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English B Portfolio: Analysis & Themes

Mary Howard wrote an English B portfolio analyzing Langston Hughes' short story "Berry". The portfolio contained a summary of the plot, which followed a young black man named Berry who is overworked and underpaid at a children's home. It also analyzed themes of racism, injustice, and love in the story. The setting included the children's home and surrounding areas. Character analyses focused on Berry as well as racist characters like the housekeeper and doctor.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
41 views37 pages

English B Portfolio: Analysis & Themes

Mary Howard wrote an English B portfolio analyzing Langston Hughes' short story "Berry". The portfolio contained a summary of the plot, which followed a young black man named Berry who is overworked and underpaid at a children's home. It also analyzed themes of racism, injustice, and love in the story. The setting included the children's home and surrounding areas. Character analyses focused on Berry as well as racist characters like the housekeeper and doctor.

Uploaded by

Mary Howard
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

English B portfolio

NAME: MARY HOWARD

GRADE: 10 BUSINESS

SUBJECT: ENGLISH B
English B portfolio

CONTENT PAGE

BERRY………. LANGSTON HUGHES

MINT TEA………….. CHRISTINE CRAIG

WHAT HAPPENED? ……… AUSTIN C. CLARKE

GEORGIA ANDTHERE………. VELMA POLLARD


UNITED STATES

THE TWO GRANDMOTHERS…….. OLIVE SENIOR

MOM LUBY ANDTHE ……… KRISTIAN HUNTER


SOCIAL WORKER

TO DA- DUH, IN ……….. PAULE MARSHALL


MEMORIAL
English B portfolio

BERRY BY LANGSTON HUGHES

BACKGROUND OF THE AUTHOR

Langston Hughes was one of the leading African American writers. using
every genre of writing such as poetry,fiction,drama,essays and journalism
to convey in an accessible and memorable [Link] different facets of
the experience of being black in American, he traveled widely through
out his youth visiting places such as Mexico,Africa,Europe and the
Caribbean and was influenced by the various literary and musical
traditions He was born in Missouri in 1901, but his parents separated and
he lived with his grandmother in Kansas, where he developed a love for
reading and writing.

ANALYSIS

This short story contains themes of racism,laziness,injustice and love


The story Berry is about the young black man called Millberry Jones.
who was employed at Doctor Renfield’s home for cripple children which
was referred to as a sanatorium. He was reluctantly employed by Mrs
Osborne the housekeeper of the children home because the former
kitchen boy had left we told notice leaving her no choice but to hire Berry
who was colored . For it was because of berry’s ethnicity he was placed
in a different area away from the other workers and reduction in salary
which was decided by Doctor Renfield and Mrs [Link] was
overworked and under paid but took it because he loves the children at
the [Link] Unfortunate incident happened when a child fell from his
wheelchair while berry was playing with him this caused berry to loose
his job and his last week of pay ,and left the country side of jersey and
went to the city.
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SETTING
THERE ARE VARIOUS SETTINGS IN THE SHORT STORY THE
ARE:
Train station
Sanatorium( Doctor Renfeild’s summer home for crippled
children)
Doctor Renfield cottage
The board screen porch
Beach
Clinic
Doctor Renfields office

CHARACTER AND CHARACTERSITION

Millbury Jones (berry)

An African American man from Georgia who was uneducated strong


good natured and has southern accent (also seems to be in his 20s) . he is
caring and has a good intuition and he also hates dishonesty.

[Link]

The house keeper of the children’s home,she is rumored to have a crush


on Dr .[Link] is racist.

[Link]

He is married and is rumored to be having affairs with his staff and is


scampish and racist person.

Handyman
He is lazy and unreliable

Mrs Baxter
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She likes to gossip and complaining about the food and the little brats
under her care was cranky

THEMES

There are several themes that are in the short story berry the are: Love
Injustice
Racism
Laziness

Love -is portrait through the connection that Millberry has with the
children in the story we know that it was because of the love he felt for
the children He stayed and dealt with the racism and the fact that he was
overworked we know that loved works too way you give love and you
receive love which it was showing through the actions and emotions of
Millberry and the children at the home.

Injustice-an injustice happened when berry was fired and wasn’t even
given the chance to explain what happened when the accident occurred
his pay was taken away from him he was overworked and underpaid we
can we can conclude that this these actions were unjust and on fair

Racism- Millberry experienced terrorism throughout the story even at the


beginning when Miss Osborne went to pick up her new member of staff
she was shocked and worried because Millberry was colored because of
racism his pay was different from the previous kitchen boy he was called
racial slurs behind his back and in front of him

Laziness-the waitress in the story was so lazy that she couldn’t even put
ice in her water and the staff became so late so laid back and let Millbury
do all the hard work so therefore you see the theme of laziness.
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Narrative technique

Flashback- we see the use of the flash back narrative when we are taken
back to the time Millberry was unemployed ,hungry and in need of work
in Newark and jersey city.

Imagary- Is used to give the readers a description of doctor Renfield who


had “turned his young but bearded face toward Mrs Osborn, cast his great
dark eyes upon he”. For this clear description creates an image of doctor
Renfield in the reader’s mind.

Hyperbole - “New young moon rising” we know that the moon isn’t
young or new the author used the hyperbole to tell the reader that night
there was a full moon.

POINT OF VIEW
The story was narrated by a third person

HOW I FELL ABOUT THE STORY


Millberry (also none as berry) was a bit complicit in the story for he could
have help the children by being a whistle blower (a person who reports a
company’s wrong doing to the authority) in the story for he for he had
intuition that there was something wrong going on in doctor Renfields
summer home for crippled children . however this could not have been
possible for we do not know the time period in story and people were
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prejudice against against African American. he may have even faced
lynching if he reported / ratted out doctor Renfield . Doctor Renfield
was a scampish man but however he was running a business and in a
business you try and make a profit. This is a typical case of when good
people do nothing .

MINT TEA BY CHRISTINE CRAIG

Christine Craig is a Jamaican who has published children’s fiction,a


range of non-fiction material on feministAnd help topics as well as the
poetry and short stories for which she is best [Link] short stories and
poems have been published in Caribbean, British and American
anthologies and journals. In 1989 she was awarded a Fellowship to the
International Writer’s Program at the University of Iowa in Iowa City,
Iowa. 
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Analysis

THEMES
The themes in the short story mint tea is: loneliness
Charity
Innocence
Pity
loss
.
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The theme of loss is prevalent for both main characters


esime and Florence have lost persons who they have
deeply cared about . This is affecting them for they have
not processed this loss .

The theme loneliness is there for Florence family


members have all passed away and she is retired She has
a chick nor a child to take care of or anyone who is
looking after her , while esmie has no parents for she is
an orphaned orphan She doesn’t have anyone to turn too.
Both of the character are lonley.

Charity-charity is played out in the story through Miss


Gates actions For she takes in the an orphan esmie and
gives her a warm pleased to stay food, and tries to help
her out which are all charitable acts.
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CHARACTERS/ CHARACTERZING
There are several characters the are: Esmie
Miss gates
Annie

ESIME- is an eighteen year old girl who’s full name is esime grant. she is
an orphan that was kicked out of haven home . she is described as a tidy,
neat person with an underdeveloped sole who could barely read and
write with no special skills. However she had a voice that was beautiful.

Miss gate-who are also goes as Florence She is a retired teacher. she
always goes to church on [Link] has become a lonely muddled old
woman. However she tries to keep an active body and mind do by doing
task around her house .She mostly reminisced on the memories of the
past mostly her childhood. She knows how to play the piano and sing

Annie- Annie was the sister of Florence, she is described as having


having dark almond shape eyes with perfect wings of her eyebrow annie
ran away with an American who who is a geologist and athesis she ran
away with him when she was only 17 years old. She knows how to play
the piano and sing .we know that in the story is dead and only had has a
child .
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Setting
The are several settings in the story there are: the gate
The verandah
Inside the house
Church

Narrative technique
There are several narrative techniques used in the story they are flashback
symbolism

Symbolism-It may also be a case that Craig is using the flowers


mentioned in the story to symbolise happiness for Florence. Just as the
flowers were in full bloom. Florence may have felt as though her own life
was in full bloom. She was surrounded by family without a care in the
world. Her family were alive
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Flashback-Flashback is often used in the short store In this short story far
we are always taken back to miss pause for example The time she was
getting ready to go to the town hall wake her sister Annie.

Point view -he story was narrated in the third person by an unnamed
narrator

How I feel about the story


I feel sad about this story for Mrs Gates esime have no
one to rely on for both of their relatives are dead the both
suffer from grief and trauma .
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WHAT HAPPENED

Authors background

Austin c . Clark a Canadian author of Barbadian


parentage was novelist,short story writer and a
journalist .He won in 2002 the Scotiabank Giller Prize
for his novel the polished hoe. he was based in Toronto
Ontario [Link] was also born in Saint James
Barbados on the 26th of July 1934 . Much of his
concerned itself with the experience of West Indians in
the country to which they had migrated too

Analysis
In what happened by Austin Clark we have the theme of
racism love friendship friendship and education the story
is narrated in person persons by an on name narrator In
the story henry found it hard to get an apartment for
himself and his wife Agatha who is Jewish because of his
skin [Link] has a friend named Boyise who he
would often complain too about his wife’s collection of
books and habits [ such as typing essays on the
typewriting machine at ungodly hours in the morning ]
which drives him mad. Agatha’s family disagreed with
the marriage of her and Henry for it was an interracial
marriage and in those signs interracial marriage which
was looked down upon .although Henry complains about
his wife education and habits we know that he loves her
and she loves him.
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Setting
There are several places where the story takes place they
are an apartment ( Toronto) a bar (Toronto)

Characters and characterization


Henry - West Indian man of Black Heritage . henry is a
person who experience races and doesn’t know how to
deal with it he likes to gumble and drink he doesn’t like
to see anything that is related the education are black
people for it makes him upset.

Boysie-he is the friend of the main character in the story


he is married He it’s a realist and believe In the
importance of Education

Agatha- whose full name is Agatha Barbara Sellman


[Link] has a Fetish(Obsessed ) for black people . shoe
is a woman who is Jewish and has a massive collection
of books is a budding academic person .

Themes
There are several themes in the story they are racism love
friend love friendship And education,
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Point of view
The story was narrated bu a third person.

How I feel about the story


I feel disgusted shock I’m horror hardest story is just
completely full of toxic people henry who house history
towards white people but is married to a white woman
and then Henry’s wife Agatha who is obsessed and has a
fetish of black people Henry’s best friend boyise May
even a crush on his wife for he admires her academic
achievements intelligence and love of books.
Georgia them and their united state

Authors background
Velma pollard is a Jamaican poet, she was born in St
Catherine, Jamaica, On 26,1937, she is currently a retired
senior lecturer at the univeristy of west indies.

Analysis
In Georgia and them their united states by Velma
[Link] have the theme of disconnect, connection,
pride, shame and the American [Link] in first
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person perspective by a young Jamaican girl called
[Link] aunt teach appears to be discontent with life in
Jamacia. She has nothing good to say about her
motherland. A contrast from what she thinks of
[Link] is nothing like what aunt teach to her,
Georgia herself also seems to be impressed with
[Link] is a world that is alien to june and
remains unexciting and she knows that her real home is
in Jamacia. Unlike her aunt teach who has immersed
herself fully in her new home.

setting
The settings of Georgia them and their united states are
Jamaica, New York, Brooklyn

Characters and Characterizing

June-_She is the narrator of the story and lives in


Jamaica with her mom and siblings, she had a great
attachment to the nature of the carribean (Jamaica)

Leticia-The aunt who lives in the Bronx in New York


(the state)

Georgia-June’s cousin who lives with her mother in New


[Link] where makeup excessively.
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THEMES
The themes of Georgia them and their united state they
are disconnect, connect, self love .

Disconnectthis is culture to the character auntie teach


who who is disconnected from her country
Pride is shown -through the character June For she
takes pride in being Jamaican first you love the nature of
Jamaica and

self love - june’s short hair is a testament to her


confidence and self and love of self She is not daunted
by her aunt dismissal of her look On the other hand ,
June, sister had warned her that in America the wigs are
black woman’s good morning White America How are
you doing before coffee before prayers if any before
good morning to your black mother who sleeping in the
bed next to you

Narrative techniques
There are several narrative techniques used in this used
in this story they are symbolism and the metaphors

Symbolism - the aunt teach where’s is a wig that is a


symbol of her in assimilation into western culture more
specifically American culture by wearing a wig team I’m
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teach rejects her Jamaican roots by her acquisition of a
citizenship in America .

Metaphor- is used in the story to criticize the American


lifestyle for example When sister had warned her about
called by saying wigs are black woman’s good morning
White America How are you doing before coffee pairs if
any before saying Good morning to your black mother
who is sleeping in the bed next year

Point of view
This story is narrated in first person perspective by the
main character June .

How I feel about this story


I feel that this story represented of the harsh truth above
west Indian people when the migrate to the united States
of America and experiences that they face and the
changes that they undergo to become more American for
some of them may even distance themselves from their
original roots [ west Indian heritage ] they have to
change their self to blend in to the American culture
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THE TWO GRANDMOTHERS

Author’s Background

olive senior was born in 1941 in Jamaica and and she


spent her early years in the rural parishes of Trelawany
and westmoreland .The two collections of short story in
particular have established her as a significant voice in
temporary Caribbean writing . she attended Montego Bay
High School, and then went on to study journalism in
Cardiff Commonwealth. She’s then study on carlton
University in Oxford Well she currently lives in Canada
but visit Jamaica regularly.

Analysis
Grandam Dell and Grandma Elaine who are knowed as
the Towser are the two grandmothers in the narrative, and the story begin
s with a little girl telling her mother about her experiences with them. . 
Grandma Dell is her ‘country’ grandma, who lives in rural Jamaica, keeps 
cattle, serves her community, attends church with her granddaughter, and 
adores her granddaughter’s ‘beautiful’ complexion and [Link] ‘town’ gr
andma, on the other hand, is Grandma [Link] has been married sever
al times, is a socialite who dates affluent men, travels often, and is highly 
conscious of her physical beauty. Initially, the granddaughter favours her
rural grandma, who was always attentive to her needs and ‘enjoyed
showing her off to her friends and neighbour’s. However, as the novel
unfolds and the narrator becomes older and wiser, she comes to
appreciate her town grandma, who is more cosmopolitan and materially
minded. Her new attitude toward Grandma Dell, on the other hand,
coincides with a new attitude toward her rural pals. They are no longer
awe-inspiring figures, but females who are looked down upon as ‘less
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than.’ The novel concludes with the adolescent narrator suggesting that
her family spend a day with her rural grandmother, after which she would
be looked after until next year, allowing them to spend more time with
Towser (Grandma Elaine) and engage in more exciting adventures.

Setting

The story takes places in three places the are:rural


jamaica, kingston and clearwater in the united states in
the 1989s.

Characters& characterization

Grandma dell
Traditional/ old fashion
A christian woman and simple in her out look on life.
She was never married , never dates and is prejudiced,
hypocritical and has a blunt personality.

Grandma Elaine (Towser)


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

THEMES
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There are themes of prejudice,colourism and women

Racial prejudice

This theme is highlighted by Grandma Elaine/ Towser 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.’ and skin tone;
‘Joyce says Grandma is sorry I came out dark because she is almost a
white lady and I am really dark.’ The grandmother’s preoccupation with
the fact that her granddaughter 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?’

Coloursim

Colorism is shown through the story by the comments of joyce who says
Grandma is sorry I came out dark because she is almost a white lady I am
really dark that is a repercussion that the fact that her granddaughter has
predominately black features and highlight the fact that having a light
skintone is more preferable in society .
Women
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 statuses
and financial backgrounds, and all of them contribute to this theme.
Grandma Elaine is of high social status and she treats grandma Del, who
is of 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

Point of view
The story is narrated in first person perspective
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How I fell about the story

I fell that the story highlighted the two types of women


in society one where we have the materialistic women
who live elite and expensive lifestyle and on the other
hand we have the simple minded church oriented
woman who is domesticated and their impact on a
persons life

Narrative technique
Smile
Flash back

Mom Luby and the social worker

Author’s background
Christina hunter [on 1931 title one in Philadelphia] she
began the writing career career at 14 as a columnist for
the Pittsburgh career She has written books for young
people and adult novel . She rolled under the name
hunter Lattany. she is best known for her first novel God
bless the child published in 1964
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Analysis
"Mom Luby and the Social Worker" tells the story of an elderly woman
named Mom Luby who runs a speakeasy in the Prohibition era and
fosters two young children, Elijah and Puddin'. A social worker, Miss
Rushmore, visits one day to check on the conditions of the foster home.
She requests that Mom Luby fill out forms and asks when she buys
clothing for her children. In response, Mom Luby lists off the chores she
does each day to explain to Miss Rushmore why she hadn't had time to
pick up clothing. The list is so long that Miss Rushmore doesn't believe
her, so she asks to accompany Mom Luby on her errands. The two leave
and return two hours later, with Miss Rushmore shocked at how much
Mom Luby accomplished in that period of time. Miss Rushmore then
concludes that Mom Luby does not need further examination or
assistance because her level of productivity shows she is a successful
foster parent

Setting
Is on devision street in an american city

Characters and characterizing


Elijah-is thirteen years old he is an observant narrotar with asense of
humor and eye for detail.

Puddin he is also know as arletha she is five years old she is fat and loves
big people company
Mom Luby- she is a foster mother she is a community woman.
She commits crimes for the sake of children

Miss rushmore- she is a social worker that represents the state

Themes
There are Chevron themes in the story They are informal adoption
meetings meetings your system
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Point of view
The authors narrator is ellijah he narrate the story two first person
perspective herecords what he knows and enjoys the humor and irony of
the story.

How I feel about the story


I feel that the story show the necessary length a mother whether foster or
biological l go would go too to make sure her children are alright

TO DA - DUH IN MEMORIAN BY PAULE MARSHAL

Authors back ground


Paule marshal, original name Valenza Pauline Burke, (born April 9, 1929,
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.—died August 12, 2019, Richmond, Virginia),
American novelist whose works emphasized a need for black Americans
to reclaim their African heritage. The Barbadian backgroun of Burke’s
parents informed all of her work.

Analysis

To Da-Duh,in Memoriam is an autobiographical story told from the point


of view of an adult looking aback on a childhood memory . The story
opens as a 9 year old narrator , along with his sister and mother
Disembarks from a boat doctors broad time to Bridgetown, Barbados, It
is 1937and the family has come to visit from their home in [Link]
narrator’s mother first left barbados fifteen years ago and the narrator has
never met her grandmotherDa-duh.
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Although an old woman, the narrator’s grandmother is lively and sharp.
When she meets her grandchildren, Da-duh examines them. She calls the
narrator’s older sister ‘‘lucky,’’ but she silently looks at the narrator,
calling the child ‘‘fierce.’’ She takes the narrator by the hand and leads
the family outside where the rest of the relatives are waiting. The family
gets in the truck that takes them through Bridgetown and back to Da-
duh’s home inAlthough an old woman, the narrator’s grandmother is
lively and sharp. When she meets her grandchildren, Da-duh examines
them. She calls the narrator’s older sister ‘‘lucky,’’ but she silently looks
at the narrator, calling the child ‘‘fierce.’’ She takes the narrator by the
hand and leads the family outside where the rest of the relatives are
waiting. The family gets in the truck that takes them through Bridgetown
and back to Da-duh’s home in St. Thomas.

The next day, Da-duh takes the narrator out to show her the land covered
with fruit orchards and sugar cane. Da-duh asks the narrator if there is
anything as nice in Brooklyn, and the narrator says no. Da-duh says that
she has heard that there are no trees in New York, but then asks the
narrator to describe snow. The narrator takes advantage of this
opportunity to impress Da-duh with all the things that New York does
have, and she describes the snow as falling higher than Da-duh’s house
and cold enough to freeze a person. Then the narrator decides to show her
grandmother popular dances from America and sing popular songs. When
the performance ends, Da-duh stares at the narrator as if she came from
another planet, but then smiles and gives her a penny to buy candy.

For the remainder of the visit, the narrator spends most of her time with
her grandmother. They walk among the sugar cane, and the narrator tells
Da-duh all about New York, describing the world of the city with its
buildings, machines, and modern appliances. The narrator can sense her
grandmother’s fear at hearing about all of these signs of urbanity. The
narrator even tells Da-duh that in New York she beats up white girls, a
remark which leaves Da-duh speechless.

Toward the end of the visit, Da-duh takes her granddaughter to see a very
tall palm tree. She asks the child if they have anything as tall in New
York. The narrator almost wishes that she could say no, but she tells her
about the Empire State building, the tallest building in the world and over
one hundred stories high. Da-duh gets angry and accuses her
granddaughter of lying. The narrator says that she will send a postcard of
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the Empire State building when she gets home. Da-duh realizes that she
has been defeated. They return to the house, Da-duh looking uncertain
and the narrator feeling triumphant but sad.

The next morning, Da-duh doesn’t feel well. The narrator sings for
her until breakfast. Then the two take their customary walk, but it is
short and dispirited. At home again, Da-duh spends the rest of the
afternoon napping. This pattern continues until the family returns to
Brooklyn. On the day of their departure, Da-duh reminds her
granddaughter to send the postcard.

However, by the time the narrator mails the postcard, Da-duh has
died. Shortly after the family left, riots in Bridgetown took place. To
quell the protest, the British sent planes to fly over the island and
scare the people. Everyone in the village fled into the cane fields for
safety, with the exception of Da-duh; she stayed in the house and
watched the plans swoop down. The narrator imagines that, to her
grandmother, it must have seemed that the planes were going to
come right at her, in her house. When the planes withdraw and the
villagers return, they find Da-duh dead in her chair by the window.

The narrator recalls how she always remembered her Da-duh. As an


adult, she does penance for how she treated her grandmother,
living in a downtown loft in New York and painting pictures of the
sugar cane while the machines downstairs thunder noisily.

Themes

Conflict pride acceptance and rivalry

Point of view
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First persons narrator explores the theme of conflict between the narrator
and da-duh, New York city(urban) and Da-duh in St Thomas(rural),

Setting

There are several settings in the story they


are:Bridgetown in the 1997 and saint Thomas pariash

CHARACTER/CHARACTERZING

The narrator is the granddaughter she lives in brooklyn she has a sturbon
personality she has a fierce look.

Da-duh is the narrator’s eighty-year-old grandmother. She has lived her


whole life on Barbados and is confident and proud of her lifestyle,
surroundings, and ways of looking at the world. She dislikes the trappings
of the modern world, such as any form of machinery, and is
uncomfortable in the city of Bridgetown. When Da-duh first meets the
narrator, the narrator imagines that she saw ‘‘something in me which for
some reason she found disturbing.’’ However, Da-duh also feels
connected to her granddaughter, as evidenced when she clasps her hand

Narrative technique
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How I feel about the story

I feel sad about the story


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