Although Caribbean (English) writers hold differing views on the effectiveness of making connections in an area of so much diversity, Caribbean literature can be connected to the English curriculum to promote diversity and understanding. V. S. Naipaul, Nobel Prize winning author from the region, presents a pessimistic view of Caribbean society in his novel "Guerrillas." Several Caribbean authors present the educational system as a force for disconnection, a colonial legacy that alienates people from their families and their islands. Caribbean writers speak directly to students from marginalized populations who find themselves pressured to adopt values at odds with those of home and community. Several women authors of the Caribbean see in the diversity of the region an opportunity for connection. One contribution of African women to issues of identity and connection in the Caribbean is the "obeah" woman who can curse and undo curses, the healer who can transform society. Caribbean women writers lay claim to this powerful woman and they present characters who hold society together, who heal the hurts, who embrace the known and unknown, the similar and the different. (RS)