| Title | : | A Brighter Sun |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0582642655 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780582642652 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 240 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 1953 |
A Brighter Sun Reviews
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I read A Brighter Sun years ago, I think this re-read is exactly what I needed. There is something magical about reading about a place you currently reside at and I think that is what I loved most about this book.
Sam Selvon's A Brighter Sun follows the main character Tiger Baboolal, an Indian man from the rural part of Trinidad. Tiger gets married and through his marriage he is given a plot of land with $200TTD to start his life with his wife. Tiger and his wife moves to San Juan an up and coming community 4 miles away from the capital Port of Spain. In San Juan Tiger tries to fit in, learn what it means to be a man and more importantly tries to navigate the changing world around him.
Sam Selvon thrust us into a period of history where Trinidad and Tobago is still trying to figure out herself. She is caught between pre- Independence, the influx of Americans to her shore and the ranging war in Europe. Historically, a lot is happening and Selvon uses that to tell a story and show us how these things impacts our main character.
If you are looking for an in-depth look into live in Trinidad and Tobago during the 1930s, this is definitely a book you want to pick up. If you are looking for a memorable character- trust me, you wont forget Tiger. A must read Trini book for me.
I read this for the #ReadCaribbean challenge. -
This book gives a very informative and accurate account of the state and life in 1930s Trinidad caught between its colony past and a present monopolized by American military existance and the island's involvement in the second world war.
Tiger is the main character of the story. He is a southern Trinidadian boy of Indian ancestry who gets married off at 16. The story is of his struggles as a "man" and trying to make a living as well as understand life and what it means to him as he understands himself.
From this book you learn of the many predujices in the beautiful island, be it race or class. The struggle of the poor is maginified by their color. Tiger is an ambitious boy and you feel for him while reading, until he becomes one of the men, beating his pregnant wife and getting drunk nights on end.
Selvon is very accurate with the Trini english, and writes beautifully. I ick him over Naipaul any day. -
"What is to is must is."
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A good book. Lovely exposition of Trinidad and the culture, and brilliant dialogue with dialects and creole nicely captured. It falls a bit short when it cones to fully fletching out Tiger, the protagonist, in terms of his emotional progress… but otherwise a good read.
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Set in Trinidad and Tobago during the Second World War, this novel aims both at painting a general picture of the economic, social and political facts of life of the time and period while also telling a smaller more intimate story about a handful of its residents in a forgotten village not far from Port of Spain. The jump from general to particular is ongoing and is not always handled smoothly. The narrative that follows Tiger and Urmilla -a young Indian couple- and Rita and Joe- their creole neighbours- is stopped in its tracks often to make room for statements about policy, building projects and rationing. I found the clear difference in tone, intent and narrative voice in these transitions a bit jarring.
The part that focuses on the more insular narrative, however, I found very compelling. Selvon expertly inmerses the reader into the world of these characters through the use of dialect and colorful description that bring to life a Caribbean full of sound, smell, rum, hard work and careless violence. In this sense the novel is reminiscent of García Márquez' stories of the Colombian Caribbean.
I particularly liked the way in which Selvon repeatedly calls attention to the sun and the living earth as the constants of the life of these characters, compelling them to action, providing comfort, meaning,joy.
"The sun spun crazily in the sky, like it had gone mad. It burned him. It had been burning ever since he could remember. But he loved it, because everything looked good when it was shining." (p.168) -
Rating is 3.5.
After reading Golden Child last month, I am happy to read more books set in Trinidad. This debut novel is a coming of age tale set during the final years of World War 2. We follow Tiger, a sixteen year old Indian boy who is being married to Urmilla. This is an arranged marriage and he moves from his hometown of Chaguanas, a sugar cane district to the more urban village of Barataria. Here Tiger struggles to define manhood.
This short novel was unexpectedly humorous. Selvon presents the racial tension in Trinidad very matter of factly. But offers hope for the future through Tiger. The writing style reflects an author who worked in journalism, with the beginning of chapters providing background on the island. But as info dumps which primarily breaks the tension of the book. Despite this flaw, it is well worth the read. The imagery and themes are quite lyrical as there are obvious biblical elements.
Be aware, there is mild language, domestic violence but no graphic sexual content. -
The book is really well written and gives an insightful view of Trinidad and Tobago before the end of WWII and teens and the issues they face in regards to responsibility and relationships. It depicts well the journey of a young man into adulthood due to a child marriage. His thoughts, how he deals with marriage, working, a child that is not the preferred biological sex, sexual relations, friendship with racial divides and his path to maturity is well displayed. I thought Urmilla's character could have been highlighted and developed on more. I wanted to know more about her and her thoughts and how she matured as an individual apart from being Tiger's wife and a mother. At the end she still felt like she was not truly accepted by Tiger because she didn't bear a son. Although the book hints that he regrets hitting his wife and accepting a child of any biological sex, I remained with the feeling he did not really understand that it was wrong or the ramifications of it. I guess it goes with the era. Some of the issues Tiger dealt with are sadly still present day issues like domestic violence, the preference for a male child, racial divisions, social inequalities and sexual ignorance. My favourite part was when he stood up to the doctors and gave them a piece of his mind. He tried to challenge the social processes. The character I most enjoyed was Rita.
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Reading for school's Literature class doesn't sound like fun, but this book was everything to me as a student. I absolutely fell in love with it as a student. Selvon's description of 1930s Trinidad is so vivid, that at times I felt I was watching a movie. Driving through certain parts of Trinidad now as an adult, I can identify perfect descriptions and reminders of places from this book. Tiger's journey to adulthood is captivating, as is his desperation to fit into an evolving Trinidadian society.
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This is another of the novels I would turn to, when I was homesick and studying abroad. I absolutely love Samuel Selvon's voice. he reminds me of warm days on Maracas beach and eating mango and plum chow on the back steps with my cousins during the long August holidays. This is a coming to adult tale of two people bound by tradition and trying to make it on their own, in an unfamilar neighbourhood.
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One of my favorite class assigned reads
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I took it upon myself to start reading more books written by Caribbean authors that are about the Caribbean. This was a great read!
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Engrossing novel about the conflicts that emerge around race, gender, economics, and identity in the face of American imperialism during World War II.
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Title: A Brighter Sun
Author: Samuel Selvon
Publisher: Longman
Pages: 215
Challenge: Caribbean writers Challenge 2011
Rating: 5 stars
Summary:
The overall theme can be summed up in three phrases; “the journey from adolescence to adulthood”, “The Loss of Innocence”, and “The Quest and acquisition of knowledge”.
The story is set during the turbulent midst of the 2nd World War and centered on the lives of two young Indian peasants forced into marriage and trying to find their way through adulthood in Trinidad. It began with Tiger, young, surprised and naive, trying to prove that he is a man and is independent. With young bride, Urmilla, shy, bewildered and anxious to please, two hundred dollars, a cow and wattle and daub shack, he sets off to the unknown Barataria and adulthood.
Read more -
An interesting tale of the growth of a young Indian married couple and their creole neighbour couple told in a colourful language of personification, forshadowing, metaphor etc. It is a history of Trinidad's transition from predominantly agriculture to the Service and Construction economy with a succinct look at the effects on the people.
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Oh this book was wonderfully written. It was raw as the characters were easy to relate to being a Trinidadian myself, it was comical and heart wrenching. At the end I was very proud of "Tiger", the protagonist, and his attitude toward change and growing up. Great book.
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Sam Selvon's tale about life in Trinidad in the 1930s
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I read this when I was about 15 for a high school lit class. It's an interesting glimpse into the past and the cultural divides in Trinidad and Tobago at the time. Not exceptional but a good read.
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Did this book in school for Literature. Fun, emotional, and interesting book. How things were in the old days.
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In this novel, people have sex on old bags, in huts. I think that was one of the most important points related.
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I love this book!
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i love this book
