Berry - Literature Notes

SUMMARY
Berry is about a young black man called Millberry Jones who is employed at Dr. Renfield's Home for Crippled
Children. He was reluctantly employed by Mrs. Osborn, the housekeeper, because the Scandinavian kitchen boy
had left without notice, leaving her no choice in hiring Berry. Her reluctance to hire Berry stemmed from his
race, which initiated questions such as where he would sleep, as well as how the other employees would react to
the presence of a Negro. She had a meeting with Dr. Renfield and they decided to hire Millberry on a reduced
salary. He was overworked and underpaid, but took solace in the children whom he loved. An unfortunate
incident occurred, however, where a child fell from his wheel chair while in the care of Berry. The result was
that Berry was fired and given no salary for the week that he had worked.
SETTING

Dr. Renfiled's Home for Crippled Children

New Jersey coast

CHARACTERS
Millbury Jones (Berry)

A Black male, approximately 20 years old.

Described as good natured and strong.

Poor and uneducated.

Very observant and intuitive about people and places.

Very good with children due to his gentleness.

Mrs. Osborn

The housekeeper at the children's home.

Rumoured to be in love with Dr. Renfield.

Very high handed with her staff, but docile with Dr. Renfield.

Displays racist characteristics in subtle forms.

Dr. Renfield

Rumoured to have romantic affairs with his female staff.

Berry observes that the Home is 'Doc Renfield's own private gyp game' (Hughes, p. 162), meaning that
he runs his establishment for his own profit, instead of a desire to take genuine care of the children.

He is blatantly racist.

THEMES
Racism
This theme is apparent when Berry was being considered for employment at the Home. Mrs. Osborn was
concerned about where Berry would sleep, implying that he could not sleep with the white servants because he
was considered to be beneath them. His salary was also cut due to his race, and he was overworked, with no
discussions of days off, 'everybody was imposing on him in that taken-for-granted way white folks do with
Negro help.' (Hughes, 162). Even more importantly, when the unfortunate accident occurred with the child,
there was no attempt at discerning what led to the incident, but blame was laid on the obvious person - Berry.
As a result, he was relieved of his job in a hail of racist slurs.

Blackout - Literature Notes

SUMMARY
This short story is about a white American woman's encounter with a black man on the street of an unnamed
island in the Caribbean. The story opens with the young lady waiting at a bus stop on the night of a blackout.
She encounters a young man who approaches her and politely asks for a light (for his cigarette). She explains
that she does not have a light, but he points out that she is smoking a cigarette. She grudgingly acquiesces to
give him a light from her cigarette. She holds her arm out for him to take her cigarette and light his, but instead,
as is the case with many smokers, he bends over the offered arm and lights his cigarette. He looks up to thank
her and realizes that she has discarded her cigarette. An ongoing internal monologue occurs, where it is revealed
that the white woman is racist. The black male proceeds to educate her on the differences in race relations in the
Caribbean versus America. The situation remains unresolved as the woman boards the bus and goes on her way
and the man remains at the bus stop, where he picks her half smoked cigarette out of the gutter.
SETTING

An unnamed island in the Caribbean.

The story occurred around the time of World War II.

CHARACTERS
American Woman (White)

Took pride in the fact that she was an American young woman who did not scare easily.

Considered herself to be superior to the young man.

Caribbean Man (Black)

Had a sense of pride about being black.

Did not consider himself to be inferior to the American woman.

THEME
Racism
This is a strong theme in this short story. The simple act of asking for a light becomes a tension filled moment in
time where two individual's honestly confront each other about their beliefs. The fact that the woman feels that
she is superior to the man, based on race, is highlighted when she expresses the following views:
1. 'She could snub him quietly, the way she should have properly done from the start" (Mais, p.10)
2. 'In America they lynched them for less than that' (Mais, p.10)
3. 'Do you really think that all men are created equal?' (Mais p.10)
The young man's reaction to her rejection of him is to be quietly contemptuous, a reaction that she categorizes
as insolence, proving that she believes herself to be superior to him. Her reaction implies that he should be
accepting of whatever she 'dishes out' to him. She boards her bus, shaken, but still holding on to her beliefs, as
seen in her refusal to take a last look at him. However, the young black males show of strength is, ironically,
lessened by the fact that he picks her cigarette out of the gutter.

Emma - Literature Notes

SUMMARY
This short story is told from the first person perspective of a little girl called Dorian York. The focus of her
thoughts is her mother; the games that they play together, and the games that she plays with her friend, that
revolve around her mother. The first person perspective of the narrative gives the reader an intimate view of
how the little girl sees her mother, as well as how she feels about her. We are also able to garner information
about the people around her from her innocent narrative, innocent because the little girl does not understand
many of the things that she reports. The audience learns that Emma and Mr. York have a volatile relationship
that is seemingly caused by his infidelity. This infidelity is initially implied by Emmas constant watching of the
clock and waiting for her husband to return home, as well as the fight that Dorian reported. Grandfathers visit,
however, brings a happy atmosphere to the family unit because daddy starts to do things with the family, hence
they seem more like a conventional happy family. The audience is given the impression that things go back to
normal after grandfather leaves, however, due to the spectral presence of the lady at the train station, as well as
Mrs. Robinsons pointed discussion about Mr. Yorks status as a player. The narrative climaxes with the death
of Emma at the train station. She saw her husband with the mysterious lady and runs away, followed closely by
Dorian and Jack. Unfortunately, when Jack caught her by the arm, she ran into the path of an oncoming vehicle
and was killed. Jack and Mrs. Robinson then get romantically involved, and they send both Maria and Dorian to
St. Agnus, a boarding school, in the country.
SETTING

The story occurs in three places; the York residence, an unnamed mall and the old train station.

The mood of the story fluctuates from happiness to sadness.

CHARACTERS
Jack York (Daddy)

He is Dorans father and Emmas husband.

He is characterized as a player by Mrs. Robinson.

He is not faithful to his wife.

He was not ready for the arrival of his daughter, Dorian, and does not seem to have a close relationship
with her.

Emma York

She is Dorians mother and Jacks wife.

She is a good mother who plays with her child and treats her well.

She is a good wife who loves her husband (as seen in how she greets him when he gets home) and is
considerate of his feelings; as seen in her reasons for not having another baby.

She is a very smart and polished lady who can handle herself with people who are coy and critical of
her; as seen in her argument with Mrs. Robinson in the mall.

Dorian York

A very innocent little girl who is the first person narrator of the story.

She is younger than her friend Maria, who is nine (9) years old.

She adores her mother and her grandfather.

She is often puzzled by the content of adult discussion.

Grandaddy

Emmas father.

Brought joy into the family because daddy stayed home, came home early, and spent quality time with
the family, due to grandaddy's implied interference.

Loved her grandfather because he seemed to do what her dad didnt spent time with her and her first
person perspective of him reflected her love.

Ruby Robinson

She is Emmas friend and Marias mother.

She is not a good friend to Emma because she is both critical and jealous of her.

She gets romantically involved with Jack after Emma dies.

Shes very impatient with both girls.

She sends Maria and Dorian to boarding school in order to enact her plan to keep the player.

Maria Robinson

She is the nine (9) year old daughter of Ruby Robinson.

She is Dorians playmate.

She filters and explains a lot of the adult conversations that Dorian does not understand.

THEMES
Innocence
This theme is epitomized by Dorian York. The story is told from her perspective, therefore, the reader gets a
firsthand view of the innocence behind her misunderstanding of adult conversation and situations. She senses
emotions, but misses a lot of the innuendo, as is seen when she tells the audience about the fight that her parents
had. Her innocence is also seen in her expectation that her mother would come home after the accident, but
instead, she finds Mrs. Robinson in her mot hers bed. Her growth, or advancement into maturity, is highlighted
in the end of the short story when Dorian reassures Maria that everything will be ok, they will play adult games
better.
Love and family relationship
There are two types of families in this short story, the nuclear family and the single family unit. Dorians family
is the nuclear family, consisting of mother, father and child. This family is a troubled one because the father is
seemingly more absent than present due to an implied other woman, who is later confirmed as very real. He
also seems uncomfortable around his only child, as is confirmed by Emma, who decides to forgoe having
another child because Jack wasnt ready for Dori (Cole, p.53). Emma, on the other hand, seems to live to
please both her child and husband. She is very affectionate with Dorian, and this love is returned ten fold, as
seen in the adoration that imbues the tone of the narrator. She is the same with her husband, but the reception is
less enthusiastic. It would be unfair to say that the family is dysfunctional, because one parent is at least
invested in the emotional happiness of the child, but the family has issues because the head of the households
concentration lies elsewhere.

Mrs. Robinson is a single mother, parenting her only child; Maria. She does not appear to be particularly liked
by both girls because no-one wants to play at being her. She aggravates her child constantly and appears to be
unhappy with her life. This family structure can be seen as dysfunctional because the parent does not seem to
devote her energies toward making her child feel loved and comfortable, which is one of the primary aims of
any family structure.
Friendship
There are two contrasting friendships in this short story. There is the friendship between Dorian and Maria,
which is characterized by play, conversations and support of each other. Then there is the friendship between the
adults, Emma and Mrs. Robinson, which is contrastingly characterized by cattiness and jealousy; mostly on
Mrs. Robinsons part.
MOTIF
Play
The motif of play appears to be a strong one in this short story, perhaps due to the fact that the narrator is a
young child. The children play at being adults, immitating and fighting over their favourite adult. They
also literally see the life of adults as play. Dorian confirms this at the end of the story when she reassures Maria
that I learned a lot about this game. When its our turn to play, well play smarter. (Cole, p.58).
SYMBOL
Deck of cards
The deck of cards that Emma carries around in her purse is a powerful symbol for life. In any card game that is
being played, every-one has a chance at success, or failure, depending on how they play the game. Mrs.
Robinson gives Emma an alternate way to play the game of life, with success being the joy of keeping her
player husband. Emma, however, chooses to play the game in an another way, one in which she attempts to
satisfy the needs of both Dorian and Jack. Emma is the loser in the game, however, because she dies with the
joker in her hand. This signifies that her future could have gone in any direction because the joker introduces
the element of chance to the game; it can be a bonus, a penalty, or both, depending on how it is used in the
game. In the game of life, Emma lost because she chose to take a chance with pleasing both members of her
family, instead of concentrating soley on her husband, as Mrs. Robinson suggested. The game of life gives
every-one chances however, just like a card game, and Mrs. Robinson was given a chance to bag her rich man
with Emmas exit from the game.

Mom Luby and the Social Worker - Literature Notes

SUMMARY
This short story is about an elderly woman, fondly called Mom Luby, who fosters two small children. The story
opens with her visit to the Social Welfare office, in order to obtain monetary assistance in taking care of the
children. She then returns home to find people waiting to enter thespeakeasy that she runs in her back room.
There is a knock on the door, but instead of the police - coming to collect money - it is a social worker. The
social worker, Miss Rushmore, visits in order to investigate the living conditions of the children. She is
skeptical about some of the answers that Mom Luby gives, but gives her information about the many forms,
along with lengthy directions, regarding the acquisition of clothes and shoes for the children. Mom Luby is
astonished, yet slightly amused, about the length of time it could take to obtain clothes and shoes for the
children. She responds by stating that she simply did not have enough time because she had a long list of chores
to attend to. Miss. Rushmore volunteers to go along with Mom Luby, expressing her disbelief that she could
accomplish so much in such a short time. They both return from completing the chores, with Miss Rushmore

looking very bedraggled. She states that Mom Luby does not need her help because she got more things done in
two hours than Miss Rushmore has managed to complete in two years. The great irony of the situation is
revealed when Mom Luby comments that the Social Welfare office should consider hiring her, but Miss
Rushmore comments that that is not possible because Mom Luby is not qualified.
SETTING

The United States of America.

Between 1920-1933, the time of the Prohibition in the United States.

CHARACTERS
Mom Luby

An elderly woman who is as strong as any young woman.

She has white hair and false teeth.

She runs a speakeasy in the back room of her house.

She fosters two young children.

She is a midwife, herb doctor and ordained minister of the Gospel.

She's a very productive woman who helps the people in her community.

She is very proud.

Miss Rushmore

She works at the Department of Child Welfare, Bureau of Family Assistance.

She is very thorough in her investigation of Mom Luby.

She is awed by Mom Luby's productivity.

Elijah (narrator) & Puddin' - The two young children that Mom Luby fosters.
THEME
Love and Family Relationship
The love that Mom Luby has for her two young charges is apparent by her simple act of fostering them. She is a
poor, older woman who runs a speakeasy to survive. This is not the profile of someone who should be willing to
take care of two young children, as well as a whole community, yet she does. The act of visiting the Social

Security Office is a testament to her commitment to taking care of the two children. The great irony in this short
story is that a poor, older lady, is able to take better care of two little children than the State agency that is
assigned to do so. This is because she can get more accomplished in two hours, to benefit them, than the agency
can accomplish in two years with their most motivated agent.
Septimus - Literature Notes
SUMMARY
The short story 'Septimus' is set in Barbados. It is told from the perspective of an adult and opens in the
present. Mama is crying over a letter that she has received from Septimus. The last sentence of the letter
makes Mama cry at last I can have a whole apple for Christmas. A flashback occurs at this point.
Septimus family resides in the Gap and the reader learns that the seven children have claimed the place and its
residents. The story really begins one Christmas Eve when Mama sent the girls on an errand at Aunt Bless
house. She had recently returned from shopping in town and Septimus saw three shiny apples on the top of the
shopping bag. He ran off with one because he wanted it for himself. He was told that this was impossible
because the three apples had to be shared among the nine members of the family. Septimus was not pleased, but
he was appeased by Aunt Bless who later gave him an apple for himself. When he returned home he sliced the
apple in nine pieces and offered it to his mother.
SETTING
The story is set in Barbados.
CHARACTERS
Mama:

Gentle and caring.

Strict with her children, for example, the girls thought that Septimus would get in trouble for accepting
the apple.

Septimus:

The seventh child out of six.

The only boy and the youngest child.

6 years old at the beginning of the story with a childish selfishness.

Performs a caring and beautiful act by sharing his apple with his family.

Aunt Bless:

Real name is Letitia.

Given the nick name by Septimus because of her habit of greeting people with a blessing.

Loves all the children.

Septimus is her favourite of the seven children.

Old Bostic:

A watch maker.

A very grumpy man who tolerates the children.

THEMES
Poverty:
The family is very poor, as seen in the description of where they live, the Christmas gifts that Mama bought and
the sharing of three apples among nine people. The narrator herself confirms that the family is poor, the
principle had to be established that what we had which was not much had to be shared p. 107.
Happiness:
Despite their physical state of being poor, the seven children were very happy. A major part of this happiness
was their ownership of the Gap and the people in it, they had a sense of belonging.
Innocence:
Septimus defines this through his youth, as well as his actions based on his youth. He is perturbed by the
concept of sharing, initially, but once he got pass this feeling, he embraced the concept with the vivacity of
innocence and youth.
SYMBOL
Apple:
The apple represent knowledge and a loss of innocence because a six year old child is forced to face the reality
of being poor. He cannot have a whole apple for himself. The child is no longer innocent after he is faced with
this reality because he learns that life is not fair because he cannot always get what he wants. The apple also
represents growth as well because Septimus is able to accept his situation by voluntarily sharing his apple.
Shabine - Literature Notes
SUMMARY
'Shabine' is the story of Justene, a mixed race woman who is constantly mocked for being poor, of mixed
heritage, and presumably promiscuous. She was taunted with the words jamette and shabine (half white, or of
mixed heritage) on the streets. The story opens with the narrator explaining that she had a fiery temper, which
she unleashed on her tormentors when provoked. Her two sons, Gold and Silver, were subjected to similar
taunts, with Silver reacting in the same way as his mother, while Gold tried to do damage control. The reader
then learns that Justene had lived with her mother, who was a maid in Justene's father's house. It is implied, by
the narrator, that her mother invited white sailors surreptitiously into her house to sleep with Justene. The rest of
the story is filled with the narrator's regret for what could have existed between him and Justene.
SETTING

The name of the Caribbean island is not mentioned.

The story is set around the time of WWII, when American troops were prevalent in the Caribbean.

MAJOR CHARACTERS
Justene (Shabine)

She is described as having 'pale, reddish skin colour, the mass of coarsish red hair that resembled the
wool of sheep, the grey eyes ... the chocolate freckles.' (Simmonds-McDonald, p.14).

She is very coy and provocative, as can be seen in her response to the narrator.

She does not fear her taunters, but boldly defends herself.

She is fiercely protective of her children, as can be seen when she defends them.

She is a proud woman who does not want her children to stoop to the level of their taunters.

Narrator

He is male.

He seems to be completey enthralled by Justene, as is seen with the token gift of paradise plums, that he
ritualistically left for her on the gate post.

He mourns the loss of the possibility of a future that he might have had with Justene.

MINOR CHARACTERS
Gold - Justene's son. He had thick wooly red curls, red bushy eyebrows, a freckled face and grey eyes.
Silver - Justene's son. He was sort of blond, he had straight close cropped, sun bleached white hair and he was
fearless.
Mr. Cazaubon - Justene's mother's employer. He is also Justene's father, but he does not acknowledge her.
Mrs. Cazaubon - Wife to Mr. Cazaubon. She is aware of Justene's parentage, and treats mother and child in a
contemptuous manner.
Shabine's mother - Mrs. Cazaubon's maid. It is rumoured that she died from 'too much rum and grief because
Misie Cazaubon had never kept his promise to her to acknowledge Justene as his daughter and to send her to
Convent School.' (Simmonds-McDonald, p.13).
THEMES
Love and Family Relationship
This theme is brought out by Justene and her two children. She protects them by dispersing her children's
tormentors in a hale of her own words and stones. She then told them that they should not respond to their
tormentors because they would become like them. This is the hallmark of a loving mother. She defends and
protects her children, yet teaches them the value of maintaining their pride. This is in contrast with the very
vague details surrounding the relationship with her mother.

Whereas the reader sees Justene hugging and comforting her children, there is only the implication that
Justene's mother allowed white sailors to 'visit' her home, implying that Justene might have been the lure, or the
mother herself. The narrator also implies that he had good intentions towards Justene through his shy, patient
and consistent courting. However, Justene's mother discourages this: 'Justene's mother had come to complain
about his giving of paradise plums and putting ideas in Justene's head and upsetting her life' (SimmondsMcDonald, p.14 ). The narrator implies that the mother robbed her daughter of a future that was close to
'paradise' as Justene would have gotten. She is not a totally bad mother, however, because she stands up for her
child when Mrs. Cazaubon attempted to treat her like a servant.
Women in Society
This short story highlights the fact that women, in general, have very few choices. Justene's mother has a child
by her employer and remains under his roof. Many people would argue that she had a choice to leave with her
child, but that is easier said than done. Raising a child takes a village, so it is difficult for anyone to decide to
leave a space of financial security. The argument is the same for Mrs. Cazaubon. She stays with a man who has
fathered a child, in her own home, with their maid. What is even worse is that the maid and the child, the
evidence of her husband's indiscretion, remains in her home. Her impotence, concerning the situation and her
life, is seen in her treatment of Justene and her mother, as well as her quarrels, or rather, abusive monologues,
with Mr. Cazaubon. Both women are tied to this man based on the fact that he provides financial security in a
world that can be even more cruel to women who lack this.
The severe hypocrasy in the society, as it concerns the sexual indiscretions between men and women, is also
highlighted in this short story. Justene and Mr. Cazaubon are treated very differently for their sexual
indiscretions. Mr. Cazaubon remains a respected gentleman, despite fathering a child with the maid, and having
them reside under the same roof with his wife, while Justene is stoned and castigated in the streets for keeping
company with white sailors, as implied by the narrator. Society appears to have different rules for women and
men in the sexual arena.
SYMBOL
Paradise Plums
Paradise plums represent the alternate life that Justene could have had. The fact that this candy/ 'sweety' was
used to court Justene in such a shy, innocent and consistent manner, implies that her life with the narrator could
have been very pleasant and healthy.
Literature Notes
The Boy Who Loved Ice Cream
SUMMARY
This short story is about a little boy's obsession with ice-cream. Benjy is a little boy who lives in rural Jamaica.
His family is extremely poor and the most important, and festive, day for them is the Harvest Festival. It is an
even more important event for Benjy because this is the only place that he can access the coveted ice cream.
Benjy has never tasted ice-cream, but he relishes the very thought of it through the second hand description that
is passed on to him by his sister. The story opens with the family's preparations to attend the festival and their
scenic journey down the hill. Benjy's obsession with ice-cream becomes evident at the festival when he cannot
enjoy himself due to his anxiety surrounding when the ice-cream will be forthcoming. This mirrors his father's
obsession with scouting out the man whom he believes to be his wife's lover and Benjy's father. The obsessions
collide when Benjy finally gets his ice cream and it falls out of his hand because his father sees a male talking to
his wife and drags Benjy along to confront him. The story, therefore, ends in disappointment for Benjy.
SETTING

The story occurs in the small town of Springville in rural Jamaica.

The family is from an even smaller town called One Eye, located in the mountains of Springville.

CHARACTERS
Benjy

The second youngest child.

He is a really intense child in terms of achieving his desires.

Elsa

Benjy's older sister.

She takes care of Benjy when his mother is busy.

She introduces Benjy to the foggy concept of ice cream.

Mother

She was very progressive and forward thinking.

She was a very sociable and friendly person.

Always eager to go or do something different.

Papa

He was a farmer.

The short story reveals that he was wedded to the soil.

He did not like to go out.

He preferred a predictable lifestyle.

He was very jealous.

THEME
Jealousy:
Papa is irrationally jealous about his wife's activities. It is revealed that he believes that she cheated on him
when she spent three weeks away from him in Springville, where she was attending to her dying mother. He
watches her like a hawk at the Harvest Festival, thereby getting very little enjoyment out of the fair. This
jealousy has serious implications for his relationship with his son Benjy. He does not believe that Benjy is his
biological child, but a product of his wife's 'affair' in Springville. Benjy, therefore, is not treated well by his

father, but viewed with suspicion and slight contempt. The narrator tells us that Benjy is in a state of constant
suspense, as well as anxiety, in terms of what his father's response to him will be.
SYMBOL
Ice cream:
Ice cream, in this short story, is the symbol for anything that is intensely desired, anything that is anticipated to
bring great pleasure.

Literature Notes
The Day the World Almost Came To An End
SUMMARY
This short story was told from the perspective of an adult and chronicles the events behind a childs (the adult
narrator) belief that the world was about to end. The story is set on a plantation in Louisiana in 1936, where the
church was the axis around which plantation life revolved. Despite this fact, the narrator was holding on to
being a sinner because she believed that she could not live upright. One day, while she was playing, her cousin
Rena informed her that the world was coming to an end. This was based on a conversation that Rena overheard,
and misunderstood, about the eclipse. The hellfire sermons in church did not help to stem the narrator's
mounting panic and she worried herself into a frazzle as a result. She had a conversation with her father about
this issue and he tried to quell her fears, but unfortunately, he only managed to increase it with his statement that
the world could come to an end at any time. The narrator spent the night conjuring images of dooms day, which
led to her overreaction to hearing the rumblings of an old airplane. She ran out of her house screaming that the
world was coming to an end. Her father caught her on the road and calmed her down. She appreciated life a lot
more after that incident and lived her life to the fullest.
SETTING
The story occurs on a plantation in Louisiana in 1936.
CHARACTERS
Daddy:

Understanding

Has a good relationship with his daughter

1st person narrator:

Imaginative

Bold

Naive

Rena:

Naive

THEMES
Religion:
This is the central theme in this short story. Plantation life was centered on religion to the extent that even the
narrator's father was a deacon in the church. Religious fervor, in the form of hellfire preaching, is also the fuel
for the panic that overtakes the narrator/protagonist in this short story.
Love & Family Relationship:
The love and trust between father and daughter is glaring. When the narrator/protagonist was worried about the
world coming to an end, the first person that she thought to consult on this issue was her father. His response to
her childish fears, in turn, highlights the easy relationship between the two. Daddy's care in covering his
daughter after her mad dash through the turnrow is also an indication of the love that he has for his child.
The Man of the House - Literature Notes
SUMMARY
This short story is about a little boy called Sullivan who has a sick mother. Sullivan is initially unconcerned
about his mothers illness, and mildly pleased, because he got to stay home and play at being the man of the
house. However, his initial delight changes to concern on the second day due to his fear that his mother has
pneumonia. The second night and the third day are even more frightening because he had to fetch the doctor and
travel to the North Dispensary to get her medication. At the dispensary he meets a young girl who tricks him
into drinking, and sharing the medicine, with the result being an empty bottle to take home to his mother.
Sullivan suffers extreme guilt as a result of this and goes home crying. His mother consoles him and forgives
his childish misdemeanor.
SETTING

A town called Cork, in England.

CHARACTERS
Sullivan

A very responsible little boy.

Enjoys playing at being a man by taking care of his mother and the household chores.

Mother

A sickly lady.

She feels guilty that her son has to display such maturity by taking care of her.

Displays what a loving mother she is by understanding that Sullivan is an innocent boy that succumbed
to peer pressure.

She also takes excellent care of her son when she is able to do so.

Minni Ryan

She is a family friend who advises Dooly during the course of his mothers illness.

A middle aged woman who is very knowledgeable.

Very pious and gossipy; according to Dooly.

Doctor

He was a fat, loud voiced man.

He was the cleverest doctor in Cork.

THEME
Love & family relationship
This is shown in the relationship between the mother and her son. Sullivan is frightened that his mother will die
of pneumonia, so, despite his fear, he enters a public house (pub) in order to ensure that she gets her home-made
remedy, and travels to an unsavory neighbourhood in order to get her medicine. The mother is equally devoted
to her son, as seen in her guilt over the fact that he has to take care of her. She is also very understanding when
he succumbs to the peer pressure of drinking her medicine. She understands that one cannot expect a child to be
a man, no matter how well he does at playing at being a man. Her love for her child is also manifested in the
pride she feels when he displays the level of maturity akin to an adult.
Innocence
The fact that Sullivan does not recognize that his new friend is using him for a taste of his cough syrup proves
that he is still an innocent young man, at least in relation to the ways of the world. Despite playing at being a
man, he is still an innocent child. His reaction, after realizing that he was used, also points to his innocence. He
reacts in the manner that any child would, he ran home crying.

To Dah-Duh in Memoriam - Literature Notes

SUMMARY
This short story is about a young girl's visit, from New York, to the island of Barbados. The protagonist, along
with her sister and mother, visit Dah-Duh. The visit is an interesting one in which Dah-Duh and the protagonist
develop a caring, yet competitive, relationship. Dah-Duh introduces her to the riches of Barbados (nature),
while the protagonist introduces her grandmother to the steel and concrete world of New York (industrialism).
There is a competitive edge to their conversations because they each try to outdo each other on the merits of
their separate homes. Dah-Duh, however, is dealt a blow when she learns of the existence of the Empire State
building, which was many stories taller than the highest thing she had ever laid her eyes on Bissex Hill. She
lost a little bit of her spark that day and was not given a chance to rebound because the protagonist left for New
York shortly after. The story progresses with the death of Dah-Duh during the famous 37 strike. She had
refused to leave her home and was later found dead, on a Berbice chair, by her window. The protagonist spent a
brief period in penance, living as an artist and painting landscapes that were reminiscent of Barbados.

SETTING

The story is set in Barbados, in the 1930's.

CHARACTERS
Dah-Duh:

A small and purposeful old woman.

Had a painfully erect figure.

Over eighty (80) years old.

She moved quickly at all times.

She had a very unattractive face, which was stark and fleshless as a death mask (Marshall, p.178).

Her eyes were alive with life.

Competitive spirit.

Had a special relationship with the protagonist.

Protagonist:

A thin little girl.

Nine (9) years old.

A strong personality.

Competitive in nature.

Had a special relationship with Dah-Duh.

THEMES
Race:
This theme is apparent when Dah-Duh and the protagonist discuss the fact that she beat up a white girl in her
class. Dah-Duh is quiet shocked at this and exclaims that the world has changed so much that she cannot
recognize it. This highlights their contrasting experiences of race. Dah-Duhs experience of race relations is
viewing the white massa as superior, as well as viewing all things white as best. This is corroborated at the
beginning of the story when it was revealed that Dah-Duh liked her grandchildren to be white, and in fact had
grandchildren from the illegitimate children of white estate managers. Therefore, a white person was some-one
to be respected, while for the protagonist, white people were an integral part of her world, and she viewed

herself as their equal.

Love and family relationship:
This story highlights the strong familial ties that exists among people of the Caribbean, both in the islands and
abroad (diaspora). The fact that the persona and her family left New York to visit the matriarch of the family, in
Barbados, highlights this tie. The respect accorded to Dah-Duh by the mother also shows her place, or status, in
the family. The protagonist states that in the presence of Dah-Duh, her formidable mother became a child again.
Gender Issues:
This is a minor theme in this short story. It is highlighted when it is mentioned that Dah-Duh liked her
grandchildren to be boys. This is ironic because the qualities that are stereotypically found in boys - assertive,
strong willed, competitive - are found in her grand daughter. An example of this is the manner in which the
protagonist / narrator was able to win the staring match when she first met Dah-Duh, this proved her dominance
and strength.
SYMBOL
Empire State Building
This building represents power and progress. It is in the midst of the cold glass and steel of New York city and,
therefore, deforms Dah-Duhs symbol of power; Bissex Hill. It is not by accident that the knowledge of this
building shakes Dah-Duhs confidence. Steel and iron, the symbol of progress, is what shakes the nature loving
Dah-Duh. It can, therefore, be said that her response to the knowledge of the existence of the Empire State
Building defeat is a foreshadowing of her death. This is the case because it is metal, in the form of the
planes, that rattled her trees and flatten[ed] the young canes in her field. (Marshall. p.186). This is a physical
echo of her emotional response to the knowledge of the existence of the Empire State building. The fact that she
is found dead after this incident is not a surprise to the reader.