Home Assignment 29/09/2010

The Biography of Rogers Mais

This Jamaican born novelist, journalist, painter, poet and playwright was born in 1905 to a Middle Class family. His development as a successful writer was evident in his 10 top place positions in Literary Competitions. Subsequently, Mais became deeply involved in journalism and he wrote strong social critque pieces in addition to poetry and short stories for his local weekly newspaper People's National Party, Focus and the Daily Jamaica Cleaner. An article, namely Public Opinion in 1944 landed Mais a six year jail time sentence. This terrible period in the artists life inspired the novel The Hills Were Joyful Together in 1953 which was proceeded by Brother Man in 1954 and Black Lightening in 1955. Brother Man being the most popular of the trio. Prior to his novel successes, Mais published his play George William Gordon in 1940. In Roger Mais' writing, he incorporates and by entension reflects his strong biblical and spiritual beliefs as well as political standing and inequlity. In 1978, Mais was presented with the Order of Jamaica, as the nation demonstrated its repect and appreciation for Mais' work.

What does the Critiques say about 'Brother Man'?

 The concensus of the reviews of Roger Mais' Brother Man consider the book to be strongly religious with regards to the indepth nature of rastafariamism. Critque Annie Paul states in her review that "It’s interesting to read Brother Man today, when Rastas and things Rastafarian have acquired such cultural charisma that their image". She exaggerated the fact that rastafarianism has become a very prominent religion in society as it is was triggered in song by Bob Marley and the forms varied along with their founders but it was refreshing to have this religion in particular being exhibited in book, namely by Roger Mais.

 Other critiques note that the novel depicts a contrast from what culture in Jamaica had once been like in comnparison to what it is now. Imani claims in his review "(Brother Man) is not a mere historical artefact providing a window into Jamaica’s past, but shows an improvement in style, a sophistication in the development of themes and exploration of human character". He further explains that Mais' way of developing his characters also reflects the change or the growth into a new fashion.

Rastafarianism

 In the 1930's Marcus Garvey prophecied that a King would raise out of Africa to free the black race from the restrains of white colonialism and so the Rastafari movement was born. In the mid-1930's Hailie Selasse I

rose to power in Ethopia. He was believed to be the prophecied King. Selasse I was, however, not his original name, and the religion adopted his given name which was 'Rastafari', who they believed was a mdern day saviour of the colonialised oppressed blacks. Selasse I was over thrown in later years during a marxist revolution in Etheopia. He later died mysteriously which rose him to the status martyrdom in the eyes of Rastifari followers. The most popular sacrement of Rastafarianism is enbodied in ganga. A very potent form of marijuana which is used for entertainment, clarity, relaxation and to induce communion with a higher entity.

 Critiques of Rastafarianism state that rastafarianism is a very young religion which does not stress group worship or an orthodox organised relgious structure; there are no set rules of values and therefore no insistence on the protocols. Though it does not display the characteristics of traditional religion, Rastafari does insist that each person is not apart from but has a constant connection with God, which is evident in the use of 'I and I'. Critique Daemona Young states that "the use of a hallucinagenic substance was a form of sacriment for many 'heathen' religions through out the ages. While Rastafarians heavily defend the practise there is little eveidence to prove it's legitemacy."

Literary Devices

Literary Devices

Prose Fiction
Novel - A novel is a long larrative in literary prose.

Novella - A narrative fictrional prose that is shorter than a novelbut longer than a novelette.

Short Stories - a work of fiction that is usually written in short fiction prose. They're plots are short and quickly resolved.

Elements of Prose Fiction
Narrative Technique - The method involved in writting or telling a piece or literature.

Point-Of-View - refers to the way or perspective the narrator approaches his or her material.

Characterisation - The way in which a writer creates and develops his/her characters.

Setting - The time and place in which a play takes place.

Theme - The abstract subject of a piece of work; it's central idea or ideas.

Plot - The plan of a literary work, especially of dramas and novels.

Style - The characteristic manner in which a writer expresses him/herself, or the particular manner of an individual literary work.

Literary Devices
Imagery - is used in literature to refer to discriptive language that evokes senery, experience.

Symbol - A symbol is something which represents something else (often and idea) by analagy or assosiation.

Irony - consists of said or wirtten that suggests the opposite of their meaning.

Satire - a literary work in which human vice or folly is attacked through irony, derision or wit.

Allusion - A figiure of speech that makes a reference to or representation of a place, event, literary work, myth, or work of art either directly or by implication.

Structural Devices
Stream of Consciousness - The attempts to convey all the contents of a characters mind.

Interior Monologue - An attempt to convey in words the process of consciousness or thought.

Flash back - A sudden jump backwards in time to an earlier episode or scene in a story of a novel, play or film.

Foreshadow - The technique of suggesting or prifiguring a development in a literary work before it occurs.

Time Frame - A given interval especially in relation to a particular date(era), event or process.

Mortif - A recurrent element - word, image, object, phrase or action.

Juxtation - to put side by side or close together

Types of Fiction
Novel - a work of fiction that is usually written in short fiction prose. They're plots are short and quickly resolved

Novella - A narrative fictrional prose that is shorter than a novelbut longer than a novelette.

Short Story -  a work of fiction that is usually written in short fiction prose. They're plots are short and quickly resolved.

Short-short Story - A very brief story, usually comproses a simple plot and end in a surprise, irony, or joke.

Vignette - A brief piece of fiction that vividly depicts or describes a person, place, or event. Vignettes need do not have a climax or much plot.

Prose Poem - A very short piece of work that exaggerates upon imagery, rhythm, and other elements of poetry.

Anti-Story - A Work of fiction that takes the form of an essay or other non-fiction work.

Novelette - Not a literary form at all, but simply a designation used by some magazines for short stories.

Literary Context
Social - living together in groups

Political -  relating to the state or it's government.

 Hystorical - from the past; connected to the past.

Religious - observant of religious laws or practices.

Ethnic - different ractial or social groups of people from different countries.

Moral - conforming to accepted standards; having integrity

Intellectual -  rational; highly intelligent; devoted to mental or intellectual pursuits.

Cultural - refers to the patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activities significance or importance.