Critique on Brother Man

According to Annie Paul “Brother Man” is a highly styled morality play which depicts that force of good and evil in combat. She also states that Brother man” was the first Jamaican novel to portray the Rastafarians in an optimistic light and the first to portray a Rastafarian protagonist in positive terms. Another critique says that the book “Brother Man” created a irrational fear of being in an confined or enclosed space, this shows that critics realize the novel “Brother Man” shows the ghetto side of Jamaica as a place where people lived closed to one another.ci people 

The Religious aspect of Rastafarianism.

Rastafarianism is a religious-cultural movement that began in the 1930’2 in Jamaica. Rastafarians believe that Halie Selassie. Also named Rais Tafari, the last emperor of Ethiopia is the Messiah. Rastafari developed in the slums of Kingston, Jamaica in the 1920s and 30s, in an environment of great poverty, depression, and racism and class discrimination. The Rasta message of black pride, freedom from oppression and the hope to return to the African homeland was gratefully received. Rastafarians believe in the Judeo- Christian God, whom they call “Jah”. Generally, Rastafarian beliefs are based in Judaism and Christianity with an emphasis on the Old Testament Laws and prophecies and the Book of Revelation. Rastas believed that Jah was manifested on earth as Jesus, who Rastas believe was black. Rastafarians are perhaps best known for their religious use of marijuana. Rasta’s know it as “ganja”, “the holy herb”,”lley” or “callie” and they believe it was sent from God. Scriptural support is found especially in Psalm 104:14: "He causeth the grass for the cattle and herb for the service of man." Other texts interpreted to refer to cannabis include Genesis 3:18, Exodus 10:12, and Proverbs 15:17. In addition to ritual use, Rastas also use marijuana for medicinal purposes, applying it to a variety of ailments including colds.

Today, the Rasta movement has been very successful in the Caribbean. It is said that six out of ten Jamaicans are believed to be Rastafarians or Rastafarian sympathizers. It also spread quickly in Barbados and was hugely attractive to the local black youth, many of whom saw it as an extension of their adolescent rebellion from school and parental authority. The period of the most phenomenal growth for the Rastafarian Movement has been from 1975 on.  As of 1988 the total following was believed to be around 700,000 worldwide, obviously it would be more now.

The Religious aspect of Rastafarianism.

Rastafarianism is a religious-cultural movement that began in the 1930’2 in Jamaica. Rastafarians believe that Halie Selassie. Also named Rais Tafari, the last emperor of Ethiopia is the Messiah. Rastafari developed in the slums of Kingston, Jamaica in the 1920s and 30s, in an environment of great poverty, depression, and racism and class discrimination. The Rasta message of black pride, freedom from oppression and the hope to return to the African homeland was gratefully received. Rastafarians believe in the Judeo- Christian God, whom they call “Jah”. Generally, Rastafarian beliefs are based in Judaism and Christianity with an emphasis on the Old Testament Laws and prophecies and the Book of Revelation. Rastas believed that Jah was manifested on earth as Jesus, who Rastas believe was black. Rastafarians are perhaps best known for their religious use of marijuana. Rasta’s know it as “ganja”, “the holy herb”,”lley” or “callie” and they believe it was sent from God. Scriptural support is found especially in Psalm 104:14: "He causeth the grass for the cattle and herb for the service of man." Other texts interpreted to refer to cannabis include Genesis 3:18, Exodus 10:12, and Proverbs 15:17. In addition to ritual use, Rastas also use marijuana for medicinal purposes, applying it to a variety of ailments including colds.

Today, the Rasta movement has been very successful in the Caribbean. It is said that six out of ten Jamaicans are believed to be Rastafarians or Rastafarian sympathizers. It also spread quickly in Barbados and was hugely attractive to the local black youth, many of whom saw it as an extension of their adolescent rebellion from school and parental authority. The period of the most phenomenal growth for the Rastafarian Movement has been from 1975 on.  As of 1988 the total following was believed to be around 700,000 worldwide, obviously it would be more now.

Biography of Roger Mais

Roger Mais was born on August 11, 1905 in Kingston Jamaica. He was born to a middle class family in Kingston. He was a journalist, novelist, poet and playwright. Mais began as a journalist and supplier of short stories, plays, and reviews for the political / cultural journal Public Opinion which was linked to the People’s National Party from 1939 to 1952.He also wrote several plays, reviews and short stories for the Newspaper Focus and the Jamaica Daily Gleaner concentrating mainly on his articles on social injustice and inequality. His fundamental role in the maturity of the political and cultural nationalism is evidence in his being awarded the high honor of the order of Jamaica in 1978. Mais also won ten first prizes in West Indian Literary competitions.Mais left for England in 1952; he travelled to Europe-London, Paris, and the South of France, just simply to fulfill himself. Roger Mais often incorporated a romantic idea into his writings which he drew from his western education inspirations that lead to his use of tragic, visionary and poetic elements within books and plays. Roger Mais was a dynamic and inspirational writer sadly Mais returned to Jamaica in 1955 after falling ill with cancer he died the same year at age 50.

Literary Terms

Forms of Prose Fiction

1. Novel- is a log fiction almost always, concentrating on characters and incidents and usually contains a plot.
2. Novellas- the word is applied to a story somewhat longer than a short story.But not long enough to be considered as a novel.
3. Short stories- it is a short prose fiction which concentrates on a few characters or often one single character, which lacks a complicated plot and leisurely description..

Elements of Prose Fiction

1.  Narrative Techniques- this is simply the technique in having narrative skills, styles of writing used by the author.
2. Point of view- refers too the way in which a narrator approaches his or her materials ( characters, action, setting) and the audience.
3. Characterization- the way in which the writer creates characters in a play.It can either attract or repel our sympathy.
4. Setting- the time, place, environment and surrounding.circumstances of an event, story or play.
5. Theme- the abstract of a work; its central idea or ideas , which may or may not be explicit or obivious.
6. Plot- the arrangment or plan of incidents literary works.( novels,dramas, plays).
7. Style- the characteristic manner in which a writer expresses him or herself, or the particular manner of an individual literary work.

Literary Devices

1. Imagery- the formation of mental images, figures or likeness of things or of such images collectively.
2. Irony- the use of words to convey a meaning hat is the opposite of its literal meaning; the technique of indicating as through characters or plot development, an intention or attitude apposite to that which is actually stated.
3. Satire- a novel, play, entertainment, etc, in which tropical issues, folly or evil are held up to scorn by means of ridicule and irony.
4. allusion- a passing or casual reference; an incidental; mention of something, either directly or by implication.
5. Symbols- something used for or regarded as representing something else.

Structural Devices

1.  Stream of Consciousness- a common narrative technique in the modern novel ( an attempt to convey all the contents of a characters mind.e.g feeling, mind, thought)
2. Interior Monologue - An attempt to convey in words the process of consciousness or thought ( as a means of narrating a story)
3. Flash Back- a term borrowed from films. a sudden jump backwards in time to a earlier episode or scene in a story, novel, play or film.
4. Foreshadowing- the use of hints to suggest events that are to come.
5. Time Frame- is a period during which something takes place or is projected to occur.
6. Motif- is some aspect of literature ( a type of character. theme or play) which recurs frequently.
7. Juxtaposition- is the state of being placed or situated side by side

Types of Fiction

1. Science Fiction- fiction story with a science theme, space etc.
2. Animal Fiction-  the main character is an animal.
3. Historical Fiction- fiction story based on an historical event.
4. Humorous Fiction- funny story, characters, setting and or plot.
5. Biography- true story of someone's life.
6. Mystery- a problem is solved y following clues.
7. Fantasy- fanciful fiction, cannot possibly be real.
8. Fables- similar to folktales but the characters are animals and these are usually a moral or a lesson.

Literary Terms

Forms of Prose Fiction

1. Novel- is a log fiction almost always, concentrating on characters and incidents and usually contains a plot.
2. Novellas- the word is applied to a story somewhat longer than a short story.But not long enough to be considered as a novel.
3. Short stories- it is a short prose fiction which concentrates on a few characters or often one single character, which lacks a complicated plot and leisurely description..

Elements of Prose Fiction

1.  Narrative Techniques- this is simply the technique in having narrative skills, styles of writing used by the author.
2. Point of view- refers too the way in which a narrator approaches his or her materials ( characters, action, setting) and the audience.
3. Characterization- the way in which the writer creates characters in a play.It can either attract or repel our sympathy.
4. Setting- the time, place, environment and surrounding.circumstances of an event, story or play.
5. Theme- the abstract of a work; its central idea or ideas , which may or may not be explicit or obivious.
6. Plot- the arrangment or plan of incidents literary works.( novels,dramas, plays).
7. Style- the characteristic manner in which a writer expresses him or herself, or the particular manner of an individual literary work.

Literary Devices

1. Imagery- the formation of mental images, figures or likeness of things or of such images collectively.
2. Irony- the use of words to convey a meaning hat is the opposite of its literal meaning; the technique of indicating as through characters or plot development, an intention or attitude apposite to that which is actually stated.
3. Satire- a novel, play, entertainment, etc, in which tropical issues, folly or evil are held up to scorn by means of ridicule and irony.
4. allusion- a passing or casual reference; an incidental; mention of something, either directly or by implication.
5. Symbols- something used for or regarded as representing something else.

Structural Devices

1.  Stream of Consciousness- a common narrative technique in the modern novel ( an attempt to convey all the contents of a characters mind.e.g feeling, mind, thought)
2. Interior Monologue - An attempt to convey in words the process of consciousness or thought ( as a means of narrating a story)
3. Flash Back- a term borrowed from films. a sudden jump backwards in time to a earlier episode or scene in a story, novel, play or film.
4. Foreshadowing- the use of hints to suggest events that are to come.
5. Time Frame- is a period during which something takes place or is projected to occur.
6. Motif- is some aspect of literature ( a type of character. theme or play) which recurs frequently.
7. Juxtaposition- is the state of being placed or situated side by side