There are some men in this world, they do nothing at all, and you have the feeling that they would starve, but day after day you meet them and they look healthy, they laugh and talk as if they had a million dollars, and indeed it seems that they would not only live longer than you but die happier. Cap was such a man. – Sam Selvon, The Lonely Londoners (London: Penguin Books, 2006) (page 31) Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The Lonely Londoners was published in 1956 during a period of intense mass migration from the British colonies to England due to the post-war situation and its aftermath. job application. The prospect of a possible better life has filled the aspirations of many people with romantic expectations. Once they get there, they face a peculiar reality. The book shows how these migrants try to succeed in London among many others and the silent British prejudice: “when you go to the hotel or restaurant they will politely tell you to drag – or they treat you coldly” (21), Moses talks about this. Each character embodies some characteristics of the migrant community that the author, Sam Selvon, tries to convey to the reader. The Captain is the only black African in the group of West Indian migrants, the “boys” portrayed in the novel. He is depicted in the story as making people believe in him with his angelic smile. How he integrates into the group over the course of the plot and how this assimilation occurs are two points that draw attention to Cap as a character. The first point that makes Cap a singular character among all the others, besides his origin and the fact that he comes to study, is the specific way in which he is represented by the narrator compared to the other boys. In the epigraph, Cap's description shows his aversion to work, while the others struggle to settle in London and try to find regular work. Placed in such a historical context, we can consider Cap grappling with a double process of assimilation: one into the white British society, and another into the black group of the West Indies. Local prejudice arising from white perceptions is inclined to label all black migrants as Caribbean. Cap serves as someone who contrasts himself with the West Indians and highlights their distinctive characteristics. On the other hand, it embodies an alternative way of considering the black characters in the plot. One of the characteristics that differentiate Cap from the group is his way of speaking, which initially is not the Caribbean language. When Cap arrives in London, the narrator states that "[at] this stage of his acquaintance with the boys he forgets proper English and many times you would mistake him for a West Indian, he becomes so angry" (35). The song shows how Cap integrates into the group of boys and also how he enjoys being part of it. He seems to assimilate not only the language but also the common habits of Antillean boys, habits that he sees them practice and repeat due to the time spent with them: “'I'll give it back to you tomorrow,' says Cap, making the sign of the cross with his index fingers and kissing him, as he sees West Indian boys do” (43). The fact that Cap does not have the same origin as the other boys excludes him from the "old talk" common to the group. It doesn't have a nostalgic feeling; or at least he doesn't share it with others. The narrator describes him as a generally happy person, as can be seen from the opening passage from page 31. With his docile look, Cap manages to deceive many people in order to get what he wants. He convinces most of his friends to lend him money. Deceives even those least likely to be deceived, like Bart,another member of the group. Although Bart is known for his greed and never lends money to anyone, Cap is the only person who convinces him to lend him money. Early on, at the hostel where he meets Moses, we are told that “Cap's face is so innocent that the clerk starts calling him 'sir' and rushes to get him a room. No cheap room, one of the best […]” (33). Another example of Cap's deceptive trait is shown with Moses, who is seen as the most knowledgeable of the boys. He is the one who knows them all very well, since at the end of the book the reader is given as a possible interpretation the perspective of him in the role of the narrator. Despite this, Cap also takes advantage of Moses' generosity. “A mighty winter cap trembled with cold, and the sight touched Moses' heart. He lent Cap a camel hair coat. When spring arrives, Moses looks for Cap to get his coat back. But he can't see Cap anywhere” (38). The sexuality of the male characters in the book is a noteworthy aspect. Cap is the one who has the most relationships. His charming and persuasive traits also work with women of different nationalities, as the narrator explains: "One thing with Cap, he loves women too much" (33). Despite all his laziness and repetition of his deceptions, he still manages to seduce many women. They are enchanted by Cap and believe everything he says. It doesn't matter how great his stories are. Interestingly, despite being a womanizer, he is the only one in the book who has a long-term relationship - actually two - and even gets married. While everyone else tries to succeed, Cap simply doesn't care about life the same way others try to succeed. others do. Moses is driven by a melancholic feeling considering his past years and what he has done with his life during this time. After living there for years, Cap has the same things, materially speaking, as Moses, the boys' pioneer. They have nothing, but Cap seems to be more emotionally satisfied. Perhaps his behavior is the product of thinking differently, or at least not spending as much time thinking about his problems as Moses does. This seems to contribute to Moses' reflective moment at the end of the book. "Though he goes through hard times very often, "[yet] day after day Cap is still alive, defying all logic, reason and convention, living without working, smoking the best cigarettes, never without women." (45)Through Cap, the reader is exposed to the struggles of the black migrant community and its integration into society. Outside people wonder how it is possible to show a little happiness, dance and sing their calypso, or simply say to "take it easy" in the most difficult moments. difficult. The reader may feel a deep feeling of pathos for Cap, Moses himself demonstrates towards him. He may even be deceived by Cap, "[but] nevertheless Moses has compassion for him (39). prejudice works. People are convinced to trust Cap guided by his trustworthy appearance, then they realize that they have been deceived. Selvan uses a light-hearted way of writing about issues such as racism and the sense of uprootedness experienced by the characters. Doses of humor recur in the anecdotes involving the boys, as well as in their "old chatter". They work as emollients for their harsh daily routine. For example we have the episode of Cap in which he meets a woman who greets the boys with a "Bon soir". Motivated by Moses, he goes out with her and discovers when he turns off the lights “that this 'Bon soir' woman was really a test [man] who dressed as a woman and patrolled the area” (40) . Cap's final story also exemplifies this use of humor to portray a tense moment. When