Official True History of Paradise discussion

[CeaBee]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

It's the first time I have ever heard anyone say that they like Monica.

bwoy she a bit too cold and unbending for my liking. I guess if I really dig (deep), I can understand the motivation for her behaviour...but like..? [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70402-thinking.gif[/img]

[Magician]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

I like Monica too. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I know she got her faults, but you can't help but like someone with charisma like this.

Check the part when she deal with Delly's new girlfriend....


"I decide is time fe show de likkle wretch whose lawn she waterin'."

"But Monica, you have to be careful who you cross nowadays," Errol's lady friend said. "Life cheap. Gunman fi hire[...]"

"Chu, mi no 'fraid. Is she fe worry bout me[...]"

"I say to Delly, If I ketch you wid another woman again, I goin' shorten you ole age."

[img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img]

[CeaBee]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

I think that just shows how arrogant she is

After the way she treated her daughter, i just can't like her. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[Magician]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

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I think that just shows how arrogant she is


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There's a fine line between arrogant and having an edge.
Not to say Monica didn't cross that line. But mi jus love a woman with an edge! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70377-loveeyes.gif[/img]

[mountaingal]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

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Where did everybody go?

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mi try 3 times this morning fi post and the blasted board wouldn't tek dem.

[mountaingal]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

i admire monica, but like her - not sure. in fact, i'm having a hard time liking any of the contemporary characters. each seems to have some weakness that in the end overcomes whatever good character they have.

Paul [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70400-talktohand.gif[/img] steady as a rock, yet just as exciting - can't even bring himself to hit on Jean and "comfort" her lickle when she frighten.

[Magician]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

Yuh si mi. But I went an re-read the discussion we had with MCT a few years back and she said in there that if all the characters were nice and not damaged goods then the book would be boring. She have a point there. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70402-thinking.gif[/img]

So.. I think that the least damaged character of them all was Roy. Is wah unu tink bout dat? Roy was a very good father, he try to counterbalance Monica and Lana, and basically nuttin nuh really wrong wid im. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70409-waytogo.gif[/img]

But di rest a dem, lawd ave mercy, if is not one ting is annada! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[mountaingal]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

Yes, Roy had some good points, but in the end was naive - remember his sense of betrayal when dem tief him spear - he thought it was the symbol of his unity with black Jamaicans - a unity that i guess he felt noble about choosing.

[Gen]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

I hear what unnu saying bout monica but..she remind mi of most jamaicans mi come crass...nobaddy can't mess wid har....even if it was all mouth...even though Monica was married to Roy...most of the times she behaved like a single parent...making most if not all decisions...working hard...and barely spending time with the children (not saying that all single parents do this)...but even when she had Roy...it's like she was "alone".....and I suspect that even if she had married her true love...her character would still tun out the same

and Roy..believe you me ...Roy remind mi of somebody that I know...married to a woman similar to Monica...

Roy was a good, loving father, the kind that would spoil a child...however , he was very naive...

yeyewata come a mi yeye dem when mi membah the spear weh dem tief [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img]

[CeaBee]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

do you think that Monica loved anyone? We know that she didn't love either her husband or boyfriend (except for Deepak- maybe. But I also question how deep that love could have been at 17- did Deepak's rejection simply hurt her pride?).

[Gen]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

like you said she was 17 so what could she possibly know at that time of true love...

I don't think Monica was capable of that...she was raised by her Mother...and had it hard in the country...so from a very early age it was all about

"yuh think nubaddy gwine tek care a yuh..yuh haffi tek care a yuhself" and this prevented her from simply "letting go" and allowing anyone inside

fear of abandonment

[Magician]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

Man dese ppl wrong fi teef Roy spear. Cho! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img] Certin ting yuh juss don't teef from smaddy.

Yeah Roy was naive, a dreamer Monica called him, but is that really that bad of a trait? I think Roy was alright. It's just all the other people around him were crazy and his normalness stood out.

[seemiyah]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

Roy was alright he balanced out Monica to a certain extent as it was because of him (I think) that Lana came to live with them or I am sure Monica would have left her in the country. And he also gave Jean her sense of history and knowledge of the island by taking her places.

What about some of the other characters in the book? What oonu think of Faye? Do you think she embraced the cultural changes so rapidly so that she could fit in with 'black' jamaica and prove she was jamaican too? What about her mother Dr. Galdy and her decision to leave?

[Hopyoneson]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

The True History of Paradise in my opinion is a story about the history of Jamaica shown through the eyes of characters who symbolize the “bastard” children of the land fathered by many different lovers (Africa, China, Europe, India etc). Like any economically challenged parent the island is unable to care for her offsprings and a love hate relationship ensues as the characters/children deal with the feelings of love that we all have inherent for a parent and the hate that comes from the realization that your parent has basically abandoned you to fend for yourself. The children of this union in order to save themself eventually flee from this beautiful yet destructive parent who will betray them at a moments notice, symbolized wonderfully by Monica Stern and Deepa’s bastard child Lana and Jean Landing. The only characters to save themselves ended up leaving the country Jean and Daniel Stern. The love that is felt towards the parent is not love in the context that we are used to, because as stated by Daniel in Jamaica, love is not betrayed but betrayal.

[evanovitch]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

[ QUOTE ]
The True History of Paradise in my opinion is a story about the history of Jamaica shown through the eyes of characters who symbolize the “bastard” children of the land fathered by many different lovers (Africa, China, Europe, India etc). Like any economically challenged parent the island is unable to care for her offsprings and a love hate relationship ensues as the characters/children deal with the feelings of love that we all have inherent for a parent and the hate that comes from the realization that your parent has basically abandoned you to fend for yourself. The children of this union in order to save themself eventually flee from this beautiful yet destructive parent who will betray them at a moments notice, symbolized wonderfully by Monica Stern and Deepa’s bastard child Lana and Jean Landing. The only characters to save themselves ended up leaving the country Jean and Daniel Stern. The love that is felt towards the parent is not love in the context that we are used to, because as stated by Daniel in Jamaica, love is not betrayed but betrayal.

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dang star...tawk about projection while reading a work of fiction....so is it Jamaica that betrays or the people who purport to love Jamaica who betray Jamaica