Beka Lamb Essay Example

Beka Lamb Essay Independent study Project| ENG 3UI| | Beka lamb by Zee Edgell and The hummingbird tree| | Taneese Jones| 6/12/2011| | Introduction Summary of the novel: In the novel Beka Lamb by Zee Edgell, Beka experiences various events that contribute to her sense of responsibility and maturity. Beka Lamb is the debut novel of Belizean author Zee Edgell. It is the story of both Beka and Belize, an adolescent girl and an adolescent country. Set in Belize in the 1950s, fourteen-year-old Beka struggles with growing pains complicated by the society in which she lives while her country struggles to move from colonialism to independence. Among these is her parents growing disappointment over her habit of lying as Beka has  a tendency to tell tales in order to get out of trouble. Beka lies about passing her final exams and after being found out and witnessing the sheer sorrow in her fathers face, she recognizes that this must be a turning point for her. She vows to turn over a new leaf and thereafter stop telling lies. In addition, Beka receives a valuable life lesson as her best friend Toycie finds herself intertwined in a tragic dilemma. Beka learns about the pitfalls of infatuation, the pangs of betrayal and the stigma of an unwanted pregnancy. Death also plays a significant role in the novel as Toycies  horrific end sends shock waves throughout the small community. While the death of Toycie causes great grief and sorrow, it also serves to remind the villagers of the fragility of life and the secrets that can torment and consume an individual. On the other hand, death serves as an escape from all the problems   of life and it appears that Toycies death in some respects appears more favourable than the option of being forfeited out of an education and having to live with the stigma of an unwanted child. We will write a custom essay sample on Beka Lamb specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Beka Lamb specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Beka Lamb specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The aspect of change will be focused on in this presentation. Thesis statement- change in society can influence an individual’s character * Change begins its development when the main character beka lamb recognizes that a change began politically and how women were viewed in society. * Change develops as Beka has matured an developed as an individual * Change is developed into the issue of success and failure Sub-topic one Change begins its development when the main character beka lamb recognizes that a â€Å"change† began politically and how women are viewed in that society. A) Change is also associated with politics as we see that there is a symbiotic transformation as Bekas change is compared to political change and reform. It was implied by the researcher that Bekas internal change occurred simultaneously with the political amendment. She developed an interest in the political situation in her country. Her interest in the politics of her country and her attempt to understand and prove to her father that he was contradicting what he said about the political situation showed that she was on the verge of maturity. Her influence to notice the political change is due to the constant discussion from her grandmother miss ivy and her friend miss Eila. † An long befo’ time , you wouldn’t be at convent school. †The politics affected the economy as there was a lot poverty due to devaluation. The description of the houses as weathered wooden houses and rusty zinc rooftops further develops this theme and gives the reader a clearer image of what the situation was like in Belize. Also, the flashback that Beka had about the walk she and her friend had in Fort George shows that the girls preferred the wealthier areas and that the walk was a sort of escape from the town which seemed staler, dirtier and altogether less pleasant that the lovely areas they had left. B) The social insecurity that Edgell dramatizes involves the ethnic threat that Creoles feel from the rising Hispanic population and the socioeconomic frustrations that Creoles undergo as they try to rise from lower to middle class statusall in the larger context of Belize moving from colony to independent state. Zee Edgell seems hopeful that, through proper discipline, Creoles can both regain their status in the Belizean ethnic hierarchy and also move from menial to more professional occupationsand without compromising too much their rich cultural heritage. In Beka Lamb women are the ones who are seen as the care givers and the ones to take care of the home. The majority of them do not work and even having an education for the lower class is untold or unheard of. The Belizean society sets trends that as she is black she is looked down upon her to be another statistic as many of the other women in society have become. Beka decides to be different and as society tries to shape her destiny she pushes herself to be an example for younger children after she had realised that the way society view women had great impact on her and that she settled for what society viewed her to be. The story illustrates the reality of the Belize culture. Male characters work or become educated while the women maintain the homes and earn what income they can. In the novel, the few male characters have at least one fault that turns the reader away. Emilio impregnates Toycie, but then will not marry her. Bill fails to show consistent affection to his family; he often seems uninterested or too busy. The women who surround Beka influence her thinking and judgments. Interestingly, the women are politically well-informed. One would not expect the simple women to have interest in politics. While Beka respects her father, she does so partially out of fear and partially because she is supposed to. Bekas respect for Granny is different. Granny knows more about life and about Belize than either Beka or her father. Bekas ability to recognize this demonstrates not only Bekas maturity, but also her curiosity about and reverence toward the Belize culture. Subtopic two Change developes an individual. A) As the novel begins, Beka has just won an essay-writing contest at her school. That night, as she sits in her grandmother’s chair, she begins to reminisce about the long, uphill battle she fought to reach this point in her life. Seven months earlier, Beka was having trouble with telling the truth. She lied about small things, such as saying she swept the attic when she really did not. Her most recent lie, however, is the worst of all. She told her father that she passed first form when she really failed. Not only does Beka lie, but she neglects her school work as well. Characterized by her Aunt as a Queen, Toycie is almost the complete opposite of Beka. She is beautiful and studious. The quality that links them together is their ability to find themselves in bad situations. Their friendship had developed at a young age and has grown into a sisterhood. As a job, Toycie took care of Beka and her brothers. From there, the two shared many secrets. Being each others confidant, they spent a lot of time together. They would go on walks and share their thoughts or ambitions with one another. They also had a system of checks and balances. When Beka was in trouble at school, Toycie offered to help her with her studies. She also urged Beka to be truthful with her parents. In return, Beka tried to persuade Toycie to find help when she became pregnant. Beka was also there for her when her boyfriend refused to accept the baby as his own. In Toycies hardest times, Beka was always around, trying to help. Because of their strong friendship, Beka wanted to be her shoulder to lean on. B) When Toycie asks Beka why she failed first form she replies, â€Å"I fooled around instead of doing my work† (Edgell 35). Beka realizes that she does not focus on her schoolwork the way she should. When Beka does her chores, she skips parts of the floor while sweeping, she pushes old newspapers and dirty clothes under the beds while cleaning, and on her way to the market she lingers at Toycie’s house. However, once Beka tells her father the truth about failing first form, she realizes that she will have to act more responsibly in order to return to school. She begins by cleaning the attic: â€Å"Beka cleaned the attic with feverish energy; here was a way to start, a way to show her family that she could be different† (Edgell 26). Beka does not skip over parts of the floor and hide the trash like usual. She cleans with all the energy she has. After Toycies accident, Beka realizes that she wants better for herself. She begins to concentrate more on her studies. Mr. Lamb compared Beka to a Bougainvillea plant with all flash and no substance as well as phoneyness and having airs. It started to get bushy and wild and out of control just like beka and her lies. When he cut down the plant, it served as a symbol that Beka was changing. Sub-topic three Change developes the issue of success and failure Success and Failure is also a major issue in the novel. Zee Edgell uses the dream, in chapter two, as a technique to symbolise Bekas transition from childhood to young adulthood. The dream shows what is going on in Bekas life. In the dream, Beka is crying out for help yet no one comes to her aid. In reality it shows that Beka is voiceless. In the dream, Beka is on a bridge and the bridge is moving. the bridge stands as a symbol of change and transformation. It shows that Beka is on a journey but she is still not quite there yet. However Beka is looking down at the filthy creek which represents failure. There are people urging her to jump but if she falls off, she will fail. Ultimately Beka is afraid of failure. Her fear is that when she makes this jump (transition), she will fail. The researcher sees that seven months before Beka won the competition she failed first form and she knew it would disappoint her parents so she resorted to lying. By contrast, when she won the competition her parents, even her grandmother was proud of her and had high expectations of her. The dream in chapter two was a symbol of change, success and maturity. It is a technique used by the author to show what was going on in Bekas life. In her dream Beka was crying out for help but no one heard her, she was voiceless. The bridge was a symbol of change and maturity. It reflects that she was going through a transformation. The people were telling her to jump which is risky. Perhaps this is to infer that there were factors trying to hinder her progress. Also as she was looking down at the creek, there was filth and excrement which infers that if she doesnt get the help, shell f Beka returns to school after Toycies expulsion and wins an essay contest. The self-doubts Beka faced her whole life start to recede. As a freshman, Beka wins an essay contest that she thought she had no chance of winning. By winning the contest, Beka realizes that change is possible. She will not be stuck in the same poverty stricken cycle that Toycie fell victim to, but she will never forget the culture that moulded her into the person she will become. Conclusion Beka Lamb is the debut novel of Belizean author Zee Edgell. Change in society can influence an individual’s character. It is the story of both Beka and Belize, an adolescent girl and an adolescent country. Set in Belize in the 1950s, fourteen-year-old Beka struggles with growing pains complicated by the society in which she lives while her country struggles to move from colonialism to independence. The basic theme is the struggle of the Creole population of Belize to hold on to their ethnic heritage and assert their civil rights while faced with opposition from the Hispanic community. Beka experiences various events that contribute to her sense of responsibility and maturity. Although Toycie is constantly on her mind, Beka takes a large step for herself when she enters the essay contest. Being a repeater, Beka doubts her ability to win the essay contest. To her surprise, Beka wins. This accomplishment brings her closer to her parents because they strive for her excellence in school . In today’s society they are people just like beka who dare to change and eventually does change. It proves that society can shape an individuals destiny but it’s up to that person to decide their own future. Now in society people still has the mentality that men are above women in status and power. For example a woman president has never been elected in the United States because people trust men to be leaders of their lives and country. It shows how societies view women.