Joseph Zobel facts for kids

Joseph Zobel (born April 26, 1915 – died June 18, 2006) was a famous writer from Martinique. He wrote many novels and short stories. His books often focused on important social issues. His most well-known novel is La Rue Cases-Nègres. This book was later made into a movie called Sugar Cane Alley in 1983 by Euzhan Palcy.

Joseph Zobel's Life Story

Early Life and Inspirations

Joseph Zobel was born in Martinique, an island in the Caribbean. He grew up with the strong support of his grandmother and mother. His mother, Delia, worked as a nanny for a wealthy family in Fort-de-France. This was the capital city of Martinique.

Young Zobel was a very bright student. He earned a scholarship that helped him finish high school. After school, he hoped to study architecture in Paris, France. But he did not have enough money or another scholarship to go.

Instead, he got his first job with the Corps of Bridges, Waters and Forests. This job made him move to the southern coast of Martinique. He lived in towns like Diamant and Saint-Esprit. Here, he met many local fishermen. He learned a lot about their lives. These experiences later inspired his famous novel, La Rue Cases-Nègres. Even though he loved the coast, he never forgot his roots from the countryside of Martinique.

During World War II, it was hard to travel. A blockade stopped people from leaving Martinique. Zobel worked as a teacher and then a school master. He taught at Lycée Victor-Schœlcher in Fort-de-France. During this time, he started writing short stories. His friends read them and liked them. One friend showed his stories to a newspaper called Le Sportif. The newspaper published them, and they became very popular. People in Martinique loved Zobel's stories. They showed the island's life and people accurately.

Aimé Césaire, another important writer, taught at the same high school. He liked Zobel's writing. Césaire encouraged Zobel to write a novel. Zobel was inspired by his time with the fishermen in Diamant. He wrote Diab’-là in 1942. This story was about a farmer who wanted to be free. He worked his own land near a fishing village. The government at the time delayed the book's publication. It was finally published in 1947.

Moving to France and Writing Career

In 1946, Zobel went to Paris to continue his studies. He took classes in literature and drama at the Sorbonne. He also became an assistant professor at a school in Fontainebleau.

Zobel settled in Fontainebleau with his wife and three children. The 1950s were a very busy time for his writing. He published many novels, like Les Jours Immobiles and La Fête à Paris. He also wrote many poems. He read his poems at festivals in France, Switzerland, and Italy.

In 1950, Zobel published one of his most important books, La Rue Cases-Nègres. This story was greatly influenced by his childhood in Martinique. It tells the story of a young boy and his wise grandmother. It gives a rare look into the lives of the Black community in the West Indies at that time. At first, a publisher refused the book because of its Creole-inspired language. But Alioune Diop published it. The book became famous in France and Africa.

Time in Africa

In 1957, Zobel wanted to learn about Africa. He used his connections with Senegalese friends in Paris. He was hired as a college director in Ziguinchor, Senegal. This school is now called Lycée Djignabo.

After a few years, he worked in Dakar, Senegal. He became a producer for Radio of Senegal. He created educational and cultural programs. People across French-speaking West Africa listened to his shows. Some of his experiences in Dakar are in his short story collections. These include Mas Badara (1983) and Et si la mer n’était pas bleue (1982).

Retirement and Later Books

Zobel retired in 1974. He moved to a small village in France called Générargues. He kept writing and even rewrote some of his novels. For example, Les Jours Immobiles became Les Mains pleines d’oiseaux. La Fête à Paris became Quand la neige aura fondu.

In 1995, Zobel published D’Amour et de Silence. This was an art book with watercolors and new poems. It also had parts from his personal journal.

His last books came out in 2002. Gertal et autres nouvelles combined new writings with parts of his journal. He kept this journal from 1946 to 2002. He also published Le Soleil m’a dit, which was a collection of all his poems.

Joseph Zobel's Works

His most famous novel is La Rue Cases-Nègres. It was published in Paris in 1950. The book tells the story of a young boy. He is raised by his grandmother in Martinique. This was after slavery ended, but plantations still existed. The novel shows the struggles of poor sugar cane workers. It also highlights the strong will of a loving grandmother. She works hard to send the main character to school. The book also describes life in a colonial society.

Zobel said his novel was like Richard Wright's Black Boy. Both books tell a story that is partly about the author's own life.

The novel La Rue Cases-Nègres was made into a movie. Euzhan Palcy directed Sugar Cane Alley in 1983.

While La Rue Cases-Nègres is his most famous work, Zobel started writing earlier. In 1942, during World War II, he wrote Diab-la. This novel was about social issues. It was similar to Jacques Roumain's Masters of the Dew. In Diab-la, Zobel tells the powerful story of a sugar cane worker. He frees himself from unfair labor. He does this by creating a garden in a fishing village in Southern Martinique.

After leaving Martinique in 1946, Zobel studied in Paris. He then moved to Senegal in 1957. He wrote some short stories. He also had a big impact on the culture of French-speaking West Africa. He worked as a producer for public radio.

Joseph Zobel was also a talented poet and sculptor. He retired to a small village in southern France in 1974. He passed away in Alès in 2006.