A High Wind in Jamaica · Question
How does A High Wind in Jamaica develop the theme of Memory and Trauma?
Answer
A High Wind in Jamaica by Richard Hughes develops Memory and Trauma across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.
Characters like Emily and Margaret process traumatic events (murder, assault) through repression, selective memory, or dissociation, suggesting that trauma reshapes reality and identity in unpredictable ways.
Emily's introspection involves trying to remember if she chose herself or if God did, and she feels a vague disquiet about the future and potential disasters.
Jonsen is unexpectedly flooded with memories of Emily, showing how the children have left an indelible mark on him despite his attempts to forget.
Emily's silence about her pirate experiences and her physical stiffness when asked about death illustrate how trauma is buried and avoided.
Evidence in the book
- I
Emily's introspection involves trying to remember if she chose herself or if God did, and she feels a vague disquiet about the future and potential disasters.
- IV
Jonsen is unexpectedly flooded with memories of Emily, showing how the children have left an indelible mark on him despite his attempts to forget.
- I
Emily's silence about her pirate experiences and her physical stiffness when asked about death illustrate how trauma is buried and avoided.
- III
The children's memories of their pirate ordeal are overwritten by adult narratives, with Emily's inner thoughts remaining opaque.
- IV
The children's inability or unwillingness to provide a linear account of the pirate capture suggests traumatic memory, with gaps, distortions, and defensive humor.
- V
Margaret Fernandez has lost her memory; the children's silence about John's death suggests repressed trauma.
- VI
Emily's traumatic memory of Captain Vandervoort's murder surfaces during the trial, causing her to break down. Her subsequent vomiting and forgetfulness suggest a struggle to process the event.
