The Journey motif in Edward Brathwaite's The arrivants: a new world trilogy

Abstract

This study examines the development of the journey motif in Edward Brathwaite's The Arrivants: A New World Trilogy with a view of ascertaining the poet's use of the journey motif to illustrate themes in the trilogy. The study uses library research and Internet research to obtain critical information on the poet and the subject of the study. The study is carried out within the sphere of New Criticism. This implies that textual evidence is emphasised through a close reading ofthe text in order to give an objective evaluation. It focuses on the development of the journeys in the trilogy and how these journeys have been used to create the themes. The first chapter examines the journey motif in literature. It analyses how different creative writers have used the journey motif within its definitions in literature. This chapter establishes different types of journeys that form the journey motif generally in literature. second chapter looks at the journey motif as used by Edward Brathwaite in The Arrivants: A New World Trilogy. It focuses on how the poet has developed the various journeys in the trilogy in order to trace the historical, cultural, spiritual and political development of the Afro-Caribbean society. It establishes three facets of the journey motif, namely physical, spiritual and historical. In the process this chapter exposes how the journey motif systematically develops the trilogy into an organic whole. The third chapter analyses how the poet has used the three facets of the journey motif to develop the themes in the trilogy. It is an 'evaluation of the how effective the poet has used the journey motif in developing his major themes. This chapter in the process reveals the significance of the journey motif in the course of redefining the self. Lastly, the conclusion reveals that the persona in journeying, especially to Africa, fails to fully redefine himself as an African who has come back home from the diaspora, mainly because of the social and cultural dynamics that has taken place within the African social and cultural setting. He finally opts to go back to the beginning of his journey, thus through the persona Brathwaite subverts the conventional journey. However, all the three facets culminate into a spiritual and cultural identity that fmally forms the personality of the persona who decides to journey no more. Eventually the study demonstrates that the journey is of significance not only to the persona but also to the poem itself. It forms the basic structure of the trilogy and develops the themes in the course of its movement.