Black Cake Literary Elements

Fiction

The novel is set in 2018 with Eleanor's history dating back to the 1960s on a Caribbean island.

The story is told in the third person point of view.

Reflective, Emotional, Hopeful

The protagonist is Eleanor while the antagonistic elements are less about external forces and more about the internal conflicts and emotional barriers that the characters must overcome to find reconciliation and understanding within their family.

The major conflict in "Black Cake" centers around the intricate web of familial tensions, estrangement, and long-held secrets. Benny and Byron, estranged siblings, are forced to confront their shared history and the emotional distance that has separated them for years. The conflict deepens as they delve into their mother Eleanor's life story, discovering a trove of hidden truths and regrets, particularly surrounding her past on a Caribbean island and the daughter she was forced to leave behind.

The story climaxes when Benny and Byron listen to their mother Eleanor's hours-long audio tape that reveals the deeply buried secrets of their family's past. As the tape unfolds, the siblings learn about their mother's true identity as Covey, her forced marriage to Little Man, her escape from their Caribbean island, and the tragic circumstances that led to her journey to the UK. This revelation is a turning point in the novel as it forces Benny and Byron to confront the extent of their mother's suffering and the lifelong impact of the family's hidden history.

There is a subtle use of foreshadowing when Eleanor, the mother, says: "B and B, there’s a small black cake in the freezer for you. Don’t throw it out. I want you to sit down together and share the cake when the time is right. You’ll know when." This passage foreshadows that the black cake mentioned by Eleanor will have significance later in the story. The phrase "when the time is right" implies that there will be a specific moment or event in the future when Benny and Byron will need to come together to share the cake.

There is an understatement in the following line: "Elly was still motherless, still fatherless, but not alone." The phrase downplays the absence of Elly's parents. In reality, being without both parents is a significant and emotionally challenging situation but the use of the word "still" and the brevity of the statement minimizes the impact. The author uses this understatement to convey Elly's resilience and the sense of finding a new family in her London environment even in the absence of her biological family.

"The Bible said for dust thou art": This is an allusion to the Bible, specifically to the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament. The full verse is "for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return," referring to the mortality of humans. Elly reflects on her connection to the Earth and her aspirations in geology.

"Benny’s first memory of Byron: They are sitting on the couch, she is settled under her brother’s arm, and Byron is reciting adventure stories to her from a book." - This sentence creates an image of a young Benny and Byron on the couch, with the reader able to visualize their close sibling relationship and the cozy setting.

One of the paradoxes revolves around Eleanor's (Covey's) identity. She is forced to hide her true identity and create a new life for herself in the UK, taking on the identity of Elly. This dual identity is paradoxical because, on one hand, it is a means of survival and protection allowing her to escape her past and the dangers associated with it. On the other hand, it is a source of inner conflict and emotional turmoil as she must hide her true self and carry the burden of secrets including her true identity and the existence of her long-lost daughter.

Phrases like "how could she see him and not call to him? How could she speak to him and not touch him?" highlight Covey's internal struggle regarding the possibility of reuniting with Gibbs. The repetition of the word "how" creates a parallel structure in the text.

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Her blondish Afro puff quivering as she stomps across the waiting room..." In this sentence, Benny's "Afro puff" is described as "quivering." This description attributes human-like emotions to her hairstyle, suggesting that it is trembling which is a way of conveying Benny's emotional state and agitation.