There are men in this world, they do nothing at all, and you feel that they would starve, but day after day you meet them and they seem to be in good health, they laugh and talk like they have a million dollars, and in truth, it seems like they would not only live longer than you, but they would be happier. Cap was a man like that. – 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 Should Not Be Banned”? Get the 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. work request. The prospect of a possible better life has filled many people's aspirations with romantic expectations. Once they arrive there, they are confronted with a particular reality. The book shows how these migrants try to succeed in London among many others and the silent British prejudices: "when you go to a hotel or a restaurant, they will politely tell you to carry - or else call you a cold” (21), Moses speaks of it. Each character embodies certain traits of the migrant community that the author, Sam Selvon, tries to convey to the reader. Captain is the only black African in the group of West Indian migrants, the “boys” represented in the novel. He is depicted in the story, making people believe in him with his angelic smile. How he integrates into the group throughout the plot and how this assimilation occurs are two points that hold 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 in relation 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 employment. Inserted in such a historical context, we can consider Cape confronted with a double process of assimilation: one into white British society, the other into the black West Indian group. Local prejudices stemming from white perception tend to view all black migrants as Caribbean. Cap is someone who contrasts with the West Indians and emphasizes their distinctive characteristics. As a foil, he embodies an alternative way of considering the black characters in the plot. One of the characteristics that sets Cap apart from the group is his way of speaking, which initially is not Caribbean speech. When Cap arrives in London, the narrator states that "at this stage of his acquaintance with the boys he forgets proper English and one would often mistake him for a West Indian, he is so excited" (35). The passage shows how Cap fits into the group of boys and also how much he enjoys being part of it. He seems to assimilate not only the language but also the common habits of West Indian boys, habits that he sees them practicing and repeating throughout the time he spends 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 young West Indians do” (43). The fact that Cap does not have the same origin as the other boys excludes him from the common group of “old talkers”. He has no nostalgic feeling; or at least he doesn't share it with others. The narrator describes him as a happy person in general, as shown in the first passage on page 31. Thanks to his docile look, Cap manages to fool many people to get what he wants. Heconvinces most of his friends to lend him money. He fools even those least likely to be fooled, like Bart, another member of the group. Although Bart is known for his greed and never lends anyone money, Cap is the only person who persuades him to lend him money. At the beginning, at the inn where he meets Moses, we are told that "Cap looks so innocent that the employee starts calling him 'sir' and rushes to find him a room. No cheap room, one of the best […]” (33). Another example of Cap's deceptive nature is shown with Moses, who is considered the most experienced of the boys. He is the one who knows them all very well, because at the end of the book the reader is offered as a possible interpretation the prospect of him being the narrator. Despite this, Cap also benefits from Moses' generosity. “One mighty winter, Cap was shivering with cold and the sight touched the heart of Moses. He lends Cap a camel hair coat. When spring comes, Moses searches everywhere for Cap to recover the coat. But he doesn’t see Cap anywhere” (38). The sexuality of the male characters in the book is a notable aspect. Cap has the most connections. His charming and persuasive traits also work with women of various nationalities, as the narrator explains: "One thing with Cap, he likes women too much" (33). Despite all his laziness and repetition of his deceptions, he still manages to seduce many women. They are fascinated by Cap and believe everything he says. No matter how fantastic his stories are. Interestingly, although he is a womanizer, he is the only one in the book to have a long-term relationship – actually two – and even get married. While everyone else is trying to succeed, Cap just doesn't worry about life in the same way. others do. Moses is driven by a melancholic feeling considering his past years and what he did with his life during that time. After living there for years, Cap has the same material things as Moses, the pioneer boy. They have nothing, but Cap seems more emotionally fulfilled. Perhaps his behavior is the product of a different way of thinking, or at least the fact that he doesn't spend a lot of time thinking about his problems, like Moses does. This seems to contribute to Moses' moment of reflection at the end of the book. “Even though he very often goes through hard times,” [and] 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 their integration into society. People on the outside wonder how they can show a little happiness, dance and sing their calypso, or just say to “chill out” in the most difficult times. The reader can feel a deep sense of pathos for Cap, the same that Moses displays towards him. He may also be deceived by Cap, "but Moses still has compassion on him." (39). We see in a different way how prejudice works. People are convinced to trust Cap by his trustworthy appearance, then they realize they are being tricked. Selvon uses a light-hearted way of writing about issues like racism and the feelings of uprootedness experienced by the characters. Doses of humor are recurrent in the anecdotes involving the boys, as well as in their “old discussions”. They act as a softener for their harsh daily routine. As an example, we have the Cap episode in which he meets a woman who greets the boys with a “Good evening”. Motivated by Moses, he goes out with her and discovers by putting out