Small Island: Chapter 27: Queenie Summary & Analysis

Queenie works long shifts at the rest center, assisting the “population,” which is the official term for the bedraggled and shell-shocked families seeking assistance after losing their homes. Queenie’s task is to record where they once lived and give them the appropriate forms to fill out. Sometimes, the victims are so confused that it’s impossible for them to absorb her information.

Seeing how sleep-deprived she is, Bernard tells Queenie the job is too much for her; but she finds the work invigorating, and even takes to sleeping at the rest center instead of coming home at night. Occasionally, Bernard walks by the rest center just to check that she’s alive.

Still, Queenie sometimes feels demoralized by her limited ability to provide help. Often, the rest center runs out of food or clothing and can’t provide victims anything more than a cup of tea. One day, she has to tell an old woman that she can’t receive compensation for her lost furniture because she’s waited too long to submit a claim. Desperately wanting to do something, Queenie gives her some of the unused furniture in her own house. When Bernard confronts her, she furiously turns on him and shouts that “there’s thousands of people having much more of a war than you are.” Afterwards, she regrets the harshness of her words.

When Queenie delivers the furniture, the old woman is profoundly grateful. However, as she leaves the house, a well-dressed woman asks if she’s “responsible” for moving poor people into the neighborhood, and yells after her that she’s going to have them removed.