Monday, April 02, 2018

The Kitchen House


 Two characters, Lavinia and Belle telling a story from two different/similar worlds. You already know one character was going to be perceived as not knowing what real suffering is. This story doesn't belong more to one than the other. Lavinia had to move to America at a young age from one country to another. In that case she would rely on her parents.

Why does the captain keep Belle's identity secret? Because it would not look right for white men to have any relations with black women who were slaves. To think that a slave is a relation is not natural. Keeping this secret is tragic for when the son, Marshall is older and takes over the house he goes and hurts Belle plus eventually wants to kill her.

The idea that Lavinia took to collecting bird nest like Meg was a symbolism I did not know. I had to look it up . The signifiance makes sense. Birds migrate and Lavinia was always moving too. From the boat to Tall Oaks and than trying save her daughter Elly. Than moving toward a goal for herself. To make a better life for her family.

Was it better for Lavinia to be taken from boat to be used as a indentured servant ? Probably since her family was gone and what was she going to do? That period of time all was fair, both black and white were taken as some kind of worker.

Marshall was a very complicated character. Sometimes he was kind. Other times a monster. I feel the  that this secret that he kept was something bad that happened to him by the tutor. And he took all that aggression out on people that he didn't mean to, like his sister Sally. So when he took possession of his father's land he played much the slave master. A very black and white thing. No gray area.

I think the reason that Lavinia took to Miss Martha was because maybe she reminded her of her real mother. Even though as a servant she was taken care of by the slaves especially Mama and Belle, there was that motherly bond that both needed each other. There was more room for care than just who she shared quarters with.

Lavinia was responsive to suggestion. I think that helped her and hurt her also. Being young was confusing to know how to use that. Example of the engagement to both Marshall and Mr. Madden's friend.

The relationship between Ben, Lucy, and Belle was weird but I have nothing to remark on that. It takes a village, it takes a friendship.

For Lavinia to think she was enslaved like the rest, for her eyes yes it is fair. But for what the slaves been through was far worse. Her position was the same but she was treated not has harshly. The freedom that she had was her being a indentured servant vs slave that was taken by force and not given opportunity to be free.

Although that this is true I look at it differently. I see a Irish girl, yes she was an indentured servant . But I also see that because she had symphony for the others she was treated no different. Also I see the Irish themselves in Ireland were pulled by force and sold to the highest bidder. Not necessarily to America. Which makes them hurt and degraded as the slaves.

I feel that the author could of delved into Lavinia's family a bit more. Sure she lost mother, father, and her brother but I feel at the end of the tradegy it could be that she would look for more family in Ireland.
I feel most stories end up with some part of it being all tied up with a bow,happy. But isn't there more sad things going on of lately that a good thing is nice to see?
The author I believe was writing the point of the relationships between people. Don't need DNA to feel others your close to is your family. I think she proved that time after time of Lavinia saying that Mama is her family.

I really don't feel much about this book. I look forward to reading the next about Jamie Pyke

I give The Kitchen House  4 


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