Multicultaralism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Multicultaralism - Essay Example The various literary works analyzed in the later sections of this essay discusses the socio-political concept of multiculturalism as described by Samuel Selvon in The Lonely Londoners, and Hanif Kureishi in The Rainbow Sign and The Beautiful Launderette. This substantiates the fact that individuals from multicultural backgrounds, including the author himself, desperately crave for secure roots that secures them a place, a notion or a cultural identity of their own. The author’s narratives which take him back to a country of his origin is an attempt to forge a relationship with a land although alien to him secures him a root of his cultural origins thus giving him a sense of belonging and identity which is somehow lost in the multicultural milieu of his migrant country. The book ‘The Lonely Londoners’ by Sam Selvon, is based on the lives and journey of colored immigrants who migrated to the British Isles from West Indies in search of wealth and prosperity. It goes on to describe how the various characters in the story were exposed to racist remarks and discriminatory behavior at the hands of the locals. The story is told in creolized English to give an immigrant flavor to it. The apparent references to the color of these migrants who belong to a host of countries including Jamaica, Nigeria, and Trinidad suggest the discrimination of people belonging alien origins whereby the ‘blacks’ were often paid lower wages on account of their color – an obvious form of racial discrimination.... a relationship with a land although alien to him, secures him a root of his cultural origins thus giving him a sense of belonging and identity which is somehow lost in the multicultural milieu of his migrant country. The Lonely Londoners The book 'The Lonely Londoners' by Sam Selvon, is based on the lives and journey of colored immigrants who migrated to British Isles from West Indies in search of wealth and prosperity. It goes on to describe how the various characters in the story were exposed to racist remarks and discriminatory behavior at the hands of the locals. The story is told in creolised English to give an immigrant flavor to it. The apparent references to the color of these migrants who belong to a host of countries including Jamaica, Nigeria and Trinidad suggest the discrimination of people belonging alien origins whereby the 'blacks' were often paid lower wages on account of their color - an obvious form of racial discrimination. This issue is addressed by one of the characters Gallahad who has been looking for employment in the land and voices his beliefs: "Why the hell you can't be blue, or red or green, if you can't be white' You know is you that cause a lot of misery in the world. Is not me, you know, is you! I ain't do anything to infuriate the people and them, is you! Look at you, you so black and innocent, and this time you causing misery all over the world (Elizabeth, 2002, Pp.156)" The Rainbow Sign In the essay, The Rainbow Sign, the author Hanif Kureishi, describes the pain of a migrant and his view of the world which is blurred, confused and hybrid, and, rarely pure and complete. It describes the loss of being detached from one's roots and the feeling of being tucked away in an alien land but at the same time describing the joys of living