The Abeng as a Central Metaphor
The word abeng, which titles Michelle Cliff's novel, serves as a multifaceted metaphor reflecting communication, historical memory, and resistance in postcolonial Jamaica.
Instrument of defiance: Among the Maroons—escaped enslaved Africans who resisted colonial control—the abeng, a conch shell, was used to send secret signals during guerrilla campaigns. In this sense, the abeng embodies agency, defiance, and the power of marginalized voices to challenge oppression.
Emblem of colonial control: Conversely, the same conch shell was employed by slaveholders to summon enslaved laborers to the cane fields. This dual usage underscores the complex legacies of colonialism, where cultural objects and practices could be repurposed by both oppressors and the oppressed.
Reclaiming heritage: For Clare Savage, the abeng metaphor mirrors her personal struggle to navigate her mixed-race identity and reconcile conflicting historical narratives. It acts as a "call to awareness," urging both her and the reader to confront colonial history and reclaim an authentic Jamaican past.
The Grafted Mango Tree
Cliff employs the metaphor of a grafted mango tree to symbolize Jamaica's multicultural and hybrid society.
Diversity in unity: Just as the tree bears multiple varieties of mangoes with differing colors, textures, and flavors, Jamaica is composed of African, European, Indian, and Carib ancestries. The tree suggests a potential harmony among diverse identities while acknowledging the persistence of difference.
Beyond colonial divisions: By emphasizing the tree’s grafted nature, the metaphor critiques the social hierarchies imposed by colonialism, advocating for an inclusive identity that transcends skin color and class divisions.
Clare as a Metaphor for Jamaica
Clare Savage herself functions as a living allegory of the island.
Resistance and consciousness: Her rejection of her father's Eurocentric ideology mirrors Jamaica's own struggle to define a postcolonial identity. Clare's actions and reflections symbolize the island's potential for self-determination and cultural reclamation.
A "mixed salad": Cliff uses a simile comparing the island’s people to a "salad in a bowl," highlighting the coexistence of diverse racial and cultural groups. Unlike the American "melting pot," this metaphor emphasizes the preservation of individual identities within a shared society.
History as an Enduring Stain
Colonialism's lingering effects are conveyed through the metaphor of an indelible stain.
Inescapable legacy: As writer Jill Tolentino observes, colonial history is like "residue left over from company that persists no matter how hard you clean." This metaphor captures the enduring psychological, social, and structural impact of colonialism on contemporary Jamaican life.
Intersectional resonance: The "stain" affects race, gender, and national identity alike, reminding the reader that historical trauma is never fully erasable and continues to shape personal and collective experience.
The Great House and Untamed Nature
Cliff contrasts the decaying colonial great house with the wild Jamaican landscape.
Colonial symbols: The grand house represents the imposition of Englishness, hierarchy, and control over both people and land.
Nature as reclamation: The untamed Jamaican environment disrupts these structures, asserting its vitality and resilience. The metaphor challenges rigid binaries of culture and nature, colonizer and colonized, highlighting Jamaica's capacity to reshape itself beyond imposed hierarchies.
