuine fellars who really studying profession, but it also had fellars who was only marking time and waiting to see what tomorrow would bring." (Selvon 47).

(INT) The opening of this chapter in The lonely Londoners, is providing the audience with a very generalized outline of what many immigrants would go through in their first days, weeks, and months in a new country. Although this was not the case for all new incoming immigrants, in Moses' life, it was constantly repeating. The message of loneliness is also continually repeated throughout The Lonely Londoners. The statement of the city being powerfully lonely is such a strong statement to think about. In modern times power is money, and these citizens of London lack money and therefore lack any real power in the social constuct.

(HGC) The recount of a fellar named Captain, Cap for short, is an excellent source to draw examples from. Throughout this section, Cap is introduced and described and although there is not much to Cap except for women, partying, and smoking. This character is an essential piece in understanding how not only a hustler lived but how others around him lived about from day to day. Cap is one of those boys that is waiting to see what tomorrow will bring. Hustling to find a meal or the next woman after dinner. It works out for him in most cases which creates a kind of feeling towards Cap from the other characters. The french woman cannot believe she fell for him and everyone else can't help but respect the individual even though they may feel like saying, "get a job". This helps to create a feeling of real human reactions and emotions to events occurring in the midst of their lives. Lessons about how others view human nature can be learned from an author using characters to build a more realistic storyline.

(LNG) Cuppa, (Selvon 58) noun; In Britain, cuppa refers to a cup of tea, informally (Oxford).

"The old Cap have the sort of voice that would melt butter in the winter, and he does speak like a gentleman. so the thing is, after he sponge on all the fellars he know for meals, he used to look around for newcomers, and put on a soft tone and the hardluck story" (Selvon 48-49).

(INT) So far in this section Cap has only been described a hustler and now the reader begins to see how one hustles. The interpretation of this passage goes something like this Cap has certain ill mannerisms surrounding him however he also has some very fine qualities. He completely grasps the power of voice and how to use that in order to benefit his own agenda. The intelligence and charm he possesses is still not enough to be completely integrated in this London society, he is still deemed an lazy drain on society. However is he truly has sort of voice that could melt butter, Cap should really look into a legitimate career in which he could use those skills..

(LNG) Cagey, (Selvon 51,62) adjective; informal uncommunicative owing to caution or suspicion. Unknown origin (Oxford). In Selvon's context though it appears that he intended cagey to refer to the emotions and actions that took place in a particular point in time with the certain individual. Cagey invokes a strong image of what an individual's emotions are at that moment in time. Almost similiar to the reaction of a wild beast in captivity.

"Cap only smoking Benson and Hedges - if you offer him a woods he would scorn you you. if he manage to hustle as pound, he eating a bigmeal, belching, buying a pack of B and H, and he ready to face the world" (Selvon 49).

(XRF) For an individual who is hustling his way through life waiting to see what tomorrow will bring it appears that Cap's tastes and preferences are strong in the sense that he only will take what he wants, and he wants the best in women, clothes and cigarettes. Supposedly he can be picky about his preferences even though he doesn't have a lot of income. Trhoughout this section Cap is being described so that already in the text the reader either likes this guy or disfavors him.

"Cap with woman left and right - he have a way, he does pick up something and take it home and when he finish and she ask for money, throw she out on the streets. He have a way, he would broach any girl who he see going around with one of the boys. Yet day after day Cap still alive, defying all logic and reason and convention, living without working, smoking the best cigarettes, never without a woman" (Selvon 60-61).

(HGC) The previous annotations leading up to this passage only aid in finally creating a character that is the exception to all the depair that is going on around the city regarding new and older immigrants as well. Cap's ability to live life even when he is low as if he was the only man on earth is simply astonishing, along with the fact that he has not been harmed or hurt by any of the woman he has handled and/or their boyfriends.

(LNG) Vex, (Selvon 60) verb; make annoyed or worried. The origin comes from the latin word vexare which means to shake or disturb.So in the text on page 60, when Moses get damn vex.' knowing the proper definition of the term vex will allow the reader a much more concise view of how the author is attempting to display Moses' dialogue and anger.

"Aye you bitch,' Moses say, 'I looking for you all about. Where my coat?" 'I ain't have it, Moses,' Cap say in a baby voice. 'You best hads get it for me,' Moses say, 'or I set the police after you. I ain't fooling, man.' at mention of police Cap turn white, which is a hell of a thing to see. And the next day he pass round by Moses house and drop the coat...Moses say: "Listen I telling you, that man no good for you, he is a worthless fellar who won't do no work, he would sleep with you and then look for somebody else to sleep with two minutes after, why don't you leave him?" (Selvon 55).

(INT) Only with the mention of police is Cap willing to give Moses back his coat. Moses is the one man who seems to know Cap the best. Moses also makes a point in order to educate others around him about how he feels regarding Cap and his actions. Throughout much of the description of Cap, he is seen almost as if by some unnatural force he is invincible and not subject to the same misfortunes as others, Moses brings up a weakness that convinces Cap to do the right thing. Otherwise he will end up going to Jail with the Chelsea Police for stealing moses' coat. Yet the second half of this passage is also intriguing, It is here that Moses is questioning the austrians interest in Cap. The reason why she is still interested in Cap after Moses states all of this usually unfavorable traits regarding Cap perplexes Moses. The character's inability to allow himself to stop questioning other's behavior and to only regard his own actions is something that Moses desparately has to work on in order to stop blaming others for his own pitiful life.

"What?' Daniel say, feeling like a knight rescuing a damsel in distress" (Selvon 54).

(LNG) It is difficult to imagine this being a popular phrase or even a known phrase in the West Indies or Jamaica. Yet this phrase wreaks with the scent of Britain and her royal monarchy. It sometimes appears as if a society's culture is weakened by a rush of incoming foreigners to their country yet it is also strengthened due in part to new citizens literally being forced into submission and conformity in order to fit into a structured and civilized society. It is to say that culture is constantly evoling into a more conformed state yet without introduction of new customs and blood into a society, the society will eventually suffer either battle internally or externally leading to destruction instead of the intended preservation.

"Well Cap get in with this thing, and when the german close in on him, he a take a wristwatch off the English girl and pawn it and pay the frauline eight pounds" (Selvon 54).

(XRF) A few paragraphs later on this matter is resolved simply because "the matter was forgotten." This is yet another testament to Cap's livelyhood. The people around either keep putting up with him or in the case of most woman they simply move on to the next thing, which is hopefully for the woman, a much better suitor than Cap would ever be. Yet the point in which Selvon's writing becomes more civilized and fluent is the point where he uses frauline. The implementation of a foreign word or phrase which suits the sentence in which it is placed correctly and actually creates a better understanding of the passage than any other english word or phrase could be used is intelligent writing. It also creates a much more universal piece of work. The proper use of foreign words in English text, aids in allowing a language to evolve and grow.

(LNG) Mark burst: In this sentence 'mark burst' is used in such a saying as 'when the dam broke' or more closely resembling 'when the pen broke,' when all hell broke loose. The actions that occurred previously to this statement it is clear that things were going to go to downhill when the "Bon soir" woman ended up being a man and Cap had been accused of sleeping with him. The image of Selvon writing this account and finally having his quill-tipped pen splatter ink blotting the work that had already been done is what this phrase most closely can be compared to.

The analysis and annotations that have been provided here have hopefully invoked a higher intrigue into this novel but as well as a better understanding into some of the cultural and time dependent cirumstances that had been prevalent at this point in British society and more directly history in the town of London .