Official True History of Paradise discussion

[mountaingal]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

I'm going to get ready for work, but I thought today we could delve a little more into Lana's story.

As the tragic figure in this book, she outshines Jean and even to some extent Monica. So many things happen to her! mi a try find a jamaican proverb that best describes her ability to attract trouble... [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70402-thinking.gif[/img]

I'm tempted to think that Lana is the embodiment of Jamaica - beautiful, self-destructive, unpredictable,evokes passionate feelings among those who love her or hate her.

if we go on the premise that the author is writing events from her own life, we can assume that Lana is based on someone real. Not being from the author's social class myself, I'm mystified at the totality of Lana's breakdown - including her adopting of fundamental Christianity at one point... things really gwaan so uptown?
[img]/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[CeaBee]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

Lana might have been based on several people. For instance I know one person that joined a cult-like church as a teenager, and not long after I moved back home, I remember hearing of a very prominent businesswomen that hanged herself because of problems that she was having with her husband.

I also remember the daughter of a prominent politician, that I used to see at UWI. She was very "out there" and dated a very strange guy. My friends and I called him "blood run cold"..... [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img]....because whenever you looked at him, .......we heard years later that he had killed himself. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

so to answer your question- yes tings can go on so uptown

me haffi tek up the book again this weekend [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70390-shhh.gif[/img]

[CeaBee]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

where k20 and magic and coles and and and [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70394-bawlout.gif[/img]

[MrsBlue]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

<font color="blue">I'm still working on it, coolbeans. Don't think I'll get much further tonight because I'm here at work until 9.

Just to throw this in, one theme that I noticed from early on was mental illness. Lana and Eileen were obvious, but also Rebecca's mother and father. Both seemed to suffer from PTSD. Be back after reading more... </font>

[SandiF]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

It's about 4 years that I read this book and digging into my memory bank...

The story would not be complete if it did not have the beauty contest part ... just showed how Jamaica's upper-class society is fixated on grooming their daughters to be the next 'Miss Jamaica'.

[SandiF]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

Lana is based on a real person but it's not the author. Much of the characters whose name show in the family tree were loosely based on real individuals. Me know a few of them...

The ending of the story did not quite fit the upper-class mold...i.e., how the woman (was it Lana?) "run wey" from Jamaica using a fake passport at a small/unknown airstrip in St. Ann.

I saw Lana (was she the main femal character?) as predictable...rebellious, yes...was she the one who flirted with the gardener...and wanted to "explore" the downtown world? I probably should go read the book again..

[Gen]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

all those characters in the family tree didn't take away from the book...didn't add anything either...

in fact I skipped the last 2...Roy and Lana's father...

[Gen]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

[ QUOTE ]


"Monica took the gun from her desk and went outside. The crowd hushed when they saw her. Then somebody shouted: 'Look ya, John Wayne,' and there was laughter. Monica picked up one of the rocks that had been thrown and the crowd grew quiet again. 'Is this I mus tek mek bread? I mus mek bread from stone?' [...] A man ran to the fron of the crowd and hurled a rock. It flew a few inches past her head, shattering a window. Monica shot the man. [...] She turned again to Faye, 'Gwan invite you Cuban friend dem. Mek America come bomb we. Bun down de place. You know what?' She settles back comfortably in her chair. 'Me go stay right-ya-so same way.'"



[/ QUOTE ]

one of my fav parts in the book...Monica [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70409-waytogo.gif[/img]

so like a yardy to always want to teach a lesson [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img] the govt increased the taxes on imported flour...so Monica decides to leave her shipment at the wharf, shut down the bakery and add to the already volatile atmoshphere...it's as if she was hoping to incite the crowd into something bigger...no bread..leading to riots and hence the govt would back down on the increased taxes...

yuh want bread...gwaan guh tell manley [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img]

aye sah [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[SistahD]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

(((MGal))) don't forget some add'l background can be found in the Discussion archives when the author visited

[Magician]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

I finish the book just now. Bwai I tell you, even thou I read it many times before, you forget some parts. Like when dem stone Sonny. Mi neva 'memba dat. Or how Jean lick down the soljah an dem shot up di man. Bwai I cuss some bad wud pon mi balcony today weh mi rea dat. Cho! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

I soon come with some questions fi unu.
Dis ya book nice, don't? [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70409-waytogo.gif[/img]

[Magician]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

[ QUOTE ]
So many things happen to her[Lana]! mi a try find a jamaican proverb that best describes her ability to attract trouble...

[/ QUOTE ]

I know seh this is not exactly what you were referring to, but this one can work for Lana...
Pretty roses got macca jook



SandiF, cho nuh man, yuh have it mixup mixup. Read de book again!



[ QUOTE ]
all those characters in the family tree didn't take away from the book...didn't add anything either...

[/ QUOTE ]

Geneva, man those characters was what half the story is about. And the ones you skipped, Roy and Deepa, explained a lot.


[ QUOTE ]
picking up on the relationship between Paul and Jean - do you think the romantic relationships depicted in the book ring true?

[/ QUOTE ]

No man. Paul an Jean shoulda end up togedda from long time. The author try to justify their incompatibility with this:

"He offered solace from the various worries and loneliness of her life. But worry and loneliness could not be her life. His was not a healing love but a consoling one, and theirs was not a hopeful bond with each other and the land they loved, but a fey paradise."

I don't buy this. Life will have hardship and you need somebody that will be there for you. And they got along alright in good times as well as bad times. It's Jean fault that she didn't pursue Paul. She didn't go after what she wanted, and ended up with a fat old married white man. Cho!



[ QUOTE ]
By that I mean that the novel lacks counterbalancing descriptions of the way poor urban Jamaicans live.
Is this a failing in the novel? Would it have benefitted from more exploration (and resulting contrast) of ghetto life?

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think that was the object of the book. We were following the trials of this family through the generations and how it relates to the trials of the country. Theres plenty on poor people in the country (Docta Wife, Mary) because that's where they came from. After they got to Town, they had money, whether by marriage like Monica, or hard work of their ancestors like Mr. Ho Sing's pickney.

[SandiF]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

Mi request the book from the library, so tomorrow I'm getting it...no doubt I'll enjoy it as the first time around.

I think for some of us (if not, most) the book highlight a stigma in our Jamaica society, that of parent-child relationship ... it like a a cold-comfort. The comfort that they (as in Monica) provide shelter, food, schooling. The coldness (towards Lana) is on an emotional level in which the parent open display of love and affection is not readily/openly shown...more withdrawn.

[Magician]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

[ QUOTE ]
the book highlight a stigma in our Jamaica society, that of parent-child relationship ... it like a a cold-comfort.

[/ QUOTE ]

Monica represents that parent-child relationship, but there are other characters in the book that are just the opposite. Roy, Mary, and to an extent Cherry break that common mold and go above and beyond. In a way those three are what kept the family together throughout the different trials.

[Magician]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

Where did everybody go?

[Gen]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

see mi yah..dwl

Monica....I liked her character very much...just wish she hadn't disliked Lana so much..then again ...I am not sure if was intense dislike..or more a matter of parents knowing what's best for a child..and not wanting Lana to make the same mistake she did as a teen when she got pregnant

strong woman