The sacrifices made for an education

For this week’s book I decided to read “Black Shack Alley” by Joseph Zobel. Objectively, this was a well written book that touches on larger topics such as poverty, racial inequality, and injustice through the eyes of someone who lived through this period. However, I did find the novel a little too long and did find myself getting antsy at times. The story follows José through the years: a boy growing up on a sugarcane plantation on Martinique who due to the sacrifices of his grandmother M’man Tine, was able to achieve an education. This reaccount of his life led to the writing of this book, and in a way is a tribute to grandma M’Man Tine.

The largest take away from this story is family, education, and the inequality surrounding sacrifices needed to be made in order for one to achieve an education. In part one we can see M’man Tine’s strictness, yet large heart when it comes to raising José on the plantation. In the book we see José receives beatings for ruining his clothes and stealing sugar, however, we begin to understand M’man Tine’s scarcity through her deep desire to keep José off the plantation fields. She saves everything she has in order for him to get him a basic education. Moving forward she sets high expectations for José as in order to continue his education he must pass his exams and recieve good grades. At one moment, José was almost kicked out of school for lacking the money to pay tuition, but somehow, someway, M’man found this money. M’man Tine sacrificed her entire life, body, and soul, to give her grandchild what she knew was his only shot at a good life. As José grows up, gaining a greater education, he begins to see the inequality in his life, the life of those around him, and the extent M’man Tine had to push herself to. By the time he can truly thank M’man Tine, it was too late.

The belief that education is power or liberation is still an understanding in today’s world, and is why there’s emphasis placed on continuing education where possible. I find that there is great emphasis placed on education from those who did not receive one or were very limited to one. For example, my grandpa has a fifth grade education and wishes he could have at least attended high school, but was forced to work instead. In my times of exhaustion or stress caused by university, he reminds me that learning is something to never take for granted. Often when education is handed to us we forget what a privilege it is, and how it expands our understanding of the world.

How do you think José’s life would have turned out to be if he did not receive and education?