Intention

Presenting the complexities of national identity

One of Andrea Levy’s intentions in the article “This is my England” is to present the complexities of national identity and to prove that she has the right to identify herself as English.

Firstly, Levy uses her personal story, and the story of her parents, to show that she has reasons to identify herself as English. Throughout the article, Levy stresses her connection with English culture, mentioning her background and education and the education of her parents in Jamaica. By adding her connection to Jamaican culture, and her wish to accept elements of both, Levy shows that the idea of national identity can sometimes be a complex one, especially for people of mixed heritage. This is also linked to her second intention, that of pleading for a multicultural society.

Levy also uses an anecdote where a white New Zealander thinks that he looks more English than Levy, despite the fact that Levy has lived in England all her life. Through this example, Levy points to t...