Pulse en una miniatura para ir a Google Books.
|
Cargando... Escape to an Autumn Pavement (Caribbean Modern Classics)por Andrew Salkey
   Ninguno Actualmente no hay Conversaciones sobre este libro.  Juan-banjo | Aug 31, 2017 |  sin reseñas | añadir una reseña
A brave and pioneering treatment of sexual identity in Caribbean literature, this novel, first published in 1960, follows the fortunes of Johnnie Sobert, a Jamaican exile who works in London at a club that caters to black American servicemen. In flight from his dominant, possessive mother, he immerses himself in the bohemian Soho scene and adopts a wisecracking persona as a cover for his deep-seated insecurities. Adding to Johnnie's confusion is the fact that when he is not at work, he navigates a completely different life in Hempstead, where he lives in a bedsitter and carries on an unsatisfying affair with his white landlady, Fiona. These two worlds provide a lively portrait of Britons reacting to the growing presence of blacks and Asians in their neighborhoods, and Johnnie takes lessons from each place. By the time he finally decides to move in with his gay friend, Dick, he is much better equipped with self-awareness--but he has yet to make a decision about where his desires truly lie. No se han encontrado descripciones de biblioteca. |
Debates activosNingunoCubiertas populares  
 Google Books — Cargando...GénerosSistema Decimal Melvil (DDC)823.91Literature English English fiction Modern Period 1901-1999Clasificación de la Biblioteca del CongresoValoraciónPromedio: (3.25)
¿Eres tú?Conviértete en un Autor de LibraryThing. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1
This book is a Caribbean Classic about sexual identity and relationships. I enjoyed the story but it was a challenge because of the way the author’s writing style with the main character who is the narrator mixing his thoughts within the paragraphs of dialogue between characters. As the reader I had to stop and figure out if it was the thoughts of the character or dialogue interaction with someone.
The main character, Johnnie Sobert is a Jamaican refugee who works at a club in London that accommodates to Black American servicemen. He left his hometown to get away from his domineering mother and engages himself in the bohemian Soho community. Johnnie assumes a wise guy persona to hide his ingrained insecurities that has been confusing his thoughts of his unsure sexual identity. Johnnie was staying at Fiona and her husband’s rooming house which caused Johnnie confusing conflict because Fiona kept coming to his room interested in seducing him. Johnnie was angry but Fiona was determined to get her way.
Johnnie decided to move and share a place with his friend Dick even knowing Dick was in love with him. Dick questioned Johnnie about his affair with his landlady. Johnnie never thought of Dick other than a friend. One of Johnnie’s dilemmas is life expectations because that is what his parents implied during his childhood. Over time Dick has
confused Johnnie to the point of not knowing about his sexuality. Dick ended up giving Johnnie an alternative of choosing between him and Fiona. Dick went away for a week to give Johnnie time to get his life back in order and to make a decision but no matter how long Johnnie thought about his expectation he never did make a choice.
The story ended with Johnnie just walking off…. “talking to himself, telling himself what to do” ---he’s trying to reconcile his many performances, but all he’s really doing is falling into a sinkhole of inescapable despair. His escape just takes him further from the truth, from himself, and from happiness. (