Natives of My Person: Analysis of Major Characters
"Natives of My Person: Analysis of Major Characters" delves into the complex motivations and interrelationships of a diverse cast aboard the ship Reconnaissance, which embarks on a controversial voyage to colonize San Cristobal. Central to the narrative is the Commandant, a wealthy soldier whose unilateral decisions lead to his tragic downfall at the hands of mutinous officers. The Lady of the House of Trade and Justice, with her intricate connections to various characters, including her husband Gabriel Tate de Lysle and the Boatswain, adds layers of personal and political intrigue.
Other notable figures include the tall Antarctican pilot Pinteados, who emerges as a cunning survivor, and Sasha, a young boy whose desperate circumstances lead to violent actions. The story explores themes of ambition, betrayal, and survival, highlighted by characters such as the ambitious Steward, the troubled Surgeon, and the morally conflicted Priest. Each character's backstory contributes to the overarching narrative of power dynamics and the consequences of colonization. As the plot unfolds, the tensions among the crew and their complex relationships with one another and their homeland create a rich tapestry that invites readers to consider the ethical implications of their actions. This character analysis offers a nuanced look at the interplay of personal ambition and systemic issues within a colonial context.
Natives of My Person: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: George Lamming
First published: 1972
Genre: Novel
Locale: Primarily the western coast of Africa and the Caribbean
Plot: Historical
Time: The late sixteenth century
The Commandant, a wealthy soldier of Lime Stone who leads the illegal voyage of the ship Reconnaissance, given to him by his mistress, to colonize San Cristobal (Isles of the Black Rock). He is strongly connected to the ruling classes of Lime Stone but undertakes his voyage without the sanction of the rulers. Hearing the Boatswain's lurid story of the Lady of the House of Trade and Justice, he halts the voyage and is murdered by mutinous officers.
The Lady of the House of Trade and Justice, the daughter of Master Cecil, mistress of the Commandant, and wife of Gabriel Tate de Lysle. She makes use of the Boatswain, who tries to murder her. She is among the women on the second ship, traveling to San Cristobal.
Pinteados, the tall, Antarctican pilot of the Reconnaissance, somewhere over the age of thirty-five, who tells the Surgeon of his relations with the Surgeon's wife while she is in an asylum. He survives the mutiny and desertion to tell his story to Admiral Badaloza, to whom he hints that possession of the ship might be negotiated. He is the Commandant's superior not only in the tactics of survival but also in ultimate material success.
Sasha, a ten-year-old boy who is forced to serve on the Reconnaissance. Less than four feet tall, with a boil in the corner of his mouth, he witnesses the murder of the Commandant, whom he worships, and kills the Surgeon and the Steward.
Gabriel Tate de Lysle, the lord treasurer to the House of Trade and Justice. He used an orphan girl to trap the Steward with incest as a means of protecting himself after he stole rare maps from the Steward.
The Steward, a neat, red-bearded officer on the Reconnaissance with great knowledge of maps and charts. He fingers a wedding ring hanging from a neck chain. He joined the voyage to free himself from his wife and her connections. When he learns that his wife is waiting at San Cristobal, he and the Surgeon lead the officers'mutiny. He and the Surgeon kill the Commandant; he is killed by Sasha.
The Surgeon, a young, handsome officer on the Reconnaissance. He has thick black hair, a prodigious appetite, and a restless temper. He envisions himself as a founder of hospitals. He drove his wife mad with his infidelities, then sent her into the Severn asylum. He learns that Pinteados had sexual relations with his wife there, and he is unwilling to continue the voyage when he learns that she waits at San Cristobal. He is killed by Sasha after he and the Steward murder the Commandant.
The Boatswain, an officer on the Reconnaissance who has made seven voyages in seven years. He confesses his (at-tempted) murder of the Lady to the Priest; he also tells of his degradation and his desecration of the church altar, then goes mad.
The Priest, an officer on the Reconnaissance. He blesses traffic in slavery while insisting that black slaves have souls. He reluctantly agrees with the Commandant's plan for sailors to mate with the women waiting for them on San Cristobal. He loses his faith during the voyage.
Ivan, a painter who has a vision of the Lady of the House of Trade and Justice, standing on a cliff at San Cristobal, with her jar of leaves, melting into blood. He and Baptiste lead the sailors' escape from the ship to continue to San Cristobal.
Pierre, a lean, athletic, young carpenter. With his hair heaped high on his forehead and falling long on his neck, he plays a flute and boasts of sexual exploits.
Baptiste, the short, thick-shouldered powder maker, one of the most vocal and militant of the ordinary seamen. He has a high brow, wide nose, and deep-set eyes. His first voyage was under the cruel command of Master Cecil. When morale and discipline begin to break down, he attempts to take charge. After the murder of the Commandant, he summons the sailors to leave the ship.
Marcel, a fisherman who has a bald head except for a ridge of black hair over his one ear, the other having been lost when he was a hostage left in Antarctica by Master Cecil. A quiet man, he minds his own business.
Duclos, the first cook, kindhearted, with frivolous manners. He revives Ivan, who faints in the heat, with rum.
The Steward's wife, a cousin of Gabriel Tate de Lysle. She is ambitious for her husband, though she cultivated his relationship with the orphan girl. She waits for her husband on San Cristobal.
The orphan girl, the daughter and lover of the Steward, who fled Tate de Lysle's orphanage for refuge with the Steward. She dies in childbirth.
The Surgeon's wife, sent to the Severn asylum by the Surgeon. She had a sexual relationship there with Pinteados. She secretly awaits her husband on San Cristobal, where she exchanges stories in a cave with the Lady and the Steward's wife.
Master Cecil, the father of the Lady of the House of Trade and Justice. He spent time in the Severn madhouse after leading many sea voyages.
Admiral Badaloza, the Commandant's Antarctican rival. He investigates the murder of the Commandant and learns that the ship belongs to the Lady, who is waiting at San Cristobal. He decides to report to her instead of to the House of Trade and Justice.