Over Our Way
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Over Our Way is a collection of gripping action pack short stories written by different Caribbean authors. It was edited by Jean D'Costa and Velma Pollard. It was published by Longman Caribbean. It begins with the Millicent, a story about the downfall of proud girl named Millicent, and ends with Bus Strike
About Velma Pollard
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Velma Pollard was born in Jamaica in 1937, educated at Excelsior High School in Kingston and at the University College of the West Indies. She received an MA in Education from McGill University and an MA in the teaching of English from Columbia University. She taught in high schools and universities in Jamaica, Trinidad, Guyana and the USA. Since 1975 she has taught at the University of the West Indies, Mona. She is currently Senior Lecturer in Language Education and Dean of the Faculty of Education of the University of the West Indies
About Jean D'Costa
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Jean D’Costa (Nee Creary) was born on January 13, 1937. Her parents were both elementary school teachers who lived and worked in various parts of rural Jamaica. Along with her elder sister, Pansy (now Mrs Hay), and their brother Aubrey, Jean attended the schools where her parents taught. In 1948 she won a government scholarship to St Hilda’s High School in Brown’s Town. Here she spent six years, three of them in 6th Form. After two more terms at St Hugh’s High school in Kingston in 1955, she entered the University College of the West Indies and read for an honours degree in English. An overseas scholarship took her in 1959 to read for an M.Litt. in Jacobean drama at Oxford University.
She was hired to teach Old English and linguistics at U.C.W.I., Mona. Between 1977 and 1980 she was engaged in research into archaic Jamaican creole and culture, along with freelance writing. She then taught creative writing, linguistics, Caribbean literature and Old English at Hamilton College, Clinton, New York.
Her first formative years were passed in rural Trelawny and St James, where the language and culture made a lasting impression on her mind and tastes. Coming to Kingston in December 1944, she discovered the Junior Centre, the children’s library at Half Way Tree. This library made as deep an impression as did the stories told her in St James.
Her children’s fiction includes Sprat Morrison, Escape to Last Man Peak, Voice in the Wind for ages ten to twelve. For children aged seven to ten, she has published Duppy Tales, Caesar and the Three Robbers, along with Jenny and the General and, with Velma Pollard, co-edited and co-authored an anthology of short stories, Over Our Way .
She retired as Leavenworth Professor Emeritus from Hamilton College in 1998, and lives in Florida with her husband, David D’Costa.
She was hired to teach Old English and linguistics at U.C.W.I., Mona. Between 1977 and 1980 she was engaged in research into archaic Jamaican creole and culture, along with freelance writing. She then taught creative writing, linguistics, Caribbean literature and Old English at Hamilton College, Clinton, New York.
Her first formative years were passed in rural Trelawny and St James, where the language and culture made a lasting impression on her mind and tastes. Coming to Kingston in December 1944, she discovered the Junior Centre, the children’s library at Half Way Tree. This library made as deep an impression as did the stories told her in St James.
Her children’s fiction includes Sprat Morrison, Escape to Last Man Peak, Voice in the Wind for ages ten to twelve. For children aged seven to ten, she has published Duppy Tales, Caesar and the Three Robbers, along with Jenny and the General and, with Velma Pollard, co-edited and co-authored an anthology of short stories, Over Our Way .
She retired as Leavenworth Professor Emeritus from Hamilton College in 1998, and lives in Florida with her husband, David D’Costa.
Summary of some of the books in Over Our Way
- Millicent -
SETTING
A rural community on an unnamed Caribbean island.
CHARACTERS
Miss
- Described by her students as a 'nice' teacher who was also very strict
- Was thoroughly opposed to the dissension in her classroom
- Was a very wise and patient individual because she warned Millicent that 'pride goeth before a fall'
- A spoilt little girl
- She liked to be in control
- She liked to be the center of attention
- Devils Of Rose Hall - This story took place in Jamaica, West Indies. And, as, Jean D'Costa said, she got the story from her uncle in 1920.
It it centered around the Rose Hall Great House which was a scary place because it had a strange background, but it was, and still is, a famous tourist attraction.
Jean D'Costa's uncle and his friends knew about a pastor named Rev. MacGregor, and since the Revered always preached about black magic and all those things and how they weren't real, they sent him a letter daring him to take a night cap in the Rose Hall Great House on Friday the 13th of November all by him self.
He accepted to do what the letter had requested, and so some church members followed him to the Great House, but left as they got there, and saw to it that the Reverend was okay,
He had stayed there the one nights, where he encountered some weird things, which he ran away by using the Name of the Lord, and so he was fine, and was able to preach about it the next Sunday.
Characters
Rev. MacGregor
a outspoken and fearless man
a young fellow
a preacher
Setting
Rose Hall Great House in Montego Bay
- Ascot - This story is about Ascot’s escapades. The story is told from the perspective of a first person narrator called Lily. She explains to the reader that Ascot is viewed as charming by women, but is perceived as a ‘ginnal’, or con artist, by men. The story continues with a rendering of how Ascot stole Papa’s bananas from the family buttery (pantry) with hilarious consequences. He then goes to May Pen, with a relative, to become a gardener. Ascot runs out on this job and goes to Kingston, where he reportedly learnt how to drive, and then returns to ‘country’ (the interior parishes of Jamaica). His dissatisfaction with life in the country is shown in his change in attitude; from being jovial and friendly to being somber. He later announced that he was going to Florida to become a farm worker. The family later learns that Ascot had skipped the farm work in Florida via a letter from the government. The family then receives three letters, spanning a three year period, in which he updated them on his life in New York, Connecticut and Chicago. Ascot then surprises every‐one by visiting the island with his American wife. He shocks every‐one by: arriving in a big, white, rented car; pretending that he is related to the narrator, Lilly, and her family; ignoring the family that he was born into; and, most importantly, having a wife with a masters degree, despite the fact that his education ended at grade 3. He leaves the ‘country’ (parish) for Kingston with a very proud mother in his wake.
SETTING
A rural community on the island of Jamaica.
CHARACTERS
Ascot
A very charming personality.
A bit of a con man or ‘ginnal’.
Persistent, when he wants something.
Lazy, when he is disinterested in something.
Papa
A very disciplined man who expects respect from his family.
Dislikes Ascot because he believes him to be dishonest.
Dislikes the manner in which Ascot ignores his family on his visit from America.
Respects his wife because he listens to her.
Cousin Lily
She simply reports the events, as well as other peoples’ views.
Themes
Some of the themes in:
Millicent are
Racism
This occurs when Millicent introduces name calling, based on racial markers, to fourth standard. Examples of this are 'picky-head Congo Vena' and 'roti-Coolie Harry. Miss did not allow this to propagate, but stamped it out very quickly with her lecture about the mixed heritage of everyone in the class.
Devils of Rose Hall are
Millicent are
Racism
This occurs when Millicent introduces name calling, based on racial markers, to fourth standard. Examples of this are 'picky-head Congo Vena' and 'roti-Coolie Harry. Miss did not allow this to propagate, but stamped it out very quickly with her lecture about the mixed heritage of everyone in the class.
Devils of Rose Hall are
religion
This theme is seen through the character Rev. MacGregor. Rev. MacGregor, while at Rose Hall Great House, faced the 'devils' there. he proclaimed the name of Jesus Chirst
This theme is seen through the character Rev. MacGregor. Rev. MacGregor, while at Rose Hall Great House, faced the 'devils' there. he proclaimed the name of Jesus Chirst
Ascot are
Perseverance
This theme is seen through the character Ascot. Ascot wanted to drive a white car and wear a white suit while doing so and he did everything to achieve this goal. He was dishonest towards close friends and reneged on his farm work contract in order to achieve his goal. Therefore, it came as no surprise that he could choose to disown his own family. Despite the educational and financial difficulties that Ascot faced, he was unrelenting in his efforts to drive a white car and wear a white uniform while doing so.
Perseverance
This theme is seen through the character Ascot. Ascot wanted to drive a white car and wear a white suit while doing so and he did everything to achieve this goal. He was dishonest towards close friends and reneged on his farm work contract in order to achieve his goal. Therefore, it came as no surprise that he could choose to disown his own family. Despite the educational and financial difficulties that Ascot faced, he was unrelenting in his efforts to drive a white car and wear a white uniform while doing so.