Cloud 9 explores the theme of race mostly in Act 1, which focuses on a white British family living in colonial Africa. As you can probably imagine, there is a little bit of racial tension between the colonial British and the Africans who would like to see them get the heck out of Dodge.
Race becomes especially important for the character of Joshua, a black servant boy who claims to love and admire his employer, Clive. But beneath the surface, Churchill shows that there's a whole lot of racial hatred brewing. Oh yeah, and don't forget that Joshua is played by a white actor.
Questions About Race
- Do you believe that Joshua truly hates his tribe and loves Clive? Use specific evidence from the text to support your answer.
- What broader connections does Churchill draw between gender and racism when Clive says he's a "father " to the black Africans? Be as specific as possible in your answer.
- What is Churchill suggesting with the parallel she draws between the English colonization in Africa in Act 1 and the English presence in Ireland in Act 2?
- How does Joshua respond to the death of his parents at the hands of the English? What does it suggest about his true feelings?
Chew on This
In Cloud 9, Churchill suggests that racism and sexism are basically the same thing: an attempt by white men to make everyone else inferior to them.
Joshua's story in Cloud 9 shows us that ultimately, there's no way for one race to ever enslave another. There will always be resentment, and sooner or later, a project like colonialism will collapse.