Trinidad is significant to Jean Rhy's Wide Sargasso Sea because it connects the novel to the deeper history of the Caribbean and the influence of British colonialism. Although Trinidad is only briefly mentioned, its connection to Annette and Mr. Mason's honeymoon provides an opportunity to think about how the Caribbean islands were connected through the plantation system and wealth (Rhys 17). Mr. Mason's represents the power that wealthy English landowners held in the Caribbean, while Annette's experiences represent the idea that having money does not mean a person will feel accepted or safe in their community. Trinidad is a good location to consider because it reiterates the conflicts that are connected to larger social and historical issues than just the problems in the inner family circle. Trinidad is also significant to the connection between the Caribbean and wealth. For Mr. Mason, traveling to another island for his honeymoon is something he can enjoy because of his wealth and social status. Antoinette's life, however, is shaped by the effects of slavery and her family's place in Jamaican society. Wealth can give someone freedom and opportunities without the deeper problem created by colonialism. The history of enslavement and colonialism affected the entire Caribbean, and the end of slavery did not immediately remove racial divisions or unfair treatment. Mr. Mason's wealth changes the family's circumstances, but it doesn't solve the tensions surrounding them. Jean Rhy's writing in Trinidad to the novel connects the character's lives to a wider region shaped by colonial power and inequality. Antoinette's struggles are not only eternal but the influence of society around her the history that she is currently living in.
Bibliography:
Jean Rhys' Wide Sargasso Sea
Lizenz für »Caribbean Colonial Statistics from the British Empire, 1824-1950« – biblioblog
West Indies - Colonialism, Caribbean, Islands | Britannica
