A short story is the distillation of a life experience into a compressed imaginative whole. Like a poem, it usually ensures a moment in life and exposes it for the scrutiny and fancy of every reader. Through the use of language, symbolism, and the evocation of landscape, the short story resonates with the reader and in so doing, has a significance that transcends the seemingly innocuous events or experiences on which it is focused.
In Gabriel Christian’s Rain on a Tin Roof, the essential elements of good short story writing reach their zenith. Whether he is providing vignettes of his childhood, writing about his father’s adherence to a strict Victorian ethos, local superstition or about carnival, Christian is at his imaginative best. His use of imagery, metaphor and alliteration are the main ingredients of an artistic stew, or broth, if you will, which the reader will enjoy, without any help from the pepper from Mrs. Jack’s famed backyard.
Christian’s extraordinary talent for writing did not happen overnight. He honed his craft at the Dominica Grammar School and the Sixth Form College (as it was then). He benefitted from a number of close encounters of a literary kind at the Roseau Public Library and imbibed copious amounts of the ideological brew manufactured in underground, ideological stills and safe houses that sprouted in Dominica during the mid-1970s. Energized by this exhilarating brew, Christian has creatively reduced his experiences and that of a whole generation of Dominica youth to a wonderful collection of short stories.
But Christian’s stories are not merely about the loss of innocence, superstition or childhood pastimes. A few deal with more serious issues including class prejudice and political instability. One story highlights the attempted 1981 coup in Dominica. Christian does not pontificate about the event; rather, he portrays the transformation of a childhood friend, “Benjy”, who as a youth, delighted in playing with a wax fire starter, into a soldier who participates in an attempted coup to overthrow a government. Benjy pays the ultimate price but the rhythm of life continues unabated.
This semblance of normalcy or resiliency however, is illusory. The society that Christian writes about continues to be affected by the erosion of its traditional values. In the decades following the attempted coup, the pernicious effects of the drug trade and the criminality it has engendered, a pervasive immorality in governance and the sale of the island’s most precious symbols of nationhood, have tragically undermined its democratic traditions. The internal reverences that Christian writes about have been perverted and discarded. And as Chinua Achebe has shown, “things fall apart”, when the core values of a community cannot hold.
The very act of writing however, rescues Rain on a Tin Roof from being a literary epitaph or autopsy of a society which has long gone. Indeed, the showers of rain, trapped in sunlight as it cascades onto a galvanized roof, possesses a redemptive and cleansing quality which symbolizes the hope, that, in the words of the Look Us band, “Dominica will rise again”.
Gabriel Christian’s volume of short stories is an important addition to the burgeoning literature on Dominica.
Doctor Andre has a masterfully way of putting it. Yes! He said the broth cooked up by this excellent book does not need any help from Mrs Jack Backyard – in other words what we call in patois bodaw Ma Jack or hot pepper. And therein lies the art of being respectful , yet funny. I got the first edition of this book in 2000 at Labor Day Dance in Brooklyn and read it until the sun came up. I read it on the subway, and finished it the next night. This book tells so much about rushing in cinema during the days we had Carib and Arawak, the days we had Harlem festival, going up Roseau River and coming down on tubes, Romping in Gardens, Carnival and when back and neck and fiber mattress is what we had. Yes, this is a book that hot like pepper and reminds us of the true love of Dominica, despite all the good, bad and ugly. And that movie with Eastwood is in the book when the earthquake cause people to break Arawak Cinema glass in 1969. It is a book that hot like pepper for true. Well done!
Grestest respect for your review doc,but was benji a good example to be presented to the domincan people.he was accused of being involved in a coup,confronted on the street of roseau and excuted publicly.no investigation no trial.
Leah nice to know you like the book. I have read that book since 2004 and find the best microscope on Dominica society and culture. It made be laugh and cry by its use of wit. As for Andre everyone know him he is no academic absent from his duty from country or enterprise . If Prentice Hall or Longmann can use reviews and reviewers to promote their work why not Andre. He does not pretend to be otherwise than what he is: an honest Dominican who said the book is good just like you did.
Outstanding job, Judge Andre!
Your review of Mr. Christian’s work is quite timely. Here’s my question to you. How is it that Rain on a Tin Roof is part of the curriculum of so many institutions of higher learning in America, still kept out of the schools in the author’s homeland.
Despite little support from our government, you guys continue to impress and inspire. Thank you Gaibu for placing the e-version right in our laps. If you have read Harry Potter or 50 Shades of Grey, you have no excuse for not capitalizing on this time capsule of Dominican culture and history.
You guys are simply literary giants!
i have not read the story yet
but reading what Irving andre has to say about it leaves me with no doubt that i should read it
i am always amazed at Andre’s command of the English language
the pen is really mightier than the sword
we must continue to celebrate our Dominican writers
and YES we must make these books/stories available in schools in the island to let our kids know who our literary heroes are
Thanks Gabriele, Andre. This section touched me deeply as I revisit Goodwill where many of us originate as aspiring literary friends. Our early surroundings, committed parents, decency for home, family, churches (despite denomination) and state institutions was well embalmed within us and our communities. I feel so proud. Our youth today are ill prepared for high office as the new bullies portray illiterate actions of fast food enigma as we run from their anger and violence for power in the streets. Dominica crys4 leadership and role model.
“This semblance of normalcy or resiliency however, is illusory. The society that Christian writes about continues to be affected by the erosion of its traditional values. In the decades following the attempted coup, the pernicious effects of the drug trade and the criminality it has engendered, a pervasive immorality in governance and the sale of the island’s most precious symbols of nationhood, have tragically undermined its democratic…
Am a generational colleague of both and somewhat embarrassed not to have read the book.
Will purchase from Amazon and look for ward to its delight on my long trip to Asia, later this month.
Please keep up the good work.
One of my favorite books in the world…. when I am down ..I read this.. reminds me of where I came from…. Lovely..
The judge .Irving Andre and Gabriel Christian are in the house, congratulation to both individuals. I will get a copy of the book because I know there are a lot to learn from bot men.
Beautiful review by Dr. Irvine Andre….colorfully written and informative.
A brilliant time capsule of the Dominica experience, this Rain on aTin Roof is. If its good enough for all these high schools, universities and colleges in America, why isn’t good enough for us?!
What kind of madness is this? This level of self-hate and pushing down any wisdom and genius birthed by Dominica – when is this going to stop?
You cannot read ‘Harry Potter’ and ’50 Shades of Gray,’ without reading ‘Rain.’ Thanks Judge Andre for your valuable and trusted review. Thanks Mr. Gaibu for placing it right in our laps for us. You guys are shining literary giants. Great work, sons of Dominica!
Seems a bit like marketing to me.
I read the original edition. It was funny, thought-provoking and all of that, but I raise my eyebrows that the reviewer is a co-publisher of the treatise.