Characterization of Birdie Brown

The main character of the story “Home Is Not Here” is Birdie Brown, an elderly Jamaican woman currently living in the United Kingdom. Birdie came to the UK with her parents when she was very young and is now at risk of being deported back to Jamaica. Birdie’s situation is presented in detail, through her interview with the immigration officer and the memories she has of arriving in the UK when she was very young. She has a daughter, Carmen, and grandchildren that live in the UK. 

At the beginning of the story, Birdie is nervous about the meeting with the immigration officer and the possibility of being forced to leave the country that is now her home. This, in part, shows that Birdie considers England her home and does not feel connected to her birth country anymore. Birdie’s interactions with the immigration officer also show that she is frustrated by the long wait and by the fact that her right to stay in the country is ...