The Pennsylvania State University The Graduate School College of the Liberal Arts MAS MOVEMENT: TOWARD A THEORY OF CARIBBEAN RHETORIC A Dissertation in English by Kevin Adonis Browne © 2009 Kevin Adonis Browne Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy August 2009 The dissertation of Kevin Adonis Browne was reviewed and approved* by the following: Keith Gilyard Distinguished Professor of English Dissertation Adviser Chair of Committee John L. Selzer Professor of English Stuart Selber Associate Professor of English Cary Fraser Associate Professor of History and Africana Studies Robin Schulze Professor of English Head of the Department of English *Signatures are on file in the Graduate School ii ABSTRACT This project situates, describes, and analyzes some of the characteristic discursive practices of Caribbean people in the context of a distinct rhetorical tradition. Rhetoric is viewed in this study as communicative activity precipitated by the constellation of social, psychological, spiritual, and material consequences that have shaped the history of the region and continue to impact contemporary expression. The dimensions of Caribbean rhetoric therefore reflect constructions of social reality and allow practitioners and scholars to approach and analyze the issues and challenges faced by Caribbean people. Objects of study include the novels of Earl Lovelace, the prophetic musical performances of David Rudder, and the transformative possibilities afforded by Caribbean discursive activity in digital environments. I use the “Caribbean Carnivalesque” as a major trope for referring to Caribbean behavior that is founded on the epideictic and is tuned specifically to social commentary, agitation, and change. The trope is deployed for two primary purposes: as a key rhetorical device operating among Caribbean people; and as an effective theoretical device for considering how Caribbean people participate in different forms of democratic deliberation and interaction with other groups. Overall, the project strives for an understanding of the Caribbean rhetorical tradition as one of the possible means of approaching, managing, and improving the social circumstances Caribbean people face. It is meant to provide not simply an understanding of the Caribbean presence in American society, but also a greater sense of the rhetorical possibilities that exist for Caribbeans in multiple contexts. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables.........................................................................................................................................v List of Figures ......................................................................................................................................vi Chapter 1: Introduction; or, Jour Ouvert for an Agenda...............................................................1 Chapter 2: Framing a Caribbean Rhetorical Tradition .................................................................20 Chapter 3: Earl Lovelace and a Theory of Caribbean Ethos.......................................................77 Chapter 4: Performance and Prophetic Sound ............................................................................118 Chapter 5: Dynamics of Tradition in the Digital Yard...............................................................160 Chapter 6: Conclusion; or, Lagniappe for the Carnivalesque....................................................203 Notes ..................................................................................................................................................216 Bibliography.......................................................................................................................................244 Discography.......................................................................................................................................266 iv LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Sample Syntactical Features of Caribbean Language.....................................................22 Table 2: The Major Modes of Caribbean Rhetoric .......................................................................31 Table 3: Sample Proverb Forms.......................................................................................................59 Table 4: Major Strategic Characteristics of the Sermonic ............................................................62 Table 5: Orthographic Features......................................................................................................169 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Directional Identification (Distribution and Collection).............................................50 vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS It has not been easy writing a dissertation on Caribbean Rhetoric while in Central Pennsylvania. That one has, in fact, been written is a testament to the unyielding support of numerous individuals. I want to take the opportunity now to thank them. I am, first and always, Eva’s son. She is, in all ways, my primary source. Everything will not be enough. Fayola, whose strength, steadfastness, and love were the brightest beacons in times when I might have crawled away, content only to have made the half-hearted attempt. Layla, my soul’s joy. There are not enough words to let you know just how much you are loved, but you have inspired every one of these pages. I could not have imagined a better graduate mentor than Keith Gilyard, and I am happy I did not have to. From the day I arrived at Penn State in the spring of 2004, he has proven to be unflinchingly generous in his counsel, with a sense of integrity to the profession of teaching and learning that I have, this far, found unmatched. Our sessions were sometimes arduous, sometimes riotously amusing, but always appreciated. Whatever growth I make as a scholar can probably be traced back to what was allowed to germinate in the “barbershop” and local all-night diners. His commitment to academic thoroughness and the sense of a personal standard continue to serve as a model upon which to fashion my own academic career. I also owe a great deal of thanks to the members of my doctoral committee—Jack Selzer, Stuart Selber, and Cary Fraser—who were willing to help me turn turgid prose into prose less turgid. My thanks to Bernard W. Bell, Iyunolu Osagie, and Aldon Nielsen, in whose seminars the very first utterances of this project emerged. vii Department Head Robin Schulze has been enthusiastic about my project and has encouraged me from the start, but I am most grateful for the frank advice she was always willing to give whenever it was needed. Kit Hume, whose practical knowledge of the transition we must make—from graduate student to assistant professor—is second to none. I must also thank Liz Jenkins for her quiet dedication to the department; she has helped me to strive for the dignity and grace of kind words and the benefits of a pleasant disposition. Similarly, I want to thank Julia Kasdorf, who suggested that I take walks. The College of the Liberal Arts and the English Department here at Penn State provided substantial financial assistance in the form of Wilma R. Ebbitt Fellowships and Awards, which allowed me to develop as a researcher. I also want to express my gratitude to Cheryl Glenn and Mike Hogan, the Center for Democratic Deliberation, and the members of our Dissertation Writing Group—Brandy Scalise, Jessica Sheffield, and Matt Weiss. They were all kind enough to read through the roughest drafts of my work; they were honest enough to challenge my thinking and push me to explain more fully the aspects of the project that I was taking for granted; and, most of all, they were willing. I owe a special debt of gratitude to Damon Cagnolatti, David Green, and Ersula Ore, who have been indispensable, as well. Through them, I am repeatedly reminded that one should never underestimate the importance of community—and the work one must do to maintain it. I appreciate their trust. No academic acknowledgment would be complete without substantial thanks being given to the administrative staff. They all have been wonderful to me and have made my work as a graduate assistant an enjoyable and rewarding experience. I must, however, specially acknowledge Kathy Force. Upon her retirement, I hope she carries with her my congratulations, best wishes, and deepest appreciation. viii I have benefited in no small measure from the wisdom of Elizabeth Nunez, whose importance as a mentor and friend has never diminished. My great friends, Lesley Baptiste- Capolino, Stephanie Daniel, Gloria Ntegeye, Rene Farrow, Brian Adonis, Miguel Ayres, Kerron Brown, and Michael Thompson have known (magically, I am certain) when I’ve been too busy to reach out—and have reached out to me. My relentlessly supportive family has kept me humble, while always willing to indulge my eccentricities. The Wrights, the Brownes, the Smiths, the Farrells, and the Josephs are at the forefront of those who have helped keep me grounded throughout this entire process. I hope my choice not to name each individually is proof of my undying love for them all—for that is all it could be. Aunty Marjorie, Grampadaddy, and Moms will bear the standard on my behalf, as they have so ably done for as long as I can remember. They continue to remind me that while many exceptions were made for me, I am not exceptional. I am, and hope to remain, Kevin—just a little less clumsy. Finally, I reserve my most heartfelt thanks for my grandmother, Vena Browne. She named me. On those misguided