The Nature of Blood comes as the Manner of relationships - Essay Example

of The Nature of Blood The Nature of Blood comes across as the manner in which relationshipscreated back in the day, be it family, racial or religious influence. How individuals and societies are perceived by and perceive others who do not ‘belong’ to their ties and the significant manner in which it shapes their lives over time (123HelpMe.com). In my opinion, Nature of Blood, in a broad way captures the intricacies that come about as time goes by as a result of ties from the past and how people acquire their identities. Other possible perceptions relates to how they use these identities as well as the propagation of relations with people of different identities.Unlike the normal formats used in writing novels, Caryl Phillips, the Caribbean writer, skillfully brings out the lives of different characters through interweaving form and content (123HelpMe.com). The form and content cuts across the limit of time as different unrelated characters experience similar challenges. It is this particular bit that makes the style of this novel different from many others. Human beings, especially the minority, has no power over the society to decide how life should be like. Religious intolerance is a crucial theme running through the novel. Philips describes the manner in which some people feel foreign in a country, their mistreatment and consequent judging by the natives who are not comfortable with them and their activities more especially religion (123HelpMe.com). In my opinion, “The Nature of Blood” portrays the image of man as pre judging, un-accepting and in other instances discriminative of others with whom he/ she has no ‘blood ties’. Further to this, I believe it implies how man cannot fully integrate and be apart of a society within which he lives and instead looks at himself as foreign. The effect of this discrimination on its victims is also brought out in the title. The author shows how majority groups in a given population gang up against the minority groups. By and large, Philip posits that it is the society that decides who we are. He relates with the majority who dictate upon the minority, thereby, presenting them as lesser beings forcing distinct marks on them for identity purposes. Dominance of the minority has also kept in check by the majority who are against their reliance on the minority. A society’s indifference and intolerance to others are also shown to be at a high when the society is experiencing social difficulties. The intolerance is inhuman to the point where the minorities feel safer in confined areas rather than mingle with the majority of the population (Shmoop Editors Team). Another dimension is thrown in where foreigners coming to this nation choose to convert to the majority religion in order to fit in with the majority populace. This is clear evidence of how un-acceptance and the desire for acceptance can force people to change their religious identities. It also shows how people moving to an advanced foreign country perceive the culture and religion of the foreign land to be superior to theirs. The theme of racism is brought to the fore where people of different skin in a foreign nation face discrimination. Despite converting to the majoritys’ religion, they are still discriminated against by the natives, albeit covertly, on the basis of their skin color. Brutality meted out on the minorities as they are expelled from their original homes, and the mistreatment they face is also well narrated. According to Shmoop Editors Team, the emptiness that the foreigners experience when starting a new life in a foreign land has been highlighted in the novel. Hope seems alive when the captive minorities long for their country. This is despite their skepticism in believing that they will have their own country. They refer to it as ‘the country’ and not ‘their country’, they are excited at that possibility. The intricacies of belonging or not belonging are captured through Eva, a 21 year old survivor of the holocaust. She is an example of how the survivors were robbed of their loved ones and condemned to a life of misery and bitterness. Human degradation in the concentration camps, as well as liberation, is shown through Eva. The Jews were driven away from Germany; Eva who was a victim of the chase represents a generation whose childhood was robbed because of hate and mistrust. She grew miserable with engrained hurts. The misery they underwent is brought out where the Jews feel safe being restricted from certain things. Indeed, their tormentors win in their quest to make them feel like lesser beings. Once discriminated against, the victims relieve those experiences, and it affects their relations later in life. This is evident when Eva moves to England, with a promise of marriage where she is still discriminated against. Malka and Othello further depict another angle of discrimination that is racism. Malka is an Ethiopian and Othello a Moore both from Africa who go to the advanced country and face discriminination because of their race “…a river should never forget its spring… (Philips, 162)”. With Malkas and Othellos incidences occurring in the 20th century and late 1500s to early 1600s respectively, it shows that this discrimination has been around for a long time. It also implies that racism and other forms of discrimination are still rampant even in today’s society. As long as human beings still exist, this may indeed be around (123HelpMe.com). In all the stories, in the novel, prejudice comes out as a major theme. Un acceptance of people of different religions, race and beliefs, flow through the novel. The suspicion of minorities living among a majority population is also brought out. It depicts a constant struggle between the majority and minority groups in a population. These tensions are a reality even in today’s societies. The Nature of Blood is an enlightening novel which also captures the links between Europe, Middle East and Africa; it brings to the fore issues affecting the Jewish Diaspora. Phillips exceptionally captures the power of relationships formed over time, the loyalties of people who share religion, race and other beliefs and how unbreakable they are over long time periods (123HelpMe.com). It also shows how the majority in a population can hysterically gang up against the minority who they perceive to be different from them. It is indeed a proven fact that the minority have no choice whatsoever to choose what life should be like. They simply follow what the majority presents them with. Work Cited Phillips, Caryl. The Nature of Blood. U.S.A: Vintage Publishers. 2008. Pp. 162. 123HelpMe.com. The Nature of Blood. Retrieved 2011-12-06 from www.123HelpMe.com. Shmoop Editorial Team. (2008). The Nature of Blood. Retrieved 2011-12-06 from www.shmoop.com/ The Nature of Blood/literary-devices.html. Amazon. com. The Nature of Blood. Retrieved 2011-12-06 from www.amazon.com. Read More