43 pages • 1 hour read
Abeng
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Summary and Study Guide
Overview
Abeng (1984) is a fictionalized semi-autobiographical novel by Jamaican-American author Michelle Cliff (1946-2016). Born in Kingston, Cliff spent most of her life in the US where she taught at several prestigious colleges and universities. Abeng, the first of Cliff’s three novels, is a subversive history of Jamaica, as well as a coming-of-age story of bi-racial girl Clare Savage. Through her efforts to understand her surroundings and her own place in the world, Clare gradually uncovers the terrible experiences, past and present, shaping the lives of those around her. Portraying life on the island in the 1950s and incorporating flashbacks, vignettes and historical facts, the book weaves a complex, alternative account of Jamaica’s violent past and gives voice to the historically marginalized and silenced groups inhabiting the island.
The book is often taken as a prequel to Cliff’s most acclaimed novel, No Telephone to Heaven (1987), which retells Clare’s life after her family leaves Jamaica. The title refers to a conch shell, used both to call slaves to the fields and to pass messages between the Maroons. The abeng’s contradictory uses encapsulate the purpose of the Unlock all 43 pages of this Study Guide Plus, gain access to 8,900+ more expert-written Study Guides. Including features:
