Literature and Theology Advance Access originally published online on December 25, 2008
Literature and Theology 2009 23(1):69-83; doi:10.1093/litthe/frn051
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Jonestown in Literature: Caribbean Reflections on a Tragedy*
Department of Religious Studies, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182-6062, USA
remoore{at}mail.sdsu.edu
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Abstract |
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This article examines how several Caribbean writers are using the mass deaths in Jonestown, Guyana in 1978 as elements of their works. Utilising Mikhail Bakhtin's concepts of centripetal and centrifugal forces, and the push-pull dynamic between monologue and dialogue, the article compares Caribbean visions with the central narrative about Jonestown that currently exists. Official accounts about Jonestown focus on the charismatic leader, Jim Jones, and the bizarre nature of the deaths. Caribbean literary representations of Peoples Temple and Jonestown, however, focus on the effects of colonialism, and thus exert a centrifugal influence on monologic discourse about Jonestown. The article concludes that the multiplicity of representations approaches Bakhtin's idea of carnival, in which diverse viewpoints are celebrated outside of mainstream channels.