Essay Questions

What is a “soucouyant” and in which story does it feature?

The soucouyant appears in the story “Percival and the Jab” by P. Djeli Clark. Although the stories in this collection mostly feature contemporary young boys, a great many of the plots tilt toward the more imaginative end of the literary spectrum by introducing elements of fantasy or science fiction. The opening paragraphs of “Percival and the Jab” situate the story in the here and now with references to the BBC and Brooklyn. Less than familiar elements are quickly introduced, however, that suggest this is not entirely the mundane world we know. A soucouyant is initially introduced almost offhandedly and somewhat ambiguously as something capable of streaking across the horizon like a meteor. Soon enough, however, the true nature of this mysterious entity is explicitly defined. A soucouyant is a “fire vampire who steals the breath of children.”

In the verse narrative “Extinct” why does the display of the dodo bird in the museum make Dylan sad?

Dylan is exposed to animatronic dinosaurs like a T. Rex and even though he knows it is nothing but a mechanized puppet it still has the power to stimulate just a little fear. The display of the dodo bird, by contrast, is just an immobile figure behind glass. There is something in the human-created eyes of the display, nevertheless, that makes it almost seems alive and something that is alive cannot possibly be extinct. The dodo has a profound emotional effect upon the young boy, especially when the reflection of his sister’s girlfriend Laila is overlaid against the bird creating the optical illusion of it having a human face. More to the point: having the face of a girl which instantly transformed the bird into a female in his mind. All the elements of the display representing a creature which once lived but does not any more taking on the aspects of a female serve to penetrate into the depths of Dylan’s grief over the death of his mother and collide with the similarity of her being extinct to stimulate his outpouring of sadness that he has been on the verge of allowing himself to forget her. This, in turn, urges him to actively take steps to preserve his memories like a museum of his own.

In “The Legendary Lawrence Cobbler” what is the significance of Jevon accidentally using chili powder instead of cinnamon in making the titular dessert?

Although the title indicates that this story is going be precisely about the joy of baking for a black boy, it is really another joy altogether. Jevon’s only trouble bonding with his father over cooking is the natural fear of disappointing a parent. His real concern about disappointing his father stems from his acceptance that he, as he puts it, “likes boys.” As the narrative progresses, one family member makes a shocking confession to him and even more shocking is the revelation that his dad is shockingly accepting of his self-awareness of his homosexuality. This all takes place against the backdrop of the boy’s attempt at following a beloved family recipe turns out perfect as the outcome of a school project. Unfortunately, he mistakenly uses chili powder instead of the cinnamon the recipe calls for and becomes convinced disaster lies in wait. When the cobbler comes out of the oven, however, his father praises the spicy quality as something special, unique and perhaps even better than the original. In effect, it is a story about the danger of pre-judging something as a “mistake” simply because it breaks free from convention.