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Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT, 06824, USA

ABSTRACT

In Western culture, the symbol of the tree which divides into branches and has a foliage of the same lineage as its roots is the best symbol for describing identity and also for describing the Cartesian reasoning which proceeds by eliminating misconceptions and following thesingle true idea. In the West Indies culture, it is the rhizome that is the best symbol to describe the identity of these peoples. The rhizome as explained by Deleuze and Gattari in their Introduction Rhizome of the book A thousand plateaus, is a tuber that makes roots after being cut off from its original plant. In this respect, it is most appropriate to describe the people of the Caribbean who have been cut off from their African roots by slavery but who have thrived on the island, re-establishing links with the different peoples who came to work there. The rhizome is similar to the mangrove that protects the island from marine erosion, it intertwines with other plants so that it is impossible to distinguish the source plant. In this respect, it is the best symbol to describe the creole identity and the refusal of the West Indians to return to a racial and social system that promulgated the white race as superior to the black race during colonialism. The structure of the books of Maryse Condé is itself rhizomatic since it does not present the theme of its stories through the view point of an omnipotent author but through the view points of all the characters of the novel who by their discussions letthe reader discover their terrible history of slavery, and transform himinto a new man who would seek diversity. 

KEYWORDS

identity, rhizome, mangrove, slavery, creolity, de-territorialization, re-territorialization

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