Analysis of Lucy by Jamaica Kincaid and Soledad by Angie Cruz

This article is devoted to the issue, which has beenchange her future. She is greatly influenced by West
raised in a novel 'Soledad'. The article briefly analysesIndian, her home. Moreover, Lucy is caught between
the novel written by Angie Cruz. It presentstwo cultures, West Indian culture and American one.
similarities and differences of social norms andShe rejects her heritage and wants to become an
economical status in the society described by theAmerican. Besides, Lucy is in a conflict with her
author. Moreover, the article gives a deep look insidemother and her own family is so far from her. In this
the book, stressing the description and presentationnovel, as well as in 'Breath, Eyes, Memory',
of mother-children relationship and gender roles in themother-daughter relationship should be described in a
novels.more detailed way. Summarizing, both novels depict
This is a review of a novel 'Lucy' written by Jamaicagreat difficulties in family relationships influenced by
Kincaid , which analyze gender roles, mother-childrencultural, economical and social climate.
relationship. In the article special attention is paid toThe novel 'Soledad' written by Angie Cruzis her first
social norms and economical status in the societynovel, in which the author depicts mother-children
described by the author. The novel 'Lucy' written byrelationship and emphasizes the importance to
Jamaica Kincaid is a story of an individual. This is aremember one's roots and culture. Soledad is a major
story of a young girl who has come to America fromcharacter of the novel who grew up in the Dominican
West Indian. The novel is the description of twocommunity. She does not want to accept her roots
cultures - West Indian culture and American cultureand moves to Manhattan, America. However, her
represented by a family, in which the main characterfamily needs her return as Soledad's mother falls
works and lives.mentally ill. Soledad is ashamed of her motherland,
Lucy is divided between two countries and cultures.family and especially of her mother. She wants to be
She is angry with her mother and does not want tofar away from her home, however, she returns
read letters from her. She tries to wipe off all herhome to help her relatives.
memories of her mother. She says, 'I had come toThe novel 'Soledad' is a mysterious novel, which
feel that my mother's love for me was designedmentions Soledad's spurious paternity. Besides, it
solely to make me into an echo of her; and I didn'tshows the belief in supernatural, when Soledad's
know why, but I felt that I would rather be deadrelatives want her to come back as this may help her
than become just an echo of someone. (Kincaid, p.mother to recover. The novels describe the
36) In this novel the major character moves todifficulties in mother-daughter relationship and the
America leaving her move in another country. This isimpossibility of a mother to give everything that her
a completely different situation if compared to thechild needs. These books show almost no social
novel 'Breath, Eyes, Memory' where the heroine wasopportunities for the development and 'a better life',
abandoned by her own mother in a childhood andthe absence of a father in the daughter upbringing
finds her much later when moving to America.and all the following consequences - anger, shame
In 'Lucy' the heroine rejects her past and wants toand a wish to be far away from home.