Throughout the course this semester, there have been many reoccurring themes that are present in all of the works that have been covered. In particular, once thing that stuck out to me was the relationships between foreigners and Americans that seems to be ever-present when dealing with colonial literature. This is best exemplified in Our Heroine and Fo Dolla. In addition, I also used the movie “South Pacific” as a reference as it is a movie of the two stories combined. American men and women who went to Pacific Islands, whether married, engaged, single, or dating pursued relations with foreign islanders and natives. The backgrounds of the Americans, Nellie Forbush and Lt. Joseph Cable form a basis to the reactions and decisions regarding their foreign companions. Both of these texts prove that many American/Foreigner relation conflicts are rooted in preconceived racism and prejudices.
In Fo Dolla, an American Marine lieutenant, Joseph Cable, was stationed on a Pacific Island. He had a girl back home whom he planned to marry. While he was on the island, majority of the men had very little interaction with younger women because of past experiences with Americans. “The French, with Gallic foresight and knowledge in these things, had housed on this haven of the seas all young women from the islands. Every girl, no matter how ugly or what her color, who might normally be raped by Americans was hidden on Bali-ha’i.” (Michener 117) This quote illustrates the length to which the islanders went to protect the Chinese, Tonkinese and French women and suggests the severity of the issue of sexual relations among foreign women and Americans.
The lack of women caused the American men to desire relationships and any type of emotionally-stimulating interaction. “It was sometimes terrifying to me to see the mental hunger that men experienced for companionship in the islands.” (Michener 114) However, Lt. Cable was luckily introduced to Liat by Liat’s mother, Bloody Mary, and fell in love with her.
He and Liat were experiencing a passion that few couples on this earth are privileged to share. Could it have been indefinitely prolonged, it is probable that their love for one another would have sustained them, regardless of their color, throughout an entire lifetime. This is not certain, however, for Cable and Liat knew out of the impossibilities that surrounded them. (Michener 140)
Although Lt. Cable loves Liat, he won’t marry her. After taking Liat to a dinner with French women, it says “He wondered if his silly action in taking Liat to the dinner would be reported on his island. It could be embarrassing if it were.” (Michener 133) His fellow officers made rude and demeaning comments about the native women. One of his fellow officers said, “What I don’t get is how traders out here and planters can marry these women. Or even live with them? My God, I wouldn’t even touch that dame with a ten-foot pole.” (Michener 126) Cable claims he would never sleep with a native girl, but the older officers said they would. The tone in which the officer addresses the women allows for the opinion of other men on the island to be represented, and also adds to the preconceived ideas with which the Americans viewed the natives.
Despite all of the racist and prejudice comments towards the native women, Cable continues to pursue Liat and visit her secretly on the island. When Liat is about to marry a distasteful plantation owner, Lt. Cable won’t marry her because “he can’t”. The “can’t” comes from the racial divide of the Americans and the natives. It comes from the deep-rooted ideas and opinions regarding natives that are planted in his mind. Despite his true and deep feelings for her, he can’t overcome the stigma and backlash he would receive from being with a native woman and having mixed children. Below is a photograph of Bloody Mary, Liat, and Lt. Cable. Bloody Mary is the sole reason Lt. Cable was given the opportunity to meet Liat, Bloody Mary’s daughter.
Fig. 1. Bloody Mary, Liat and Lieutenant Cable. “A Dame Good Musical.”
In the story, Our Heroine, a relationship between an American and Pacific islander unfolds once again. Nellie Forbush is a nurse in the New Hebrides from Little Rock, Arkansas. In the story, Nellie Forbush’s behavior represents racism, discrimination and judgement. Nellie fell for a plantation owner, Emile De Becque, and she decides to marry and live her life with him on the island. However, when Nellie becomes aware that the plantation owner has daughters from different types of women who were Javanese, Tonkinese and Polynesian, she becomes racist and judgmental towards Emile. She referred to his daughters as “ni**ers” and judged Emile for having lived with a “ni**er”.
Nellie’s reaction to Emile’s mixed daughters was a result of the seed that was planted in her mind long ago by her American culture and is clearly represented when the book states, “To Nellie’s tutored mind any person living or dead who was not white or yellow was a ni**er. And beyond that no words could go. Her entire Arkansas upbringing made it impossible for her to deny the teachings of her youth.” (Michener 125) Although Nellie was infatuated with the idea of Emile De Becque when she first met him, the fact that he had mixed children allowed her true colors to show. Even though he was a wealthy, smart man she had always dreamed of meeting, her racism destroys the initial feelings she had for Emile.
In the movie, “South Pacific,” both of these stories are tied together. Cable and Nellie are Americans who decide to end their “frowned upon” relationships with their love interests. They have similar situations and agree that they both need to return to their homes in America, and that these circumstances are just because they are too far away from home. In the movie, the racial prejudices are shown once again when Nellie tells Emile she can’t marry him because he was married to a Polynesian woman. Nellie’s mother dismissed the idea completely and scolded Nellie for thinking a girl from Arkansas could ever do such a thing. Cable aids in trying to further explain the reasoning behind her decision, and Cable tells Emile, “The feeling Nellie is experiencing was not born in her, that instead, they have been taught to hate.” This is symbolic of how Americans are raised and taught to believe certain ideas regarding other races. This movie also has many songs that are symbolic and brought to light a lot the of racial problems and other difficult issues faced by the islanders, specifically “You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught.” This song explains how Americans were always taught to believe certain ideas regarding races and how prejudice and racism was instilled in them all of their lives.
Fig. 2. Emile, Nellie, and his children. “South Pacific | Stages St. Louis.”
Fo Dolla, Our Heroine and “South Pacific” distinctly illustrate the complicatedness of American relationships with Pacific Islanders. Racism remains a very strong and negative factor by hindering the forming of relationships between Americans and natives. Racial slurs were used repeatedly in the stories when speaking about the natives, such as, “yellowface” and “ni**er.” No matter the feelings and affections Lt. Cable and Nellie felt, their preconceived ideas and opinions toward natives were shown with clarity by their reactions and racist comments towards their lovers. These ideas that have long been nurtured by Americans restricted their true feelings from flourishing and happiness. The reoccurring theme of longing for companionship while on the islands is also supported by both Lt. Cable’s and Nellie’s behavior. Although they knew they would not stay on the island and had a significant other back home, they pursued love their interests anyway and led their companions on. Even after hearing negative and discouraging comments regarding Liat and Emile, the feelings in their hearts were still true and evidently shown. The only thing holding them back was the shame and dishonor they would face by being with Liat and Emile. These stories show the difficulties, reasons and stigmas Americans and Pacific Islanders face regarding romantic relations between one another. They also, most importantly, recognize the severity of racism faced by the natives in the Pacific Islands.