Official True History of Paradise discussion

[Sisda]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

Ive been absent again and only just seen the thread. Just ordered my copy so wont joine in till at least 6 days, (hopefully)

[Hopyoneson]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

But is my analogy so way off, I am interpreting the book so this is by no means how I feel about the country. I hesitated to put it out there and did not post but mi just run with it afta mi see cools a ask bout whe mi did a think. I was about to go the garden of Eden biblical route but that might be even more controversial and we so close to faith and reason forum already. What is the story about to you Evan?

[evanovitch]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

[ QUOTE ]
But is my analogy so way off, I am interpreting the book so this is by no means how I feel about the country. I hesitated to put it out there and did not post but mi just run with it afta mi see cools a ask bout whe mi did a think. I was about to go the garden of Eden biblical route but that might be even more controversial and we so close to faith and reason forum already. What is the story about to you Evan?

[/ QUOTE ]

well written piece of fiction that has well developed themes...characters r a composite of many Jamaicans, not necessarily any particular ones....behaviour of characters run the gamut of the social class...people at the 'bottom' juss as distant wid dem progeny as those at the top...in sum a fabulous addition to our literary legacy....

the writer especially is a credit her secondary education [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] i can see the hand of one special teacher

[Gen]

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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interesting analogy star [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70402-thinking.gif[/img]

all the love mi a love this place ...it juss nah show mi nuh love in return [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70402-thinking.gif[/img]

[mountaingal]

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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interesting [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70402-thinking.gif[/img] and yet Dr. Woman, Mr. HoSing and even Monica found salvation (of different sorts) in Jamaica. How do you see their stories, K20?

the redemptive power of the land in Jamaica is a constant, don't you think? if it was not achieved, it was due to machinations of human beings. i'm not recalling totally daniel stern's story, but even he was able to better himself through the land, he just got stuck with a mad wife.

Jean, on her slow flight from Jamaica, remarked on the greenness, which holds in it the power to heal if allowed to. it is the raw and rough urban experience that has shegged up Jamaica throughout history, no?

[Hopyoneson]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

In the context of the book only, lets establish that upfront, Dr. Wife lost everything, followed a man to a strange land, she lost him to a river, but had lost him also to the many women he slept with, was forced to live a very hard life not what she was used to in this very beautiful yet enigmatic country, her child was also trapped in poverty betrayed by her mothers lust for this dark stranger that she gave up the comforts of England and set in motion the events up till present.

Ho Sing got his shop burnt to the ground by the very customers he served.

Monica's life was filled with the loss of a lover, husband, daughters, maybe eventually her life as it appeared deaths evil hand was going to envelope anyone who stayed in that house on Jacks Hill.

The constant theme of betryal is evident and the seductive beauty of the island blinds most of the characters, like a drunken parent who sobers up and gently caress your hair and face and promise never to harm you again, and you want to believe them but in the back of your mind you know what is coming after the next night of boozing.

When they came and hung the pastor for his "role" in the Morant Bay rebellion and he thought about his grandmother who was also hanged by the son of the man who fathered the preachers father, that was when I realized the true history of paradise is betrayal.

On a good day... Hell probably looks like the Jamaica presented in that book.

[Magician]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

What do you think is the significance of Lana baby's name.... Claude Roy Dipanjan Ramcharan. Especially the Roy before Deepa part? [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70402-thinking.gif[/img]

[mountaingal]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

Magic, to be honest, Lana's child never even registered with me, but I'd say that putting the child's step gradfather's name before the biological grandfather's name reflected yet one more effort by Lana to get close to Monica.

[mountaingal]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

I think we've reached a natural end to this discussion, and I'd like to thank everyone for participating. I truly enjoyed the insights that people gave into this book, and am glad that i read it again.

My co-mod ColeS was hoping to find some time to join in, and for her sake, I'll leave it open.

[jaith]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

thanks everyone for calling my attention to this book.

i haven't taken the time to read a whole book for a looong time...something caught my eye down here...i ordered the book off amazon.com....(fer 38 cents....what a steal)....just finished reading & it was a wonderful book.

again....thanks to the author & all of you for the discussion.

[Magician]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

[ QUOTE ]
Magic, to be honest, Lana's child never even registered with me, but I'd say that putting the child's step gradfather's name before the biological grandfather's name reflected yet one more effort by Lana to get close to Monica.

[/ QUOTE ]

Never thought of it that way. I fugured that since Roy was there more when Lana was growing up, and helped Lana leave the country, she liked him more than Deepa who was an "absentee father" who made up for it in gifts.

But I can see how she wanted to impress Monica with the pickney name. Make sense.

[seemiyah]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

Well considering how Monica hated Deepa putting his name any atall in the childs name is a stab at Monica since she wouldn't find it endearing having another 'Deepa' around. That being said I think she just put it in order of what the men meant to her so Roy came first.

A couple post back I asked about Faye any thoughts on her character?

[Magician]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

Bwai Faye nuh easy at all.

Since she suffer a lot of trials and pain as a child, it affected her as an adult. She had difficulties with everyday chores and when she grew up she overcompensated by not being held back by life's other challenges.

People that overcome adversity tend to get the "if it doesn't kill you, it only make you stronger" attitude. The violance and problems of that time were not a concern to Faye. She thought she was invincible. The threats against her theatre and her being 'lebanese' did't affect her like it normally would other people.

When all of Kingston was installing grillwork, Faye wasn't. She paid the price of loosing her girlfriend and almost loosing her life.

[Gen]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

Faye...so kill har dead she was determined to show JA and the rest of the world that she "was a Jamaican and that she belonged there".

Radical to the 10th power..

Faye, like Monica was determined not to allow the escalating violence dictate how and where she should live.

[Magician]

Re: Official True History of Paradise discussion

She was radical that for sure.

So another question to think about...

With Roy being Orange and Monica Green, do you think that the balance of between PNP and JLP was kept even, or does the book show favouritism towards one side or the other?

How does the author's background play into this? [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70402-thinking.gif[/img]