Literature coursework
How does Patricia Glinton-Meicholas make her message clear in any two for her stories?
“What you sow is what you will reap” Galatians 6:7. This meritorious biblical quote firmly displays the distinct message Glinton depicts, “Your reward will be just like your nature”. An evening in Guanima, just one of Glinton’s overviewed story telling books, promotes clarity in identifying and bring forth our Bahamian roots through story-telling. The stories “BER’ BOUKI, BER PATRIDGE & THE COW” and “BER’ BOUKI AND RABBI-SPERRIT HOUSE”, clearly foreshadow the common theme of greed. Glinton vividly paints a masterpiece on a comical canvas that evokes interest, and reviewers to crave more. Through the extensive use of literary devices such as humour, mental representation, analysis of characters and the vivid sketch of her ingenious and adapt use of illustrative language, proves richness in making common situations throughout the stories clears. Glinton paints an incredibly simplistic portrait of selfish acts and excessive desire which unravels and provokes characters to take on all means of acquiring their common needs. “There is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's greed” Mahatma Gandhi.
“A writers magic lies in the imagery which satisfies even without interpretation. It is accepted as easily as it was created” Robert Bridges. The most powerful effect of reading is the actual mental representation of words thriving in our conscious. Glinton utilizes a subtle way of introducing the initial unknown characters. In the story “BER’ BOUKI AND RABBI SPERRIT HOUSE”, Glinton presents the literary device of imagery. The first main image outline in the story was when the writer introduced Rabbi’s distinct character. “He could teach a wasp a better way to sting, he could smell the outdoors from a pot and tell whether the cook had added goat peppers or bird peppers”. This prominent quote gives insight to the reader. Signifying that Rabbi is in fact “sharp” he knows how to work around situations and has a good sense of certain things most people are not aware of, this also reveals that he has had a history of being a curious fellow, instead of learning things one way, he will figure out how to acquire it every which way. “Anything on the hoof and breathing” was fairly good enough for the pair. The writer also uses the character Bouki to demonstrate the common theme of greed by use of this literary device. “Thoughts of food burned his brain, spoiling his sleep”. This quote anticipated Bouki’s main desire: food. It shows his lust for food and lust often time turns to greed. This Evidence from the story aids the readers in a vivid description that is rich in sensory to have potency on me the reader. In like manner with another story, B’ER BOUKI, B’ER PATRIDGE & THE COW it similarly uses the literary device of imagery. Glinton emphasizes Bouki’s instant scheme to trick B’er Patridge in the beginning of the story. “From the moment hands had parted the trickster made up his mind to cheat B’er Patridge”. Foreshadowing the act of Bouki’s rational arrangement to do as little as possible to get what he hungers. It is through the use of imagery that Glinton manages to shape the reader’s mind with visual aspects from this text, and how the language use to form the images gives the authors perspective or view point.
Even more, the use of direct analysis of characters within the story discloses their factual identity by discerning their thought, development, behaviour, speech, innovative language and apparent way of communication with the additional characters. Bouki being at the centre of attention has a negative effect on both characters behalf. Within the amusing story “B’ER BOUKI B’ER PATRIDGE & THE COW”, Glinton directly outlines bouki’s inconsiderate scheme to trick Patridge. The “trickster”, he was as foul as a wild animal, hunting for sustenance and doing all it takes to get it. If it meant ravaging through thrash or human life form. “The trickster made up his mind to cheat Patridge”. This quote is manifested. It symbolises the qualities of deceit, indolent
