The belt

"The Belt" by Wallace West is an early to mid-20th century science fiction novel that takes place on the Caribbean island of New Patmos, where the story is centered around the themes of social experimentation and the repercussions of dehumanizing labor. The narrative highlights Jonathan Robertson, who comes home to inherit his father's possessions and becomes aware of the awful reality: the descendants of convicts have been reduced to robotic automatons working in a plant. As Jonathan comes to terms with his ancestors' history of oppression, he makes an attempt to free the workers and reignite their sense of humanity. His attempts to bring about change, however, are met with opposition, and he comes to the realization that this generation of people has become so accustomed to their servitude that they are unable to comprehend freedom. Jonathan's attempts to bring about change have disastrous repercussions, including the death of a young worker. Jonathan is ultimately forced to come to terms with the full degree of the curse that has taken hold of the island as a result of this tragedy.