“The Two Grandmothers” by Olive Senior pg.

189

Olive Senior, author of 'The Two Grandmothers', was born in Trelawney, Jamaica.
She attended Montego Bay High School, then went on to study journalism in Cardiff,
Wales. She then studied at Carlton University in Ottowa. She currently lives in
Canada, but visits Jamaica regularly.

SUMMARY
The story opens with a little girl telling her mother about her experiences with her
two grandmothers; grandma Dell and grandma Elaine aka Touser. Grandma Dell is
her 'country' grandmother who lives in rural Jamaica, raises life stock, caters to her
community, takes her granddaughter to church and is enamoured by her
granddaughter's 'pretty' skin and hair. Grandma Elaine, on the other hand, is her
'town' grandmother. She has had multiple marriages, is a socialite who dates wealthy
men, travels, and is very concerned about her physical appearance. The grand
daughter, initially, prefers her country grandmother, who is very attentive to her
needs and loved to 'show her off' to her friends and neighbours. However, as the
story progresses, and the narrator ages and matures, she begins to prefer her town
grandmother, who is more cosmopolitan and appreciative of material things. With
her change in attitude to grandma Dell, however, also comes a change in attitude to
her country friends. They are no longer figures who inspire awe, but girls to look
down on as 'less than'. The story closes with the teenage narrator proposing that her
family should spend a day with her country grandmother - then she would be taken
care of until next year - ensuring that they have more time to spend with Touser
(Grandma Elaine) as well as pursue more interesting exploits.

SETTING

• The story occurs in three places; rural Jamaica, Kingston and Clearwater in the
USA.
• The story occurs in the 1980's.

CHARACTERS
Grandma Dell

• Traditional/ old fashion

• Christian minded and simple in her approach to life
• Altruistic
• Never married
• Never dates
• Prejudiced
• Hypocrite

Grandma Elaine (Towser)

• Non-traditional/ Socialite
• Materialistic
• Narcississtic
• Married multiple times
• Goes on dates
• Prejudiced
• Blunt and speaks her mind

Narrator (1st person)

• The readers first meets her when she is a little girl.

• She grows and matures as the story progresses, by the end of the story she appears
to be a teenager.
• She initially prefers the company of Grandma Del, but as she grows up, she begins
to show a preference for Touser.
• She reports a lot of sensitive information, for example - the 'fall' of grandma Del,
Pearlie's home situation, Eulalie and Ermandine's pregnancies - but does not appear
to understand the gravity of the various situations.
• As she grows up, she appears to become more materialistic in her desires, she wants
to be like every-one else.
• She appears, by the end of the story, to be confused about how to feel about her
physical appearance.
• She cannot be bothered with her country grandmother, grandma Dell, by the end of
the story.
• She begins to appreciate her hip socialite grandma Elaine, aka Touser, by the end of
the story.

THEMES
Racial Prejudice
This theme is highlighted by Grandma Elaine/ Touser and the Clearwater relatives.
Grandma Elaine highlights this theme by her reference to the narrator's hair; 'your
mother had better start to do something about your hair from now it's almost as
tough as your father's .... If you were my child I would cut it off to get some of the
kinks out.' (Senior, 119) and skin tone; 'Joyce says Grandma is sorry I came out dark
because she is almost a white lady and I am really dark.' (Senior, 120). The
grandmother's preoccupation with the fact that her grand daughter has
predominantly black features highlights the theme of racial discrimination. She sees
these features as flaws and passes this sentiment on to her grandchild. We see the
child questioning if being dark is a bad thing 'Is dark really bad, Mummy?' (Senior,
120).

This is in contrast to the country grandmother, Grandma Del, who re-enforces the
very opposite view of Grandma Elaine. She believes that her grandchild's hair is
beautiful 'Grandma loves to comb my hair she says it's so long and thick and she rubs
it with castor oil every night.' (Senior, 117) and her skin is beautiful as well 'Grandma
Del says my skin is beautiful like honey' (Senior, 117). Despite this positive re-
enforcement by Grandma Del, it still comes from a place of prejudice. She too, like
Grandma Elaine, believes that being too dark and having too much 'kink' in one's
hair is a bad thing. The two grandmothers only differ in terms of their idea of what is
'too dark', or 'too kinky'.

The Clearwater relatives, particularly Maureen, highlights the theme of racial

prejudice. She introduces the term 'nigger' to the story. The narrator questions her
beauty based on what she observes as beautiful around her, and finds herself lacking;
'how can I be beautiful? My skin is so dark, darker than yours and Maureen's and
Jason's and Auntie Rita's. And my hair is so course, not like yours or Maureen's but
then Maureen's father is white. Is that why Maureen called me a nigger?' (Senior,
124). The narrator declares that she hates Maureen, based on the before mentioned
incident, but, ironically, she wants to be like Maureen and is even more ashamed of
her hair.

Social Prejudice
This theme is highlighted by Grandma Elaine, Grandma Dell, and the narrator.
Grandma Elaine has a distinct disdain for Grandma Dell. She believes that 'granny
Del' is a country bumpkin from the 'deepest darkest country' (Senior, 118). She sees
her as irrelevant and believes that she is brainwashing her grandchild with
information that is not only irrelevant, but embarrassing as well. This disdain comes
from the fact that Elaine is a socialite who's world is the direct opposite of the
simplistic life that Grandma Del leads. Grandma Elaine dates rich white men, travels,
and ensures that she maintains her beauty. She views Grandma Dell with scorn
because she does not do the same.

The reader receives no inkling of Grandma Del's feelings toward Grandma Elaine,
but we are treated to the judgement that she quietly metes out to her neighbours in
the country. She views Ermandine and Eulalie as 'a disgraceful Jezebel-lot and dry-
eye' (Senior, 121) because they have disgraced their parents by getting pregnant. She
views them as being beneath her, despite the fact that she also did the same, and was
also shunned by the communityfor a period of time.

The narrator, in turn, adopts the prejudices of both grandmothers. She starts to
dislike going to the country because 'there's nobody but black people' (Senior, 123)
there. She looks down on her friends - Ermandine, Eulalie and Pearlie - due to their
multiple pregnancies and bedraggled state. She starts to literally avoid them because
she does not want them to ask her for some of her clothes. Everything about being in
the country (rural area), from the people to her experiences, annoys her - in her teen
years - because visiting the country is shameful in relation to going to Europe or
America. It is not considered to be a socially relevant activity.
Love and Family Relationships
Both grandmothers love their grandchild, and she loves them in return. Grandma
Del shows her love by combing her grand daughter's hair, taking her to church,
steering her away from negative influences, and educating her about appropriate
behaviour. Initially, this education is appreciated and accepted by the narrator, but
as she grows up and matures, she views this show of love as stifling and irrelevant.
The narrator does not love her grandmother any less, it is just that their point of
views no longer align.

Grandma Elaine, on the other hand, shows her love for her grandchild by
highlighting her flaws and seeking to improve them. Therefore, she points out that
the child's hair is kinky and her skin is too dark. Undoubtadley, this is an
inappropriate conversation to have with a small child, however, this is her flawed
way of showing her love. She suggests activities for improving the child's social
prospects such as finishing school and visits off the island. The narrator returns this
love by eventually placing Grandma Elaine as the favoured grandmother. She even
adopts, eventually, her materialistic sensibility.

Women in Society
This is a story about women, the values that they pass on, and the way that they treat
each other. There are women of different social status' and financial backgrounds in
the , and all of them contribute to this theme. Grandma Elaine is of a high social
status and she treats grandma Del, who is of a lower social status, with disdain.
Grandma Del, in turn, treats Eulalie, Ermandine and Pearlie with disdain for being
poor, as well as victims of their financial, and social, circumstances. The narrator
joins this cycle by discriminating against her 'country' friends by viewing herself as
better than them. Ironically, she suffers the same treatment at the hands of her
cousin, Maureen, who treats the narrator as 'less than' as well. The possible moral of
this tale is that women should try to understand and accept each other.
Innocence vs. Loss of Innocence
As a child, the narrator reports the actions of others without understanding a lot of
what is happening. This is the definition of innocence. She also accepts people for
who they are and sees the good in them. This is seen in her awe at Eulalee's skills in
the kitchen, as well as her acceptance of Ermandine and Pearlie's babies. She simply
accepted without judgement. This changes as the child matures and she starts to view
herself as better than her friends. This is because her circumstances happen to be
better than theirs. This signifies a loss of innocence that comes with maturity.
Blackout
by Roger Mais
'Blackout' is a short story by Roger Mais. It is set in Jamaica and is about racism
and the contrast of two different races, sexes and cultures!

The story starts off explaining the blackout in the city and the general atmosphere of
uncomfortable and tense over the city. At this point the story builds an expectation of
some sort of conflict. An American women was waiting at a bus stop. Surprisingly
she was not bothered by the darkness, and she was not nervous.

A black man slowly approaches her and asks for a light for his cigarette. As she does
not have matches she offers her cigarette and as he thanks her she flicks the
cigarette away. She does that because she is disgusted that a Black man touched
her cigarette and therefore she doesn't want to smoke it anymore. After the flicking,
there's a moment of discomfort and she asks him why he was still there. He replies
with an apology as a comment on her action. He stays and keeps talking about her
apparent wealth and as he talks she becomes more uncomfortable. The
conversation between the two then focuses on gender and race. At that moment the
reader can sense that actually the woman is interested in the current situation and
she might actually be looking for an adventure, but he tells her that she is not his
type of women which undermines her. During the conversation the reader can also
see that the woman has some very racist thoughts.

After a while he sees the bus coming and points at it. She gets on the bus and as it
starts moving, she urges herself to look back at him and challenge her prejudices,
but thinking of the society and worrying about how unacceptable it would seem she
can't succeed and doesn't look back while the man picks up the cigarette from the
gutter.
 During this short story there is always this feeling of menace and some kind of threat
which is created by the blackout and the odd conversation between the two. This
feeling is created especially at the beginning, introduction of the story when the
blackout and the loneliness were being described by Mais. He used words and
phrases such as; wave of panic, bands of hooligans roaming the streets after dark
and assaulting unprotected women, slinking black shadow, to reinforce his point.

BLACKOUT- by Roger Mais

This short story was set in a Caribbean island, most like Jamaica since the
author hails from that country. It was set during World War II. The title, “Blackout” is
given, referring to two things. It could be literal, referring to the city being in darkness
due to the policy of conserving electricity during the war. It could also be referring to
the woman being in a figurative darkness, that is, that she cannot she the truth or the
“light” of all people being equal.

The story is written from the third-person limited omniscient point of view. This
means that the narrator is not a character, but is narrating the story as if from the
outside. The narrator can only see into the mind of one character- the American
woman- hence the term, “limited”. By showing us the woman’s thoughts, we can see
into the mind of a racist and understand what she thinks of the man- just because he
is black. We can see her change in emotion and opinion as the interaction continues.

The American woman was waiting at the bus stop. She was calm despite the
recent attacks by “hooligans” on unprotected young women. She was positive and
proud of her American heritage, up keeping the tradition of not being easily scared.

WHAT HAPPENED OPINION/EMOTION

She saw the shadow.
She was approached by the
black man.
The man asked for a light for his
 Slightly curious
 Intrigued thinking that there was novelty in it
 She was so convinced of her superiority that she
considered it new or unusual
 She found it- something that should have been normal-
intriguing
 She reveals her racism
cigarette and he steadily looked
at her with pride, challenge and
quiet amusement. He could
sense that she was racial but he
was proud of his ethnic
background and wanted to see
what she would do.
She finally offered her cigarette
and he bent over to light his own.
He was smoking only half a
cigarette which he was
conserving on
The man’s expression changed
to cold and speculating.
 She didn’t have a match but wonders whether he would
believe her
 She was uneasy about giving him a light from the
cigarette she was smoking feeling that it was too
intimate with a black man
 She had meant for him to collect the cigarette and light
his
 She was a bit appalled and slightly disgusted that a
black man had come so close to her
 After smoking the cigarette with much enjoyment, she
flicked it away unthinkingly
 The cigarette was no longer appealing after a black man
used it for a light
 She casually threw away almost a whole cigarette as
she could easily replace it
 She was unnerved but not frightened
 She felt uncomfortable as the black man looked at her
in that way and she realised she revealed her racist
behaviour
 She began to feel that he was contemptuous of her and
felt that it was very rude

The man sarcastically apologised  Her idea of superiority is shown again as she mentions
for “making” her waste a whole that she feels indecent to be “jawing” with a black man
cigarette and commented that it at a street corner
was nothing for her to buy  She further thinks that he should leave despite the fact
that the road was a public facility and therefore she had
nothing to do with it
 She says that she should snub him quietly, “the way she
should have properly done from the start”. Her superior
thinking is further shown as she believes that the proper
thing for white people to do is to snub the black people
He threatens he, saying that if  She thinks that he should be lynched as in America, he
she were a man, he would give would be lynched for doing a lot less
her something to think about  She felt exasperated and then decided to humour him
as her incident would be something to “talk about” back
in America
 She saw the man’s encounter with her and his pride as
something funny that she could mock with her friends
 She further asks him if he really thinks that all men are
equal as if no one should possibly think that
She left for the bus as he stood  Her confidence, however, was shaken
aloof and strong. His pride had  She felt challenged and disturbed as it was probably the
not been shaken by her treating first time that a black person had not behaved
him as inferior. submissively towards her
IRONY: The white American woman felt that the black man was insolent for
supposedly looking at her in a “contemptuous” and “speculating” way. This is ironic
as she is the one actually being rude. She threw away almost an entire cigarette
because a black man used it for a light. Because he disliked that treatment, she felt
that he was being insolent.
SATIRE: As the American woman left on the bus, the man picked up the cigarette
that she had thrown away. His pride, evident just moments before, had suddenly
disappeared as he submitted to his need for a cigarette. His action was described as
“hungrily”. What she considered easily dispensable, he considered of great
importance. He is suddenly made to look ridiculous after his show of pride and
strength.
CONFLICT: 1. MAN VS. HIMSELF- The woman thinks that she is not a racist, but
she is.
1. MAN VS. HIMSELF- The man fights between his pride and his need for a
cigarette that allows him to pick up one she has thrown away
2. MAN VS. MAN- The man’s personal dignity and freedom are in conflict with
the woman’s racist assumptions about black people
3. MAN VS. MAN- The man’s innocent motives are in conflict with the deep fear
the woman has of black people.
Emma
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 Emma’s
constant watching of the clock and waiting for her husband to return home, as well
as the fight that Dorian reported. Grandfather’s visit brings a happy atmosphere to
the family unit because daddy starts to do things with the family, and 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. Robinson’s pointed
discussion about Mr. York’s 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 Doran’s father and Emma’s 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 Dorian’s mother and Jack’s 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
• Emma’s 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 didn’t – spent time
with her – and her first person perspective of him reflected her love.

Ruby Robinson
• She is Emma’s friend and Maria’s 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.
• She’s 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 Dorian’s 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
her’s 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. Dorian’s 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 forgoes having another child because ‘Jack wasn’t 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 household’s
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. Robinson’s 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 it’s our turn to play, we’ll 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 Emma’s exit from the game.

Emma
Author

Carolyn Cole

Setting

The setting of the story Emma is the York residence, an unnamed mall and the old
train station.

Mood

The mood of the story goes from happiness to sadness.

Style

A flashback. Narrated by a young girl.

Point of View

First person perspective of a young girl.

Themes
Friendship
Two different friendships in this story.There is the friendship between Dorian and
Maria, which is distinguished by play, conversations and support of each other. The
friendship between Emma and Mrs. Robinson, which is distinguished by jealousy
from Mrs Robinson.

Innocence
Having the story being told from Dorian's point of view , it gives the reader a good
understanding of her innocence, behind not understand adult conversation and
situations. She knows that her parents are not happy but she doesn't understand the
reason why. We know that because of the incident of her parents fighting.Her
innocence is also displayed when she thinks that her mother would come home after
the accident but instead, she finds Mrs. Robinson in her mother’s bed.

Love and Family Relationship

The family of Dorian and Maria both seem to be very unstable. In Dorian's family
love is not being showed towards her by both parent. Dorian's father doesn't have a
good relationship with his daughter, he seems to get very uncomfortable around her
but on the other hand her mother Emma shows her love for Dorian. Maria's family is
a very dysfunctional family because her mother doesn't seem love her or to pay any
attention to her feelings or emotions and seems to have Maria as a burden in her life.

Literary Devices

Visual Imagery
The author uses visual imagery to describe the personalities of both Ruby and
Emma.
"Emma's black hair and Mrs Robinson's red hair looked pretty." (page 52, paragraph
3).Ruby's red hair compared to Emma's black hair is a metaphor to say that she is
not a very nice woman. The author also describes that Ruby is much older than
Emma.

Symbol
The deck of cards that Emma had in the story is a symbol of the game of life. The
deck of cards in a symbol that is seen constantly throughout the short story.

Important Lines

"Maria told me that she was afraid that we would die just like Emma. But I told Maria
that we wouldn't because I learned a lot about this game. When it's our turn to
play,we'll play smarter." (page 58, first paragraph)

"Then she said, 'I think we should drink to minority business loans and women who
work hard to make men's dreams come true. Or better yet,' she sad,'let's drink to
ambitious women who bleed men dry." (page 54,paragraph 1)

Summary

The short story Emma is about two young girls ( Maria and Dorian) who aspire to
become just like one of the main characters (Emma) when they're grown up. They
both fascinate on doing things and wearing clothes just like Emma. Maria knows that
Dorian's (Dory) dad is not faithful to Emma and Dorian encourages her to tell Emma,
but she never does. Maria explains to Dorian that it's just a game grown ups play
and they need to play it the right way in order to win. Bases the situation on a game
of card. After Dory's grandad leaves from his Summer vacation, her dad starts to
come home early from work and starts to spend time with the family; Dorian thinks
that the 'game' he was playing with the lady at the train station was done.

Emma, Maria, Dory and Mrs Robinson all go to the mall. Dory and Maria go roller
skating after wards at the train station which Emma resented. While skating Dory
and Maria both spot the lady at the train station and she seems very uneasy, they
see her Dad approaching her and then they both start acting romantic. Emma comes
to the station with Mrs Robinson to pick them both up and Mrs Robinson shows
Emma the lady at the station and her husband. Emma runs away while Dory and her
dad chase after her. Dory and Emma end up getting hit by a car and Emma dies. In
the end Mrs Robinson sends both Maria and Dory to boarding school and Dory's dad
does nothing to stop her. While in the train they both see Mrs Robinson kissing
Dory's dad.
The Man of the House

In this short story, a boy, named Gus, takes the responsibility of taking care of his
sick mother. He decides to stay home from school so he can do what it takes to
make her feel better. So he has his mother get a list together so he can run errands
for her. While he is gone a friend comes over to check on her and suggests that she
may need to get a doctor. Later on she gets worse so he calls the doctor to come
and check on her and he prescribes a prescription that one would have to pick up in
town, which was far away, and Gus agrees to go. When he gets to the hospital, a girl
is waiting as well and when they both get their medicine they start walking back
together. When the little girl guilt Gus into trying the medicine he does and ends up
drinking the whole thing before he gets any to his mother. He gets back home,
confesses, then starts to not feel well and he is put to bed by his mother. He later
wakes and realizes that his wish came true that his mother was better and he didn't
have to be the man of the house anymore.
It also shows the use of temptation and guilt and shows how they are not as easy as
they seem and one has to work to overcome them. O'Connor wrote this as a man,
himself, reflecting on this scenario that happened in his past, he wanted to use this
to show that people tend to make mistakes and they are in fact only human.
In The Man of the House by Frank O’Connor we have the theme of innocence,
temptation, guilt, responsibility, control, resilience, redemption and acceptance.
Taken from his Collected Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by
a man called Gus Sullivan who is looking back at an incident in his life when he was
ten years old. It is also after reading the story that the reader realises that O’Connor
may be exploring the theme of responsibility. Gus tries on several occasions to act
older than his years. He lights the fire in the house. He does the shopping for his
mother and he goes to the dispensary to get the medication for his mother. However
it is noticeable that while he is at the dispensary Gus does end up drinking his
mother’s medication. Which leads to Gus feeling not only guilty but struggling with
his conscience. It is also interesting that O’Connor throughout the story looks
unfavourably on most of the male characters in the story. The man in the bar comes
across as not only been a drunk but also as an irresponsible buffoon. With no real
connection with the world. This may be deliberate as O’Connor may be attacking the
male dominated society that existed in Ireland at the time the story was written.

The fact that Gus is tempted by the young girl at the dispensary to drink his mother’s
medication is also important as not only is it the first occasion in the story in whereby
Gus lets himself down. But O’Connor may be drawing on the biblical story of Adam
and Eve (and the apple) in the Garden of Eden. Prior to taking the medication Gus’
concentration levels and his desire to do the right thing for his mother were high.
Things were going well for him and he was acting responsibly. It is only when he
becomes enamoured with the girl that he loses concentration and forgets what his
intentions really are. It is also noticeable that for such a young boy the guilt becomes
unbearable for Gus. Not only does he feel he has let his mother down but he also
feels guilty because he won’t be able to pay for a candle in the Cathedral. Having
spent the money on sweets (for the girl). The fact that Gus can’t say his prayer and
light a candle in the Cathedral may also be important as O’Connor may be putting a
spotlight on the Church and the practice of paying for prayers.

The only thing stopping Gus from going to the Cathedral and lighting the candle is
the fact that the Church has an expectation (at times) that an individual pays for their
prayer. Something which Gus has most likely been taught. How influential the
Church is (at the time the story was written) is noticeable by the fact that Gus
adheres to the principles of paying for his prayers and doesn’t go to the Cathedral to
light the candle. Based solely on the fact that he has no money. If anything Gus may
feel trapped by the conditions imposed on him by the Church. Conditions which
would seem to be more about the Church making money rather than assisting the
individual. It is also possible that O’Connor is using the candle (and prayer) as
symbolism for hope. If this is the case it is noticeable at the end of the story that Gus
feels a miracle has happened. His mother has gotten better without the need of the
candle or prayer. Which may be important as O’Connor could again be putting a
spotlight on the Church. Possibly questioning again the practice of paying for
candles (or prayers). When there may be no need to.

What is also interesting about the story is that though Gus’ mother is poorly. She
does not scorn Gus when he returns from the dispensary. Instead she takes care of
him. Thinking of Gus rather than of herself. Gus’ mother is also resilient. When Gus
first sees that his mother is sick, she smiles at him. This may be important as not
only does it suggest that Gus’ mother doesn’t want to upset Gus but she also is
displaying an exterior toughness. She won’t be beaten by what life throws at her.
Regardless of the circumstances she might find herself in. It may also be important
that when Gus takes control of the situation, when his mother is in bed, rather than it
being Gus who is writing down what needs to be done. It is his mother who is doing
the writing. Gus without knowing it seems to be dictating or ordering his mother. It is
him telling her what to do. Which may again play on how the female was treated by
the male at the time the story was written. By having Gus tell the reader that ‘It’s
funny about women, the way they’ll take orders from anything in trousers.’ O’Connor
may be highlighting how dominated women may have been (by men) at the time the
story was written.

The end of the story is also interesting. Gus feels that a miracle has happened when
he wakes up and discovers that his mother is better. It is also noticeable that Gus
has redeemed himself. He has told his mother the truth about what has happened.
Hiding nothing from her. If anything he is closer to his mother. Gus also realises that
he is too young for responsibility and that it is better if someone else takes on that
role. His one attempt at being responsible, though good natured, was not successful.
He was led to temptation, suffered guilt and because of the practices of the church
(paying for prayers) was unable to say the prayers that he wanted to for his mother.
Gus spent his day in an adult world. A world which he may not realise is
dysfunctional. As to why it is dysfunctional is left to each individual reader to decide.
Gus just appears to be happy that he is a child again. A happy and innocent child
who has yet to fully learn of the complexities of life. Though he does accept that he is
not a good nurse.

The Man of the House

SUMMARY
This short story is about a little boy called Sullivan who has a sick mother. Sullivan is
initially unconcerned about his mother’s 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 misdemeanour.

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 Dooley is an innocent
boy that succumbed to peer pressure.
• She also takes excellent care of her son when she is able to do so.

Minnie Ryan
• She is a family friend who advises Dooly during the course of his mother’s 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.

THEMES

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/bar) in order to ensure that she gets her home-made remedy, and
travels to an unsavoury 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.
BLOOD BROTHERS
By John Wickham

This story is about two brothers Paul and Benjy. Both brothers can be considered to
be ‘Blood Brothers’ because they are thirteen-year-old twins. Despite the fact that
Paul and Benjy are twins; they both display different personality traits. Paul is an
introvert who loves nature, and he loves to contemplate about life. Whereas Benjy is
Paul’s polar opposite. This further reinforces that although both boys are genetically
related that is where the commonality ends. Benjy is an extrovert who is very
carefree and fun loving. However, Paul thinks his brother believes he is superior and
as a result he grows to hate him. Paul is conflicted about his feelings because deep
down he wants Benjy to be his friend and confidant. The story ends with Paul
attacking Benjy. Benjy is surprised and confused because he did not know or
understand why Paul reacted in this way.

Characters

Paul:

 Paul is an introvert.

 He is artistic and he paints pictures

 He loves nature.

 He is also very reflective. He contemplates nature as well as his feeling

towards his brother.

 He dislikes Benjy’s ability to accomplish simple tasks quickly.

 He resents Benjy because he reminds him of his own short comings.

 He envies Benjy and his envy turns to hate.

 He thought Benjy feels he is superior to him.

Benjy:

 He is an extrovert and carefree

 He is confident.

 He is a typical boy, very active, adventurous and always exploring.

 He is ignorant to his brother’s disdain for him.

 He felt he is superior to Paul.

 He mocks Paul.

Narrative Point of View:

 Third Person Narrative

Setting: The story takes place in an unnamed village.

Conflict: Paul envies Benjy carefree personality as a result of this he grew to hate
Benjy. This hate resulted n him attacking his brother.
Themes:

 Love and family relationships

 Childhood Experiences

 Appearance vs Reality
The Day the World Almost Came to an End

By Pearl Crayton

Themes

Religion
Plantation life was centered on religion. The narrator's father was a deacon in the
church. The panic that overtook the narrator was fuelled by hellfire preaching.

Love and Family Relationship

When the narrator was worried, the first person who she thought of talking to about
her concerns was her father. He is an authority figure and someone she trusts. His
response to the child's fears shows the love and trust of their relationship.

Childhood and innocence

The twelve year old narrator is convinced that she is a sinner, but it is clear to the
reader that she doesn't quite understand the meaning of the term. Even though she
doesn't believe it immediately, she still can't help but worry and get scared that the
world is coming to an end after her cousin tells her so.

Narration
First person by a twelve year old girl; flashback

Visual imagery
"I was making a whole quarter of mud cabins by packing dirt over my foot in the
shape of a cabin, putting a chimney on top, then pulling my foot out. The pace left by
my foot formed the room of the cabin. I'd broken some twigs off chinaberry and
sycamore trees I planted in the ground around the cabins to make 'trees'. Some
blooming wild flowers that I had picked made up a flower yard in front of each cabin".
(page 109)
Auditory imagery
"Sure enough there was a rumbling, far away. The rumbling wasn't thunder, I was
sure of that because thunder rumbled, then died away, but this rumbling grew louder
and louder and louder". (page 114)

In the story, the main character is talking about when she thought the world was
coming to an end. It starts when with the main character telling us how she is a
sinner and does not planning on getting some religion until she is much older. She
was making mud cabins when her cousin came and told her that she overheard from
her mother and Miss Daya that the world was going to end. She (Rena) said that
there would be an eclipse and that instead of “the sun whipping the moon”, “the
moon would whip the sun” which meant that the world would come to an end. She
didn’t believe her cousin at first, but after a nun comes and tells her that the end of
the world was coming. Later that night, she was asleep when she heard a loud noise
coming from outside. She ran outside yelling telling everyone that the world was
ending and they all kept telling her something but she did not stop and listen to what
they were saying. She ran into her father on his way home and he picked her up and
held her. He told her that it was just an old airplane and that she should not be
afraid.

SUMMARY
This short story was told from the perspective of an adult and chronicles the events
behind a child’s (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 narrators
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 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 narrators father was a deacon. 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 Boy who Loved Ice-cream
By Olive Senior
BERRY
By Langston Hughes

The short story "Berry" is an example of satire, which is used to expose or criticize
human vices, habits or behaviour through ridicule, humour, irony or exaggeration.

The story revolves around a young man named Milberry Jones. He was young and
strong but, unfortunately, uneducated, which meant that it was difficult for him to find
gainful and permanent employment. Further disadvantages were that he was
African-American and living in the southern United States, known for its prejudice.
Milberry found employment at a care center named Dr. Renfield's Summer Home
For Crippled Children.

Milberry was hired to replace a Scandinavian kitchen boy who had abandoned his
work since it had become too much. From the outset, Milberry, who was kind-
hearted, willing and able, was exploited. Firstly, he was paid two dollars less than the
previous kitchen hand just because of his race. He was abused by practically all and
sundry to do extra tasks. One of these was to assist the sulky and lazy nurses with
the children at the beach. Milberry had once offered his help and the young ones
took an instant liking to him.

The children called him Berry and he was glad to assist with taking care of them. The
children enjoyed his stories and he loved them and cared about them, unlike anyone
else around. He noticed that the children were not that well taken care of, after all.
Dr. Renfield was in the business of tending to these unfortunate souls purely for
profit and thus did not provide the kind of nourishment or proper care for them that
their parents believed he did. Milberry was, of course, disgusted by this blatant
dishonesty, but could not do anything about it since he was dependent on his job.

It came to be that one day, Milberry was helping a boy who became much too
enthusiastic and eager to get to the beach after a long absence. The boy fell and
Milberry was summarily dismissed without pay since the boy's wheelchair had been
broken during the unfortunate incident.

Throughout the story, Langston Hughes makes fun of the characters' prejudice. He,
for example, mentions how Mrs. Osborn had a consternation about African American
employees and how she found it difficult to decide where Milberry was to sleep since
he could not possibly share quarters with the other employees because they were
white.

Her wire to the employment agency in Jersey City brought results—but dark ones.

But Mrs Osborn had no idea how the handyman might like Negroes.

Dr. Renfield's racist prejudice is clearly displayed when he hires Milberry at a lower
wage than the previous kitchen help and later discharges him for an incident that
was not his fault. Furthermore, the white employees, without exception, display their
supercilious attitude by taking it for granted that Milberry has to follow their
instructions without question since they are white. Unfortunately, Milberry is in a
predicament and does exactly that.

In the end, the children are the ones who lose out the most. The one person who
actually cares about them is dismissed, and therein lies the irony. Their parents have
put them in the care of a greedy businessman and his equally uncaring staff. Their
prejudice, greed and carelessness is what makes them bad—as Milberry thought,
'most of 'em ain't good.'

Themes

The theme of appearances and reality is one of the strongest themes in "Berry."
There is a phoniness to Dr. Renfield's home that "troubles" Berry. He sees it in "Mrs.
Osborn's grand manner to everybody but the doctor." Berry remarks, "Funny how the
food ain't nearly so good 'cept when some ma or pa or some chile is visitin' here-
then when they gone, it drops right back down again." Berry suggests that the entire
hospital is "jest Doc Renfield's own private gyp game." There is a difference
between appearance and reality that dominates this setting. It can be seen in the
nurses complaining about the children behind their backs or in how Doctor Renfield
is more concerned at the end of the story about the potential for lawsuits as opposed
to the welfare of the child that fell. Berry is the only one who can perceive this
difference between appearances and reality. As an outsider, a person of color,
Hughes suggests that he might be more perceptive than most in discerning this gap
between what is and what is shown. It is interesting to note that the only people who
are authentic with Berry are the children, who Berry feels are "there like himself
because they couldn't help it."

Another theme in the story is economic challenge. Hughes brings this out in Berry's
character. Hughes mentions the hunger that Berry experiences. While the job is far
too much work for so little in way of compensation, Berry "needed work and food"
and "had been hungry too long." He has to keep a substandard job because of his
financial condition. Berry's paltry salary highlights his economic challenge. Hughes
shows that people of color during the time endured this reality quite often. At the end
of the story, when Dr. Renfield reprimands Berry with a deduction of ten dollars for
the broken chair, he has to be corrected that Berry makes only eight dollars. When
Berry leaves to Jersey city without his last week's wages, it is a reminder of the
defining role economic challenge plays in his life. This condition impacted many
African-Americans.

Hughes plays with the theme of double consciousness quite a bit in "Berry." In this
case, "double consciousness" refers to living a life different than everyone else. It is
a term that can be found in W.E.B. Du Bois's The Souls of Black Folk. It refers to
how African-Americans lived a life that forced them to be different in the company of
white people than with other African-Americans. Being a man of color in a setting
where there are nothing but white people, Berry lives this existence as "the other" or
the outsider. Hughes writes that Berry was only spoken to when "they had some job
for him to do, or when they were kidding him about being dark." Being "the other,"
Berry experiences the reality of being a person of color. He is seen as foreign or
different. Hughes is able to illuminate how African-Americans experience a much
different form of consciousness than white people.

Racism
WRITERS’ TECHNIQUES

Foreshadowing, Symbolism, Characterization, figurative language, dialogue

In his typical nature in responding to and accepting their demand he unknowingly

caused his own demise. While Berry was helping a boy in a wheelchair down the
stairs, due to know fault of Berry’s own doing, the boy fell out of the chair onto the
grass and the wheelchair onto the walk. In the fall the boy was not hurt but the
wheelchairs back was snapped off. In this scene Langston Hughes uses the
wheelchair as a symbol of Milberry’s undoing. The wheelchair’s falling represents
Berry’s falling from the grace of the white people’s acceptance. The snapped back of
the wheelchair foreshadows Berry’s immediate termination of employment. Even
though it was the white nurses responsibility and job they quickly and gladly placed
all the blame for the accident upon Berry. This truly exemplifies the use of
oppression of white people over blacks.
Mom Luby and the Social Worker

By Kristin Hunter

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 get let in to the speakeasy 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 sceptical 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. 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.
To Da-Duh in Memoriam

By Paule Marshall

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 Da-Duh. The visit
is an interesting one in which Da-Duh and the protagonist develop a caring, yet
competitive, relationship. Da-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. Da-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 Da-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
Da-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 Da-Duh.

THEMES
Race
This theme is apparent when Da-Duh and the protagonist discuss the fact that she
‘beat up a white girl’ in her class. Da-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. Da-Duh’s 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 Da-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

 Generational Gap?
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 Da-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
Da-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 granddaughter. 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 Da-Duh’s symbol of power; Bissex
Hill. It is not by accident that the knowledge of this building shakes Da-Duh’s
confidence. Steel and iron, the symbol of progress, is what shakes the nature loving
Da-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.