GREEN DAYS BY THE RIVER

Chapter 1

Word box
A jane a slang term for girl
Cashew a tropical tree bearing fruit and nuts
Creole to be of mixed West Indian and European ancestry,
especially Spanish; to speak Creole is to speak a
combination of English and French; this is spoken on many
of the Caribbean islands and is often called a patois
Dougla a slang term for someone who is half Afro-Caribbean and
half Indian
Plaisance a coastal town situated south of Pierre Hill; Shell's mother
works there
 The book is about Shell and his new life in Pierre Hill. He is fifteen and his father has
been ill and unable to work since a week after they arrived in Pierre Hill. Shell's father
has been ill on and off for a long time.
 He officially meets Mr Gidharee (who he already knows about because he has watched
him walk past on numerous mornings).
 Mr Gidharee has four Tobago dogs, Rover, Lion, Hitler and Tiger. Shell is wary of the
dogs because he does not know them and they seem quite fierce.
 Shell wishes his father were as big and strong as Mr Gidharee.
 We discover that Mr Gidharee has a daughter Rosalie (Ro) who is a dougla girl (half
Indian and half African). Mr Gidharee is Indian and his wife is Creole. Shell is also
Creole.
 Mr Gidharee offers to let Shell come to work with him on his piece of land.
 Shell remembers vividly how pretty he thought Rosalie was when he first saw her.
 Shell's mother works in the seaside town of Plaisance, while his father is sick in bed.
 We learn that a Creole person is the word used to describe foreign settlers and that Ro's
mother is African.
 Shell meets some boys by the cashew tree (Lennard, Joe and a nameless third) and there
is a sense of camaraderie between the boys as they laugh and tease each other about their
aim and ability to knock down the cashews. They compare the ripe cashews to young
girls and laugh.
 We discover that there is something between Joe and Rosalie as she is described as his
"jane".
  Shell hurries to ask his mother if he can work with Mr Gidharee.

Shell wishes his father could be more like Mr Gidharee. Find a line in the chapter that
supports this.

The line "Somehow I wished he was as big and strong as Mr Gidharee, instead of always being
ill" [2] tells us that Shell wishes his father were more like Mr Gidharee.

How does Shell feel towards Mr Gidharee's dogs? Find references from the text to support
your answer.

Shell is slightly nervous about the dogs but admires their size and strength. We know this from
the lines "He had seen how I admired his big Tobago dogs" and "I did not go too near to the
others, but they too had seen a lot of me and I was not very much afraid of them" [1].

What does Shell think of Rosalie. How do you know?

Shell has noticed Rosalie because she is pretty. We know this because when he thinks about her
she is "very vivid in my mind" [3] and when the boys start talking about her at the cashew tree,
Shell's "heart began racing" [8].

Chapter 2

Word box
Tumult a violent or noisy commotion

 Shell tells Mr Gidharee that he can come to work with him.

 He goes to the cashew tree hoping to see his new friends, but ends up pelting cashews on
his own. He gets a clean shot and wishes someone had been there to see it.
 He decides to collect the cashew nuts to take home and roast.
 Len arrives and Shell tells him of his fantastic shot. Len tells him that Rosalie is not
really Joe's "jane" and that they had only said it to make Joe feel good.

Shell is disappointed when there is no one to see him hit the cashew and again when he tells
Lennard and Lennard doesn't show any interest. Why do you think he feels "shocked and
hurt" [12]?

Shell would like to share his great shot with his new friends because he wishes to impress them.
He is disappointed when Lennard seems to have no interest in what he has achieved because it
means that Lennard is not impressed with what he has done. At this point in the story it is
important for Shell to make a good impression on the people he is meeting, because he wants to
make friends and begin to fit into the community.

Chapter 3

Word box
Immortelle trees trees with blossoms that seem to never die
Mayaro a county that lies in the southeast of Trinidad
Ortoire River the river that runs through Mayaro county
Port-of-Spain the capital city of Trinidad and Tobago; it lies on the
west coast of Trinidad and is named Port-of-Spain
because it was the Spanish port, when Trinidad was a
Spanish colony
Sapodillas a small round edible fruit with a brown skin and sweet
yellowish pulp that comes from the Sapodilla tree, a
tropical evergreen tree, found in the Caribbean; the
tree is also called Sapota and the fruit is also called
neesberry
Star fruit also called Caimito in Spanish; it comes from the
Sapota family; star apples, the fruit, are round with a
purple skin; when cut the fruit shows a star shaped
inner with eight segments

 Shell goes to Cedar Grove with Mr Gidharee.

 Mr Gidharee owns land on which he grows rice and a variety of fruits and vegetables.
 Mr Gidharee speaks of how, although his dogs don't always behave, he doesn't know
what he would do without them.
 Shell starts to feel warm towards Mr Gidharee and makes friends with Tiger.

Mr Gidharee relies on his dogs a great deal. Find a sentence in the text that supports this.

Although Mr Gidharee gets angry with his dogs for running in his rice field he says, "And yet the
thing is - the thing is, I don't know what I'd do without these dogs." [18]
It is clear from what has been said about the dogs so far in the story that they are big and strong
and very energetic. It would therefore seem that Mr Gidharee enjoys having his dogs with him
and that they are an excellent deterrent to anyone who might wish to do Mr Gidharee harm.
Chapter 4

Word box
Balata trees a tropical tree that provides a material similar to rubber,
which is used as a substitute for rubber when making
gaskets and chewing gum
Iguana a large tropical lizard that eats plants; it has a serrated fringe
that runs along its back from head to tail
Mangroves a tropical evergreen tree or shrub with intertwined roots that
looks like stilts; they grow in dense groves along the coast
Pomerac also called Malay apple, it is a pear shaped fruit with dark
red skin
Roti a type of unleavened bread originally from the northern
parts of the Indian subcontinent, also eaten in the Caribbean
Shaddocks fruit from the Shaddock tree, a citrus tree from southeast
Asia that is similar to grapefruit; also called pomelo

 Shell cuts the rice in "hands" for Mr Gidharee. Mr Gidharee tells Shell that whatever he
cuts he can take home.
 They work in the rice paddy cutting rice.
 Although Shell is very thankful for the free food, he is also a bit embarrassed because it
means that Mr Gidharee has brought him along as a favour.
 Lion catches an iguana and Mr Gidharee is impressed because he says iguana meat is
very sweet. This upsets Shell and it makes him feel strange all over.

How does Shell feel about Lion catching the iguana? How do you know this?

Shell feel unsettled by the thought of an iguana being caught for food. We know this because
when Shell sees the iguana in Lion's mouth he feels "strange all over", then when he sees Mr
Gidharee cut off the iguana's head he "all but fainted" and later, when he realises that Mr
Gidharee is taking the meat home to cook, he looks away "still feeling upset" [25].

From this incident we learn that both the dogs and Mr Gidharee are capable of violent action.
Until now this has not been the case and Shell is starting to feel unsure now that he has this new
information. The idyllic landscape and setting have been tainted by the violent incident, and both
the dogs and Mr Gidharee have proven to be something different to what they first appeared to
be.
Chapter 5

Word box
Radix also known by Shell and his friends as "Down-the-beach"; it is a
small village located to the north of Pierre Ville on the coast

 Shell meets Rosalie at the cashew tree. He is excited and flustered to be speaking to her.
Rosalie is careful to make sure her dress always covers her knees as she picks the nuts
from the ground. We discover that Shell is not able to go to the government school and
that he has come from Radix, which is commonly called "Down-the-beach".
 Lennard arrives and Rosalie giggles. They seem to be playing with each other and Shell
feels angry at the relationship between the two of them.
 Rosalie flirtingly tells Lennard to call her Rosalie not Rosa and threatens to call her father
if Lennard calls her a "nice Jane" again.
 Lennard asks if Rosalie and Shell are going to the Discovery Day fair. Shell says he is,
although it is the first time he has heard about the fair.
 Rosalie is about to leave when Lennard asks her to stay a bit longer. Shell realises that
Lennard wants him to go away so that he can be with Rosalie on his own. Shell leaves
and goes down to the shops.

How does Shell feel when he starts talking to Rosalie. How do you know?

Shell feels uncomfortable and probably a bit stressed as, when he starts talking to Rosalie, he
tries to appear calm but feels "tense inside" [26].

How does Shell feel when Rosalie starts to play with Lennard? Find a sentence from the
text to support your answer.

The line "For a moment I hated everything" [27] tells us that Shell is jealous of Lennard's game
with Rosalie. It is clear from Shell's response that he too has feelings for Rosalie. It would seem
from this - as well as from his first impressions of the boys and Rosalie - that there is the
potential for competition between the young people for each other's attention. It is a very typical
response and gives us many clues to the awakening feelings between boys and girls occurring in
the community.
Chapter 6

 Shell sees Rosalie coming out of her house and feels quite bold when he calls to her from
the cashew tree. She is dressed in her sister's old clothes, which are too big for her, but
Shell thinks she looks perfect.
 She looks at Shell in a teasing kind of way because she knows she is pretty and Shell is
watching her.
 Shell asks if she has seen Lennard as she is Lennard's "jane", and she replies that Lennard
is only "fresh" and she is not his "jane". Shell is very relieved to hear this and then
pretends he knew it all along and was only joking with Rosalie.
 Shell considers asking her about her relationship with Joe and then decides not to.
 He asks her if she is going to go to the fair and he says he may not be able to go because
his father might be going to hospital. Shell feels as if he might cry when he thinks about
his father's illness. Rosalie says that they keep the four dogs because they are dangerous.
 Rosalie asks if Shell likes her sister and he answers "Not her, somebody else." Rosalie
pretends she hasn't heard him.

What does Shell say to try and let Rosalie know that he likes her?

When Rosalie asks Shell if he likes her sister he says, "Not her - somebody else" [34] meaning
that he likes Rosalie. However this comment, as with so many of Shell's comments about Rosalie
(and later Joan), are not clear statements of his feelings. We are expected to interpret these
feelings and it is important to note that his feelings are complex, complicated, confused and
changeable. This is part of Anthony's intention in writing the story: to give us a view into the
mind of a boy who is becoming a man and grappling with the decisions and feelings that he has.

What information do we get about the dogs in this chapter?

We learn in this chapter that Rosalie believes the family keeps the dogs because they are
dangerous. This fits in with the information already gathered about how the dogs can be used to
attack and hunt. The impression of the dogs being dangerous is building.
Chapter 7

 Shell goes to the Discovery Day fair at the Mayaro government school. He looks out for
Rosalie, worried that he might miss her if he doesn't watch the door.
 Shell wipes his face because he doesn't want to look shiny when Rosalie arrives.
 The boys come up behind Shell and cover his eyes, giving him a fright. Shell is annoyed
because he doesn't want his clothes to get rumpled and he wants to look nice and smell
sweet. Lennard makes peace by saying that Shell looks nice and Rosa is bound to fall for
him that day.
 Lennard is dressed smartly and Shell feels a bit jealous.
 Lennard goes to dance and is obviously relaxed enough with the girls because he dances
funnily and makes Shell laugh.
 Lennard encourages Shell to stop being a wallflower and to dance with one of the girls.
Shell tries to pluck up the courage and then moves over to the window to look out at the
sports day. As he moves towards the window he sees Joe and Rosalie dancing very
closely and he feels pain.
 Lennard tells Shell to dance with Joan but Shell is not keen to do so. Lennard explains
that Rosalie is hot for Joe and he doesn't seem to be too concerned by this. Shell decides
he will dance with Joan and decides that she is very pleasant.
 As Shell dances he loses all his shyness, especially when Joan tells him he is a good
dancer. Joan is from Sangre Grande in North Manzanilla and is staying with friends in
Pierre Hill.
 Joe finds Shell and Shell is surprised that Rosalie is not with him. Joe says that Rosalie is
not his "jane" and Lennard has just been dancing with her. Joe says they should get a
drink and although they are underage, Lennard will arrange it.
 Rosalie comes up to Shell, she seems angry with Joe and it is obvious that she likes him,
although he doesn't seem to be too concerned about her.
 Rosalie says she will dance with Shell if he asks her. When he asks her he feels excited
and his heart is racing.

What do you think Shell is feeling when he arrives at the fair?

Shell is both excited and nervous when he arrives at the fair. We know this because he is worried
that he is going to miss Rosalie arriving and so he watches the door. While he waits he wipes his
face because he is worried his face is shining. He is all dressed up and when Lennard grabs him
from behind he gets angry, as he doesn't want his clothes to get crumpled. He feels a bit jealous
of Lennard because he looks so smart in his tie.

Looking at the time Shell spends with Joan, trace the different things you think he is feeling
from when he first meets her, while they are dancing and when he leaves her.

When Lennard suggests that Shell dance with Joan, Shell feels embarrassed and doesn't know
what to say. Then when Joan sticks up for him he feels even more embarrassed. When Shell
starts to dance with Joan he feels very flustered and this causes him to say that he can't dance a
rumba even though he knows he can. However, while he dances with Joan she makes him relax
and he starts to enjoy himself. He tries a couple of fancy steps and Joan laughs. She comments
on how well he dances a couple of times and each time he flippantly says, "I only trying
mammie-o" [43]. He feels that although Joan is not a flashy dancer, in her own way she is "quite
exciting" [42]. Just when Shell is having a really good time the music ends and he again begins
to worry about what is appropriate behaviour. Although he would like to stay and talk to her, he
worries that if he hangs around her she and others will think he is trying to monopolise her. He
finds a place for her to sit and then goes to watch the sport outside the window.

Chapter 8

 Shell and Rosalie waltz and Shell holds her close and imagines that
she belongs to him.
 Rosalie tells Shell that he dances well. She asks him if he is thinking
about his little Joan and he tells her that he is actually thinking about
her. She responds quite coldly and Shell feels embarrassed and
ashamed. But Rosalie is actually quite pleased by what he has said.
 Lennard arranges drinks through a man called Freddie who is serving
behind the bar. Freddie says he will serve them if they are discreet.
Lennard jokingly tells Freddy that Shell is Mr Gidharee's son-in-law.
 Shell drinks a second drink and feels quite giddy watching the dancers
jive. Freddy comments that Shell is drunk. Shell finds himself
laughing wildly and suddenly lots of people are staring at him. Freddy
is angry and Joe and Lennard help Shell home, as he is too drunk to
 walk on his own.
 Shell wakes up the next morning unable to remember much from the
previous night.

Why do you think, even though they all seem to have drunk the same
amount, Shell gets drunk while the other boys don't?

Shell probably has never had alcohol in this kind of environment - or perhaps
in any environment. It is clear that he does not know what will happen, or
indeed that it does happen and this tells us that his experience with alcohol is
very limited.

Rosalie responds coldly when Shell tells her that he is thinking about her,
and yet when Shell looks at her again he can see that she is pleased by
what he has said. Why do you think she responds in this way?

Rosalie doesn't want Shell to know that she likes him. In a way she is flirting
with him. Once again this is a very good example of how Anthony leaves us
to interpret Shell's feelings. We are forced to examine the evidence from the
incident and what Shell feels at the time. This is very typical young flirtatious
behaviour - seeming to be cross with someone that you really like, and
playing hard to get.

Chapter 9

 Shell's father gets really sick and he has to go to the Colonial hospital
in Port-of-Spain. Many people come to visit to console Shell's mother.
Mrs Gidharee and Rosalie come over in the afternoon.
 Rosalie tells Shell to cheer up but Shell can't help it and starts crying,
and the Gidharee's stay to console Shell and his mother.
 He goes out to the cashew tree and finds it bare and the ground is
covered with dry or rotting fruit. He sits near the tree and feels dismal
and afraid.
 He kneels with his mother to pray for his father.

Why do you think the author has chosen to mention the cashew tree at
this point in the story, and why is it important that the tree looks
 "battered and empty" and underneath the tree the last fruit lies "rotted
and dried" [57]?

The cashew tree has been a meeting place for the young people of the
community until this point. Now that everyone else has returned to school
Shell finds that he is alone a lot and no one meets him at the tree. The tree
itself is looking battered because the "summer" season is over and the fruit
has all been knocked off the tree. The tree looks forlorn and alone and this is
a very good match for how Shell is feeling at this time. Because his father has
been taken away to hospital, Shell is afraid and the rotting fruit lying under
the tree also matches Shell's scared feelings. In this way we can say that the
cashew tree is a metaphor for how Shell is feeling

Chapter 10

Word box
Calabash a hollowed out dried shell of the calabash tree used as a
container
Jeune males French for young male birds
Lagley a kind of sticky gum similar to that from the balata tree
Ochro (same as Okra) a plant with finger-shaped pods used as a
vegetable and in soups and stews as a thickener
Pigeon peas a woody African plant of the pea family with three-lobed
leaves and yellow or orange flowers, cultivated in tropical
regions for its edible seeds

Shell spends a lot of time alone while his mother is at work. She won't let him go with
Mr Gidharee every day as she feels it is like charity. On this day Shell is allowed to go.
He takes hold of both Rover and Lion's leads as they walk towards Cedar Grove.
Shell tells Mr Gidharee that he probably won't be going to school when it opens at the
end of the holidays because he missed two months of school while looking after his
father, and now he has to look for work.
 Shell notices all the birds when he reaches Cedar Grove and thinks about setting a trap
filled with sticky gum to catch them.
Mr Gidharee notes that it looks like rain. Shell and Mr Gidharee plant potatoes.
Shell is nervous about washing his hands and face in the river because he has heard there
are lots of alligators in the river. Mr Gidharee says that the dogs don't swim in the river
because it is filled with alligators. Mr Gidharee says he is not afraid of alligators.
Shell and Mr Gidharee have dinner in the hut and then return to finish planting both the
potatoes and pigeon peas.
Mr Gidharee asks how old Shell is and seems pleased to hear that Shell is fifteen going
on sixteen. He says that Rosalie is fifteen.

How does Mr Gidharee's behaviour towards the alligators affect the way Shell feels
towards him?

Mr Gidharee is very relaxed about the alligators and Shell is impressed by his lack of fear. Shell
therefore has yet another thing to admire about Mr Gidharee.

Why do you think Mr Gidharee is pleased to hear that Shell is "fifteen going in sixteen"
when "Rosalie's just on fifteen" [66]?

Mr Gidharee obviously feels that Shell and Rosalie are well suited in terms of age. This means
that he is considering Shell as a suitor for his daughter. This would fit with Mr Gidharee's
behaviour to this point. He includes Shell in his Cedar Grove activities, he likes Shell and likes
the way he works so hard. Shell would therefore be a good match for Rosalie and he is working
towards it.

Chapter 11

Word box
Portents omens or indications that something, often rather unpleasant,
is about to happen

Shell and his mother have heard nothing about his father's progress in hospital. His
mother feels that many of the things that have gone wrong in the house might be signs
 that there are troubles with his father. She asks Shell to go to the Colonial hospital to see
his father.
Shell is excited to go, as he has not seen any of his friends since school restarted. He
goes down to Freddie's caf to tell him about the trip.
Shell realises that he could go through Sangre Grande to get to Port-of-Spain and
suddenly thinks of Joan. Freddie makes Shell a snowball and refuses Shell's money.
Shell asks how to find Lennard's house and he goes to see Lennard.

What is your opinion of Shell's choice not to return to school?

While there is no right or wrong answer to this question as it asks for your opinion, there are a
number of things to consider in your answer. Shell's family is struggling because his father
cannot work and his mother has to support the family. Shell has stopped going to school so he is
unlikely to be able to study after school. This means that the number of well-paid jobs available
for Shell will decrease. At the same time, we can also see that perhaps he would not finish
school anyway and so, if he gets a job now he might be saving time and he will be bringing in
some money, at least to help support the family.

Chapter 12

Shell sets off to see his father.

Lennard has told him where Joan lives and he is going to stop on his way back from
Port-of-Spain. Lennard says that Joan wants to be remembered by Shell and Shell is not
sure if Lennard is telling him lies.
Shell arrives in Sangre Grande and is surprised by the crowds and activity. He feels as if
the big world starts at Sangre Grande.Shell thinks about Joan and how she looked and felt
to dance with, and he feels excited and full.He gets onto the next bus and arrives in Port-
of-Spain, a great strange city.

Why do you think Shell is suspicious of Lennard?

Lennard has not always been absolutely straight with Shell. He has teased Joe about Rosalie,
calling her Joe's "jane". He has also introduced Shell as "Mr Gidharee's son-in-law". Shell is
therefore uncertain as to how much of what Lennard says is the truth and what is a joke. It is
almost as though Shell does not understand Lennard.

Chapter 13

Shell feels quite dazed in the big city and takes a taxi to the hospital.
He arrives at the hospital and takes at least half an hour to find his father because the
building is so large and daunting. It is not during visiting hours but, because his father is
so ill, the sister allows him to see his father.
His father looks strange in his stained hospital pyjamas. His skin looks flabbier than
before and a depressing smell hangs over the hospital room. He had been tapped that
morning (a process in which the liquid that is gathering under his lungs is drained) and so
is unable to lie on his side.
Shell wonders why a good man such as his father should deserve to be going through
this.
Shell and his father bicker kindly with each other as they used to when he was still at
home. Shell sees the dressing on his father's stomach and how blood is oozing through
the bandages and his blood freezes.
His father asks after Rosalie and when Shell answers that they have only seen each other
a couple of times his father tells him that if he likes her he must not feel ashamed to tell
her. Shell is surprised at how serious his father is about this.
Shell is asked to leave and feels close to tears as he walks out of the hospital.

What does this chapter reveal about the relationship between Shell and his father?

Shell feels deeply for his father. Their relationship is an honest and open one. They can joke and
laugh and Shell can tell his father the truth about many things. It is also clear that Shell's father
knows his son very well. He knows that Shell likes Joan and Rosalie and he is very direct in his
responses to his son. Shell seems to like this directness and be appreciative of the advice that he
receives from his father.

Why is it Shell's most terrifying moment when he sees the blood seeping out of the
bandage?

Shell's father's illness has not really been real for Shell until this moment. When he sees the
blood "it seemed to freeze up" [79] his insides and he realises that his father is very ill and may
not live much longer.

Chapter 14

Shell returns to Sangre Grande and has no difficulty finding Joan's house.
Joan's mother gives him lunch and then goes outside to do the washing.
Shell asks if Joan's mother minds her visiting with boys and Joan says that she has told
her mother so much about Shell that it is as if her mother knows him. Joan says that her
mother doesn't however stand for her messing around with boys.
Shell tries to find out if Joan has a boyfriend and it saddens him when he hears that she
does.
Shell and Joan go for a walk with her baby brother, Jake, to see Sangre Grande. Shell is
excited to think that people will think that she is his girl.
Joan asks after Rosalie and says she is aware of how Shell felt for Rosalie at the
Discovery Day fair. Shell laughs this off but is irritated by what Joan has said.
Shell notices how she has developed since the Discovery Day dance. She is now wearing
a bra, which he can see by the straps through her dress.
Shell leaves before Joan's father and older brother come home and he is quite pleased at
this.

What is it about Joan and the big city that is so attractive to Shell?

Joan represents for Shell a greater life experience. She lives in Sangre Grande where the "real-
civilised world" [73] seems to start. She seems more worldly-wise and Shell feels excited to
think that people will think she is his girl. These feelings reveal a difference between the
lifestyle of those who live in the town and those who live in the country. Townspeople seem to
be more sophisticated in their view of the world, and those in the country, more innocent. Joan,
through her worldly-wise attitude, appears more developed in her outlook than Shell, yet he has
a fresh and wide-eyed view of the world. He is less suspicious and more willing to show his true
feelings.

Chapter 15
 The end of the year is coming and Shell's father comes home from the hospital. Shell
cries as his father enters their house.
Shell tells his father that he has a job picking cocoa. This upsets his father as he wishes
his boy to have a big profession, like a lawyer or doctor. He feels that Shell has no
ambition, as he has not tried to get a job in Port-of-Spain. Shell feels that this was just
wishful thinking as he has not been able to go to school and there is no money to go to
college.
His father has to return to the hospital and is angry because he feels that his son has
brains and could be so much more if it wasn’t for his illness.
Shell's father is sure that no one can cure him but Shell is determined that they will keep
on trying. His father is pleased at this and tells him he is a real man. Shell says yes
because he takes after his father.
Shell fetches his mother and sees Rosalie on the way back. He tells her that his father has
returned. He then pretends that he has to return to his house immediately and hides out of
sight so that she won't know he has not gone inside. He wonders if he should tell Rosalie
that he now has a girlfriend. He finds girls so hard to understand because they don't want
you when you want them but then want you later when you no longer want them. Since
returning from Joan, Shell is sure that he is no longer interested in Rosalie.
Shell has noticed that the more attention he gets from Rosalie the nicer Mr Gidharee is
towards him and although he has thought about getting more physical with her he has
held back because he feels it is wrong to be with Rosalie when he wants Joan.
Shell talks to his father about Rosalie and Joan. He feels he cannot speak to his mother
and so changes the topic every time his mother enters the room. His father feels that Joan
is very far away and Rosalie has liked Shell for so long that Rosalie would be a better
choice. Shell doesn't agree and his father tells him they will speak again the following
day when his mother has gone to work.

What reasons does Shell's father give for not wanting Shell to work in the cocoa fields?

Shell's father feels that if Shell works in the cocoa fields he will become a "good-for-nothing." He
says Shell has brains and that you don't need brains to work in a cocoa field. He also believes that
the only reason Shell is working in the cocoa fields is because he has been sick.

Shell has a particular ethic about how he responds to girls. What is this ethic?

Shell doesn't believe it is right to be with one girl when you like another. We know this because he
says, "I could not think of Joan and flirt with Rosalie. It was impossible. Whenever I thought about it
something just went dead inside me."[94] From this we know that certain values have been instilled
in Shell about honesty and integrity and these are very positive values. We get the sense from
previous conversations between Shell and his father that this is the source of the values.

How do we know that Shell is confused by girls and is uncertain about what they want?

We know that Shell is confused by girls and uncertain about what they want because he has noticed
that Rosalie had not wanted to know him when he wanted her, but now that he has a girlfriend she
seems to be running after him. He says, "Life was so strange and girls so hard to understand" [94]. In
spite of his strong values, Shell is still confused and unable to make sense of Rosalie's behaviour. At
the same time he does not seem to be aware of his own mixed messages. He clearly has feelings for
both girls and seems to be pursuing some sort of course of action with both.

Why do you think Shell finds it difficult to talk to his mother and prefers to talk to his father?

Shell, as a boy close to reaching adulthood, feels a great need for a male authority figure. He is also
worried that his mother will find his antics with girls funny while he knows his father will
understand. The conversations and interactions between Shell and his father and Shell and his
mother are very revealing. Shell is able to relate better to his father and this is shown through the
direct and honest communication between the two men. While Shell's interaction with his mother is
much more reserved and restrained and clearly does not tell her everything of his feelings.

Chapter 16

Mr Gidharee stops by to say hello to Shell's father and praises Shell for being a great
boy. Mr Gidharee says that the food he sends to Shell and his mother is not charity
 because Shell works for it.
Shell's father feels that Shell should stick with Rosalie because Mr Gidharee is a good
man and he would be a father to Shell. Shell states that he doesn't need another father as
he already has one.
Shell says he is in love with Joan and would marry her. Shell's father feels he is a bit
young for marrying. Shell says he knows that Mr Gidharee is trying to get Rosalie and
him together and he is not going to encourage this. Shells' father warns him not to get
Rosalie into trouble meaning that he must not get her pregnant. He says if Rosalie is not
good enough to marry then she is not good enough to play around with.
Shell asks if he can invite Joan over to visit and his father is willing to support him in
this because he can see that Shell likes Joan. Shell thinks of how his father has always
made life and love seem so open and honest that he could never understand why some
people were so silly about it.

From whom do you think Shell has learned the moral principles that guide his life?

Shell learned from his father the moral principles that guide his life.

What do you think Mr Gidharee hopes to achieve through being nice to Shell's father?

Mr Gidharee would like Shell to marry his daughter and feels that by befriending Shell's father
this is more likely to happen. Mr Gidharee makes a concerted effort to say nice things to Shell's
father. From this we can see that he is reflecting good things upon Shell and also upon himself.
Shell's father now has a very good opinion of Mr Gidharee and he tells Shell of this. It would
seem that that was Mr Gidharee's intention all along

What moral principle does Shell's father tell him he must stick to in his life?

Shell's father tells Shell that he must not play around with a girl if he is not willing to marry her.

What do you now know about Shell's relationship with his father?

Shell has great respect for his father because his father is open and honest with him. Shell feels
that his mother sometimes acts so secretively but his father will always tell him the truth. Shell
also states that his relationship with his father is not common and therefore is even more special.
Many other boys Shell's age cannot speak to their fathers as openly as Shell can speak to his

Chapter 17

Shell has been working in the cocoa fields and often speaks and jokes with an Indian girl
called Sonia. He says that sometimes Sonia makes him think.
One day Sonia arrives at the end of the day to find Shell bathing in the river. He feels
embarrassed that she has found him like this and stays in the water so she will not see his
nakedness. Sonia is looking for her cocoa rod that she has left behind but Shell thinks she
has come back to watch him. Sonia is completely unconcerned about the fact that he is
naked and laughs at the way he is behaving. She finds her cocoa rod and Shell realises
the mistake he has made - she was being honest all along. They start to chat and Shell
forgets he is naked and steps out of the water. He is mortified that she has seen him
naked but Sonia tells him there is nothing special about his nakedness and that she has
seen men naked many times before. Shell feels quite silly after Sonia has left and he
thinks that she is very much like his father.
Shell's parents tease him when he gets home about his having a girlfriend and they agree
that Joan can come to visit.
Shell notices how much happier and healthier his mother is looking and he knows that
Christmas will be good this year because of the extra money he has been able to give his
mother. He knows his mother appreciates the money but also values him because he has
earned it.

What is it about Sonia that reminds Shell about his father?

Sonia is also open and honest like Shell's father. She often makes Shell think and she is "so
natural and easy". When she sees Shell naked she is "not unsettled" and "takes it as a joke"
[107]. We therefore get a very similar impression of Sonia as we get of Shell's father because of
their open and honest way of approaching life. Both characters are unaffected by false modesty
and do and say things that they believe and feel.
How do you think Shell feels about the fact that he is able to contribute to the house, and
how does this affect how he feels about growing up?

Shell knows that his mother doesn't only "value the money" but she also valued that "I could
give it to her" [110] this allows Shell to feel like a man because he is being responsible and
helping to support the family in its time of need.

Chapter 18

Mr Gidharee and Shell go to Cedar Grove. Shell now has a cutlass case and Mr Gidharee
thinks he looks very smart. He suggests that Shell is now old enough and tall enough to
be wearing long pants.
Mr Gidharee asks Shell if he is going to the New Years Day fair, as Rosalie is very
excited about it. Shell is a bit worried because he had assumed that Rosalie wouldn't be
going to the fair and he is planning to take Joan to it.
Mr Gidharee has some sapodillas that he shares with Shell and he is pleased that Shell
likes them as much as he does.
Shell listens to the birds and remembers how he used to catch them in a cage by placing
semp inside the cage to lure the birds and sticky lagley gum so that the birds would get
trapped.
Shell thinks about how the birds have all been given French names and that when they
are young they sing beautifully to attract the females but that as they get older they lose
their singing voice. Shell feels that now he is too old to catch birds any more.
Shell is surprised that Mr Gidharee is so good at speaking French patois as he is Hindi.
Mr Gidharee asks Shell if he is taking Rosalie to the school fte and Shell is so surprised
by his question that he says yes.

What do you think Mr Gidharee's motives are?

Mr Gidharee wants Shell as his son-in-law. We get this from the bird catching story. It is as if
Mr Gidharee is planning to have Shell and Rosalie marry. This has been building in the story
and it is in this chapter that his intention is revealed.
What do you think is the relevance of the bird catching story?

The bird catching story is a metaphor for the trap that is being sprung on Shell - that Mr
Gidharee wants him to marry Rosalie. Shell is just like the birds that are being lured into a
relationship with Rosalie. Rosalie is the bait for the trap - just like the juice from the fruit that
traps the birds in the cage. This metaphor reveals the true intention of Mr Gidharee as regards
Shell and Rosalie.

Chapter 19

It is Christmas morning and Shell goes to sit under the lime tree in the garden. He thinks
about the night before when he went to Freddie's caf. Joe, Lennard, Freddie and himself
had a couple of drinks and then they went walking around the town.
Shell's mother says she is not surprised that Shell is tired considering the time he came
home the night before. She says he didn't come home in the night but rather early in the
morning. She wants to know whether he thinks he is a man now that he works in the
cocoa fields. She wants to know whether this allows him to drink and get drunk. Shell is
surprised to hear that Freddie had brought him home, as he cannot remember that much
of the night before.
Shell goes out to the cashew tree and sees Rosalie. She has bought him a present and
Shell feels uncomfortable about taking it, as he hasn't bought a present for her. Rosalie
says she has received a card from Joe, and Shell tells her that he too has got a card, from
Joan. Rosalie asks if there is something going on between Shell and Joan and Shell says
yes. Shell realises that he is quite attracted to Rosalie and that she too has developed and
is wearing a bra like Joan.
Shell asks Rosalie if she wants to come by that afternoon as he and the boys are going to
go visiting. Shell suggests that they meet by the cashew tree that evening.
Shell spends the afternoon with the boys and after having had a couple of drinks he
decides he is not going to drink anymore.
Freddie sees some girls going past the caf and suggests they have a pelau. Everyone gets
very excited about this idea and Freddie warns them that it doesn't mean they can get
 carried away with the girls as he has to protect his reputation in the community.

What does the fact that Shell gets drunk every time he drinks tell us about his character?

Although Shell likes to think that he is a man or very close to manhood, he is actually still a
young boy who cannot hold his drink and gets drunk every time he has a drink with his friends.
It also indicates to us that Shell is not aware of his own behaviour. This fits in with his confused
thoughts about Rosalie and Joan. While he is getting better at looking at behaviour in other
people and thinking about reasons for that behaviour, we do see that he is not very good at
looking at his own behaviour as yet.

Why do you think it is important to Shell that Rosalie knows about Joan?

Shell doesn't want to lead Rosalie on and so by telling her about Joan he knows he will then
have told the truth and she will better understand his behaviour towards her. This is a very
positive impression that we get of Shell. It reveals to us that he desires to be open and honest in
his relationship to Rosalie and that he has some measure of respect for her. We link this decision
or desire of Shell to the advice that his father has given him, and therefore see the very positive
influence that Shell's father has upon his thoughts and actions.

Chapter 20

The party goes well and Shell again cannot remember how the party ends or how he gets
home to his bed. His mother is very angry but his father is amused. Shell has a terrible
hangover and is feeling very sorry for himself. Shell sleeps through most of the day and
when he awakens later he is feeling a bit better.
He stands at the front door looking out and sees Rosalie, she smiles at him and Shell
goes out to meet her.
Shell comes home very late and cannot sleep because his heart is beating so hard. He has
slept with Rosalie and now thinks they must both be mad to have done it. His father has
warned him about this and he is angry with himself for not having listened.
He drinks a large glass of rum in the hope that it will put him to sleep. As he lies on his
bed he thinks of Rosalie with ecstasy and feels really pleasant. The rum finally puts him
 to sleep .

For what reason does Shell feel the guilt that he does over having slept with Rosalie?

Shell feels guilt over having slept with Rosalie because he knows he has broken his father's rule
about playing around with someone you don't want to marry. He feels he has betrayed both his
father and Rosalie. He is also guilty because he loves Joan and wants to marry her, yet he has
now slept with Rosalie. This incident has been a betrayal of his values also, as he was up front
and honest with Rosalie about his feelings for Joan. Shell reveals to us that he is still too young
to make such important decisions and he also reveals to us that he is strongly motivated by
physical factors. We get this because only in the last chapter did he notice that Rosalie was also
developing physically and he is clearly attracted to this physical growth and maturity.

Chapter 21

It is New Year's Day and Joan is coming to visit. Shell feels nervous and still cannot
believe that Joan's mother is letting her come. As he sits under the cinnamon tree he
thinks of Rosalie and becomes frightened. He realises he has been thinking about Joan so
much that he has forgotten what happened between Rosalie and himself.

What does this chapter indicate of Shell's state of mind?

Shell is excited and nervous about Joan's arrival. The time seems to be moving so slowly. He
cannot believe that her mother is letting her come and stay. He feels that her parents obviously
trust her. He knows that he is not trustworthy, as he has betrayed his father's trust by sleeping
with Rosalie. When he thinks about her he gets frightened. He hopes that Joan will like Mayaro.
Chapter 22

Joan arrives and Shell sees how fashionable and smart she looks. He feels a bit silly for
not having dressed up for her and wishes he had at least worn his long pants.
He carries her luggage and although it is rather heavy he pretends that it isn't. He wishes
to avoid two places on their walk home, Freddie's caf and Rosalie's house. He encourages
her to walk a bit faster as they go past Freddie's place and Joan jokes with Shell about
whether he has been thinking about her.
She reminds him that there is to be no funny business between them while she is visiting
because her parents trust her.
As they get close to his home he asks her to walk faster again and keeps his head down as
they pass Rosalie's house. As he goes into his house he gets a big fright when he looks
back and sees Rosalie watching him.

Shell is angry with himself for having not dressed up when he goes to meet Joan at the bus
stop. He also carries Joan's bag pretending that it is not really heavy. What do these actions
tell you about how Shell wants to appear to Joan?

Shell wants to appear a man before Joan in order to impress her, particularly as she looks so
grown up. This also fits with how Shell perceives Joan as a girl from the city. He believes that
city people are more sophisticated than country people and his concern over how he is dressed
and how he acts towards her needs to reflect that he too is grown up.

Chapter 23

Shell tells Joan that they won't be going to the fte. Shell is worried that Rosalie is going
to do something desperate at the fte. Joan is a bit disappointed but accepts Shell's
excuses.
 Shell takes her to the little quiet coconut grove behind his house and she falls in love with
it right away. Joan feels it is so beautiful that people should write poetry about it. She
talks about a friend of hers, Janet Chan, who is the secretary of a literary club where they
read poetry and listen to classical music.
Shell suggests that he get some water nuts from the tree for Joan to taste and decides that
although he could just knock them from the tree he would like to impress her with how
he climbs. She laughs when she sees him climbing and says he climbs like a squirrel.
He asks what kind of water nuts she would like and he realises from her answer that she
knows very little of his world.
They laugh and joke and Joan tells Shell that he is a nice boy. She asks him to hug her
and he tells her she is the nicest girl in Trinidad. This frightens her and she stiffens in his
arms. He asks her if there is a problem and she says she is scared of him. She says she
will kiss him if she knows it would stop there.
When he kisses her and starts to touch her she cries out for him to stop. She tells him she
is still at school and that he is misbehaving. He is angry with her and says it is only
human to want her - as he loves her. She tells him that that is not love but trouble.
Shell realises that this is the best time to tell her how he feels for her and so he tells her
he wants to marry her. He asks her when they could get married and she tells him that he
will have to wait four or five years. He is happy that she wants to get married but feels
that five years is a long time.
They lie and talk for a while and then Joan asks to use his penknife. Shell doesn't have a
penknife so he twists off a piece of wire for her to use. She carefully etches "Joan and
Shellie New Years’ Day" into the bark of the cinnamon tree. When she is finished she
tells him not to look while she writes something else on the tree. Shell sneaks a look and
sees her drawing a heart and writing the words "I love you." She is embarrassed that
Shell has seen what she has written and they walk home down the hill.

What clues does the chapter give us about the differences between Joan and Shell and what
do these differences tell us?

Shell takes Joan to the fields behind his house to show her the coconut trees, because he knows
there aren't many coconut trees where she comes from. Even though he could use his bush
cutlass to cut down some branches to get the coconuts, he chooses to climb the tree to show Joan
how adventurous he can be. When he asks Joan whether she wants hard jelly or soft with more
water in her coconut it is obvious that she doesn't know what he is talking about. Joan remarks
on how the view is "stupendous" and Shell doesn't know the meaning of the word. Joan talks
about Janet Chan who runs a poetry and music appreciation club. These differences show us that
Shell is really a very simple country boy while Joan is far more worldly-wise. The two young
people have different knowledge. Joan is wise in the ways of art and music; Shell is wise in the
way of the country. We get the impression that, although some may see the city as a place of
sophistication and therefore better than the country, in fact the knowledge that country people
have is also very useful and should not be seen as inferior.

Joan wants to be treated like a "nice jane". What do you think she means by this?

Joan wants to be treated like a lady and does not want to sleep with Shell as she says, "that's not
love - that's real trouble, boy" [157]. This fits in with the advice that Shell's father has given him.
What underlies that advice is about respect for other people. Shell has already demonstrated that
he can be careless in this regard (because he slept with Rosalie and yet wants to marry Joan). We
are therefore in doubt as to whether Shell can in fact maintain the relationship he has with Joan if
he cannot sleep with her.

Why does Joan let Shell kiss her later in the chapter when she will not let him do so at the

When Shell first tries to kiss Joan he has not committed himself to her in any way. Later in the
chapter he has asked her to marry him and she therefore knows that he is serious about her.
While this may seem to be a genuine statement of commitment, we again doubt whether Shell
can live up to it, because he has slept with Rosalie.

What is the relevance of Joan carving their names into the tree?

By carving their names into the tree, Joan has created a permanent declaration of their love. This
is an important step for Joan to make because it publicly declares her feelings for Shell. It is also
important for us to know that she is very serious about how she feels for Shell. We are therefore
in the position of being concerned about her feelings because we know that Shell has already
betrayed her.
Chapter 24

Joan discovers that she really enjoys talking to Shell's father.

Shell talks to his father about his relationship with Joan. He would like to get engaged to
Joan and then get married in two to three years' time. His father still feels that he will
then only be eighteen when they marry and that this is too young. He says he will agree
to Shell marrying when he is twenty. He feels that if they love each other they should be
able to wait. Shell's father likes Joan and feels she is educated.
Shell is excited to finally have long pants.
Shell and Joan go for a walk on the beach. Shell daydreams about showing his girl to
Freddie and Joan gets cross because he isn't listening to her. Shell apologises and asks if
they can forget their little quarrel.
Shell shows Joan all the things he has written about in his letters.
Joan suggests they find a place to sit and says that Shell can kiss her because she has
decided she can trust him.

What does Shell's father mean by "you is a big man - you wearing long pants. Do what you
like. I finish talking"?

Shell's father is frustrated with Shell because he doesn't seem to want to hear any advice from
anyone. Shell's father is warning Shell that just because he is wearing long pants it doesn't mean
that he is a man.
Why do you think Shell's father wants him to wait and why does Shell feel this is not a good

Shell's father would like both Joan and Shell to grow up a bit more before they make a serious
commitment to each other. However Shell is worried that Joan might meet someone more
worldly-wise than him and then he will lose her. We know this because he says, "Somebody'll
search her up long before then." [162] This fits in with Shell's impressions of the country being
less sophisticated than the town. He is worried that someone else might be better for Joan than he

Why does Shell's father like Joan?

Shell's father likes Joan because although she is educated she is still simple. She treats them all
as equals even though she is better educated than Shell.

What conclusions do you think Shell has reached concerning the difference in education
level between himself and Joan?

Shell explains to Joan that some people who are not educated are still good fellers and that even
though they do not have an education they can still appreciate fine things. Shell seems to have
decided that although he is less educated than Joan he is able to appreciate fine things and
therefore their relationship will be fine.

Why does Joan say "but don't be too good" at the end of the chapter? What has changed
between Shell and Joan?

Joan is giving Shell permission to go a bit further with her. She feels that he has made a
commitment to her and therefore she is willing to allow him to get closer to her. This tells us that
Joan is being careful about how far their relationship can go. It also tells us that she is being
careful and that she is aware of the fact that Shell would like to make the relationship more
physical. This again reveals that Joan is worldly-wise and that in this regard she is more aware
than Shell is, even though he has already slept with someone.

Chapter 25

Shells father is going to return to the hospital and Shell feels very hopeless. His father
wants him to stop working in the cocoa fields and try to get more educated but Shell
doesn't see how he can do this as he has missed so much school and is now too old to go
 back. Shell's father is also worried about Shell marrying Joan, as he feels she is too
educated for him. Shell doesn't feel this is an issue, as Joan has never seemed to be
concerned with his future plans.
Shell admits he is a bit concerned about this as he thinks maybe Joan would go off with
another man if he was more successful and educated than Shell.
Shell is worried that his father may never return from the hospital. His mother is also
concerned because she has had bad premonitions.
Shell and his family pray together in the bedroom. Shell and his mother pray for his
father to get better. Shell's father prays to show that he accepts God's will if he is to die
and that he is only thankful he was allowed to live long enough to see his son grow so
big. He asks God to help Shell to find a good woman. He says if Joan is this woman then
let her show this so all will see.
Shell's mother tells Shell that if his father is to die they must accept this, as he will be in
paradise. Shell goes to sleep feeling this is the most sombre moment of his life.

Why is Shell's father concerned about Shell marrying Joan?

Shell's father is worried that Joan is too educated for Shell and that they are too close in age. He
feels that Shell might be unhappy if he married Joan. He feels that a husband should be superior
in every way to his wife.

How is Shell's father's prayer a premonition of his death?

When Shell's father prays he says he cannot "fly in the face of God" and that he knew that "the
Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away." He thanks God for letting him see "his son grow up so
big" [173]. These things tell us that Shell's father does not expect to return from the hospital and
that he has accepted that his life will soon be over. The prayer is in many ways a goodbye prayer
and they all seem to realise this.
Chapter 26

It is now March and Mr Gidharee has asked Shell to come to Cedar Grove with him.
Shell feels very fearful about this trip.
Rosalie has threatened Shell that she will tell her father that she and Shell have slept
together on Boxing Day. Shell doesn't think she will, but there are signs that she may
already have told him.
Mr Gidharee seems bright and cheerful. The dogs look more vicious than ever and Mr
Gidharee says he has been giving them dragon's blood to make them fierce. Mr Gidharee
tells Shell that dragon's blood will make them so vicious that they will tear their own
mother to pieces.
Mr Gidharee says Shell looks good in his long pants and that he has grown a great deal.
Shell seems to sense an inner heat and violence in Mr Gidharee but thinks that maybe he
is feeling this because of his guilty conscience.
Tiger leaps out from behind the bushes and gives Shell a huge fright. Mr Gidharee wants
to know why Shell is frightened of a dog; he feels that Shell must obviously have a guilty
mind.
Shell and Mr Gidharee work in the fields and Shell can feel that things are different now
between him and Mr Gidharee.
Mr Gidharee says that you can make a great deal of money from cocoa if you own the
field. He shows Shell a piece of land that he is buying.

Mr Gidharee tells Shell about how Mr Ramdat (Sonia's father) would make any boy who
fooled around with his daughter marry her. Mr Gidharee says he agrees with this. He tells
Shell that he likes Creole people, but he feels that they like to fool around and they don't
like to marry. Shell is really frightened when he hears this and is shaking. Mr Gidharee
asks him why he is shaking so badly.
They go to eat lunch and Mr Gidharee gives the dogs more dragon's blood in their water.
Mr Gidharee leaves to go and look at the cocoa field and tells Shell to wait for him. Shell
hears the dogs barking. He sees Hitler trying to urinate against a tree and hears him
yelping. He realises that Hitler is obviously in great pain. Shell calls out for Mr Gidharee
and this makes Rover get even more frenzied. Shell shouts at the dogs to keep quiet and
Rover lunges at him. Tiger comes to join the fight and Shell desperately tries to find a
stick to defend himself. All four dogs go for Shell and he tries desperately to ward them
 off by kicking and hitting out at them.
Mr Gidharee returns and calls the dogs off. Shell's clothes are in tatters and he is bleeding
all over. Mr Gidharee asks what is wrong between Shell and the dogs and then suggests
that maybe they know something about Rosalie. He says that perhaps the dogs want to
tear Shell up if he doesn't want to get married to Rosalie.
Mr Gidharee shouts at the dogs for the mess they have made and decides it is time to go
home. He calls the dogs and then leaves.
Shell rouses himself much later and realises that time has passed while he has been sitting
in the potato bed. He feels as if he has been in a semi-sleep. He tries to move his legs and
cries out with the pain. The clouds open and it starts to rain.

What clues does the author give us in the first half of the chapter that let us know that
something bad is about to happen?

Lines such as "I was feeling very fearful", "Yet I had the feeling that I was taking a big risk to go
into Cedar Grove today" [174], "I smiled but I was very nervous inside," "they'll tear up their
own mother to pieces" [175], "A chill ran through me" [176], "that dragon blood will make them
hunt like a bitch," "I was beginning to be aware of a strangeness in him"[177], "I felt horrible
and sick" [179] all give us hints or clues that something bad is about to happen. Many of these
images relate to the Tobago dogs and we already have the impression that these dogs are capable
of attacking and hunting. The frequent reminders of how much more aggressive the dogs have
become contribute to the impression that something very significant and very bad is about to

What clues are we given that tell us that Mr Gidharee knows about Shell and Rosalie

Lines such as "Anybody who you see get frighten easy have a guilty mind" [178] and "He say if
any man play the fool round Sonia he'll have to married she, else he'll chop him up in fine
pieces" [181] tells us that Mr Gidharee knows about Shell and Rosalie. This information from
Mr Gidharee, added to the fact that Shell is already feeling very guilty about what he has done
with Rosalie, gives rise to the connection between the events we already know have happened
and how Mr Gidharee is acting.
What lines tell us that Mr Gidharee expects Shell to marry Rosalie?

Lines such as "One thing with Creole, they like to play round but they don't like to get married.
Never! Never!" [181], "They prefer to get married to someone else," and "Although she was
good enough to play around with. This does hurt me" tell us that Mr Gidharee expects Shell to do
the right thing by getting married to Rosalie.

How do you think Mr Gidharee is going to use the dogs to deal with Shell?

Mr Gidharee has been feeding his dogs on dragon's blood powder to make them more vicious.
He is planning to allow the dogs to attack Shell. We get this impression because we know what
the effect of the powder is: Shell constantly comments upon how aggressive and unpredictable
the dogs are, and how he does not trust them anymore. There can only be two sources of any
possible action: Mr Gidharee and the dogs; as Mr Gidharee is baiting the dogs, it seems most
likely that any attack will come from the dogs.

Do you think Mr Gidharee is willing to give Shell a second chance and how do you know

Mr Gidharee gives Shell a number of opportunities to come clean and tell him the truth. When
Shell doesn't do this he puts more dragon's blood powder in the dog's water at lunchtime. Mr
Gidharee then walks off, leaving Shell alone with the dogs which are likely to attack him. The
fact that Mr Gidharee gives Shell so many opportunities to come clean is evidence of his
willingness to forgive Shell as long as he does the right thing - marry Rosalie. We know that this
is occurring because whenever Mr Gidharee gives Shell an opportunity to confess, Shell feels
very guilty that he does not tell his story. We also know this because Shell becomes more and
more convinced that something bad is going to happen with the dogs.

Find a line that tells you that we are absolutely sure that Mr Gidharee meant for the dogs
to attack Shell. Explain how this line is also an ultimatum to Shell.

We can be absolutely sure that Mr Gidharee deliberately let the dogs attack Shell because when
he returns to find Shell bleeding and injured he says, "Perhaps they know something about
Rosalie. Perhaps that's why. Dogs does know things, you know. Perhaps they mean to tear you
up unless you mean to get married to her." This line is also an ultimatum to Shell and a warning
of how much more damage the dogs could do if Shell does not marry Rosalie. Mr Gidharee's
message is therefore very clear: marry Rosalie or the dogs will kill you.

Chapter 27

Word box
Ague a feverish condition involving alternating hot, cold, and
sweating stages, especially as a symptom of malaria
Delirious irrational behaviour as a temporary result of a physical
condition, for example, fever, poisoning, or brain injury
Pauper somebody who is extremely poor
A telegram arrives and Shell's mother cannot open the envelope. Shell opens it to read
that his father is very ill and is likely to die soon. The hospital wishes someone to come
to Port-of Spain.
Shell has been very ill and is still shaky. The dog bites have given him fever and he has
been delirious for a while. He has also got a cold from being out in the rain.
Shell realises that he cannot let his mother go to the hospital and that he will have to go
himself.
Shell's mother tells Shell that Mr Gidharee had been around again that morning and asks
if Shell still believes that Mr Gidharee did it on purpose. Shell says he doesn't know what
to think. Shell's mother can't believe it was on purpose because Mr Gidharee has been
round to visit almost every day and has helped them out with some money.
Shell's mother says that as Shell can't remember much of what had happened and Mr
Gidharee has been so nice, it is better if they just forget the whole thing.
Shell has wanted to tell his mother the whole story but has held back. Mr Gidharee has
come to visit Shell when his mother was at work and has told Shell that he cannot get out
of marrying Rosalie. Shell knows that he cannot leave Mayaro because of his mother, and
so Mr Gidharee and he have made a deal.

Shell wishes to tell his mother about the large piece of cocoa land that will be theirs when
he marries Rosalie, but cannot do so without telling his mother what actually happened.
Shell's mother cries because she doesn't want her husband to be buried like a pauper.
Shell tells her not to worry, as he and Mr Gidharee are good friends. He explains that he
 will tell her everything when he gets up.

What agreement do you think Shell and Mr Gidharee have come to?

Shell has agreed to marry Rosalie and Mr Gidharee will therefore give Shell the huge cocoa
fields he has bought in Cedar Grove. Mr Gidharee will also ensure that Shell's father does not get
a "pauper burial" [194] so it is clear that he will be paying for the funeral

Has Mr Gidharee told Shell's mother the truth about what happened, and how do you
know this?

Mr Gidharee has not told Shell's mother the truth. We know this because she says, "He said you
left saying you was going home" [191]. We know that Shell did not do this as Mr Gidharee left
Shell in the fields.

What line tells you that Shell is trapped and will have to marry Rosalie?

Shell says, "The position was I could not escape Mr Gidharee now" and so we know that Shell is
trapped and will have to marry Rosalie. This fits in with the threat that Mr Gidharee made at the
close of the previous chapter where he told Shell that the dogs would tear him to pieces if he did
not marry Rosalie.

Do you think Mr Gidharee did what he did "for spite"? Explain your answer.

If you do something out of spite, it means you do not have a good reason for your behaviour. Mr
Gidharee's motivation for setting the dogs on Shell was to protect his daughter and therefore he
did not do it "for spite". While we can question whether Mr Gidharee's actions were right or
wrong, we have to remember that we are only seeing the incident through Shell's eyes. We know
why Shell slept with Rosalie, and we know that he feels very guilty about it. But we do not know
what Mr Gidharee is thinking. We only know that fathers protect their daughters. If he knows
about Shell and Rosalie (and his actions indicate that he does) then he is acting in the best
interests of his daughter. So whether he is right or wrong does not really matter - what does
matter is that this is the way in which events have happened and those involved must now accept
the consequences.

Chapter 28
 Shell leaves for Port-of-Spain the next morning - he goes through San Fernando so that
he doesn't have to travel through Joan's town.
As Shell travels, he remembers all the good times he has had with his father. And if it is
goodbye to happy days perhaps he should be grateful to Mr Gidharee for at least they will
never want for anything again.
Shell knows that his father wanted him to succeed and with this land he will now be able
to. He starts to think of all the things he is going to do with the land. He realises that
Cedar Grove is now his goal in life.
He remembers Joan and finds it difficult to forget his feelings for her. It has been a bitter
choice for him but he has no option.
Shell phones Mr Gidharee to make arrangements for the funeral.

How do you know that Shell has accepted his fate and is even beginning to look forward to

The line "Perhaps I should be grateful for having Mr Gidharee" [195] tells us that Shell has
accepted his fate. He also thinks about what he is going to do with the land that will be his and so
we see that he is starting to look forward to his new life

How easy do you think it is for Shell to forget Joan? Provide evidence from the text in your
answer.

Shell says, "It was a bitter decision but there was no other choice. The thing for me now was to
forget. But I could not easily forget" [195]. These lines tell us that it is very difficult for Shell to
forget his real feelings for Joan and his plans to marry her. We remember that this was a course
of action that Shell's father had recommended and we can therefore imagine how hard it is for
Shell to forget about Joan.

Chapter 29
 It is a week since Shell's father passed away.
Mr Gidharee and Shell go to Cedar Grove. Mr Gidharee no longer has the dogs and Shell
thinks how strange it feels to be walking to Cedar Grove without them.
Shell now calls Mr Gidharee, Mr Gid. Shell tells Mr Gidharee that he is nervous about
the wedding. Mr Gidharee tells him not to worry, as a Hindu engagement is not difficult.
Shell feels very close to Mr Gidharee. He thinks of how Mr Gidharee has helped with the
funeral and thinks that he feels nearly as close to Mr Gidharee as he felt towards his own
father.
Mr Gidharee shows Shell his shotgun and says it is better than the four dogs. Shell wants
to ask what has happened to the dogs, but doesn't really want to know the answer.
As they walk into Cedar Grove, Shell looks at the land that is now theirs.
Mr Gidharee suggests that they take a break before they start work but Shell says he
wants to start work right away. Mr Gidharee says he likes Shell's spirit and that
everything will now be okay. Shell says that he knows it will be.

What line tells you that Shell's father has passed away and been buried?

The line "Today made it a week since Pa had gone to Paradise" [196] tells us that Shell's father
has passed away and been buried. We remember that in a previous chapter Shell's mother says to
Shell that it will not be too bad if his father dies because then his father will be in paradise.
Therefore, now when Shell mentions paradise we know that his father is dead and in peace.

How do you know that Shell's relationship with Mr Gidharee has improved?

Shell says, "I felt very close to him and fond of him," "I felt nearly as close to him as I had felt to
my father" [197] and the fact that he now calls Mr Gidharee, Mr Gid tells us that Shell's
relationship with Mr Gidharee has improved.