Bibliography
Levy, Andrea. The Long Song. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2010.
Plot Summary
At her son's urging, July tells the story of her life as a slave on a Jamaican sugar cane plantation.
My Thoughts
I liked the way the narrator engaged the reader through conversation For example, "Reader...so you might consider whether my tale is one in which you can find an interest. If not, then be on your way" Levy 9). This is given the first page to warn the reader either continue or not, but the tale will be told how July wants it told. However, her son Thomas ofter interjects that her stories are not completely true, or he points out that she's omitted some event that he thinks is important. Cha! says July.
I read this entire book and did learn that slavery in Jamaica seemed very similar to slavery in the United States. However, once the book ended, I just didn't care. I'd spent over 300 pages hearing July's struggle and seeing her life as she wanted us to know about it. Then the story just stopped. The Long Song truly was long!
I understood this book to be a parody, but I guess I didn't get it. Yes, there were humorous parts in it, and July's story telling method seemed believable (even when she confessed to the reader that her story wasn't entirely true). there were caricatures and stereotypes. Was that the only form of parody?
