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Chapter Summaries:
Chapter one (1) Summary
In chapter one, we are introduced to Olga Trask often called Matron, who is short and crisp with
blue grey eyes and has coarse black hair. She has an excellent reputation for she brought and
developed Frangipani house, a home for old black women. Then there is Mrs. Mabel Alexandrina
King often called Mama King. She has been sick for a long time and her daughters decided that
Frangipani House was the best choice for her. Matron receives a phone call from Token, Mama
Kings older daughter. It was agreed that five hundred dollars would be paid each month to look
after Mama King. At frangipani house. Upon her arrival, Mama King feels thrilled and delighted as
she is now exploring frangipani House but all this triumph quickly vanishes and becomes
discontentment and weariness as she gets fed up with doing the same routine everyday and urges for
a change. She complains to Matron but is ignored. This chapter ends with Miss Tilley and some
other women screaming.
Characters presented in chapter one (1) of frangipani house are:
Olga Trask
Mrs Mabel Alexandrina King, Mama King
Token
Nurse Douglas
Miss Tilley
Miss Carey
her family and it turns out she know some of Nurse Careys family. She then dozes off and wakes
up. She buries herself in memories of Danny and their private meeting. She wakes up, realizing
where she was and screamed that she wants to go home.
Characters presented in chapter two (2) of frangipani house are:
Cyril
Ginchi
Danny
Carol Carey
Julie Carey
Sarah
Matron
Mama King
Matron
Nurse Douglas
Miss Mason
Nurse Carey
Nurse Tibbs
Danny
Token
Ginchi
Abel
Cyclette
demands for pen and paper to write to her daughter telling her that she wants to go home. Miss
Mason visits Mama and tells her about Danny but she snarls at her. She sinks into memory and
recalls a man name Ben Le Cage who wanted to court her but she refused. She sleeps again and
dreams that Danny wants Matron and not her because she is old and ugly.
Characters presented in chapter one (1) of frangipani house are:
Mama King
Matron
Nurse Douglas
Miss Mason
Nurse Carey
Nurse Tibbs
Danny
Token
Ginchi
Miss Tilley
Maraj
Mama King
Nurse Douglas
Nurse Tibbs
Danny
Token
Ginchi
Abel
Cyclette
Miss Mason
Solomon
Cindy
Carlton
Mama King
Cindy
Token
Uncle Abel
Nurse Carey
Cyclette
Marcey
Ginchi
Boyson
Miss Agnes
Miss Tilley
Nurse Douglas
Matron
Aunty Lula
Mother Turvey
Dan
Miss Tilley
Mama King
Miss Mason
Carlton
Nurse Douglas
Danny
Miss Mason
Ben Le Cage
Ginchi
Mama King
Nurse Tibbs
Markey
Cindy
Matron
Miss Mason
Mrs. McAbe
Charlie
Boyson
Cyclette
Nurse Douglas
Franky
Ginchi
Tilley
Carlton
Dolly May
Nurse Carey
Chapter Nine (9) Summary
Miss Mason celebrates her 90th birthday and dies whiles sleeping. We are introduced to Miss
Ida Gomez who is Miss Masons replacement. Mama King stayed in her room and recalls her
job as a brick breaker along with memories of Markey and his promise to carry her home. She
has mixed feelings as she waits for Markey to come. The day is finally here and Markey
arrives but he is shock and astonished when he sees the state Mama is in. he talks to her and
tells her that her family sends love and greetings. Markey speaks to Ginchi about how he felt
when he saw Mama and gives Ginchi: $20 to look after Mama.
Characters presented in chapter one (1) of frangipani house are:
Miss Mason
Nurse Douglas
Matron
Nurse Tibbs
Mrs. Gomez
Mama King
Marie Mason
Markey
Token
Cyclette
Nurse Carey
Miss Agnes
Turvey
Ginchi
Carlton
Cindy
Solo
them because only the deads receives flowers. Mama King became friends with Miss Gomez
and knows that she has fits. She cleverly tells Miss Gomez that if she had an attack on Friday
when the beggars come that her sickness will go away. She tries to come up with a plan to
escape using Miss Gomez sickness as a diversion.
Characters presented in chapter one (1) of frangipani house are:
Markey
Uncle Abel
Nurse Tibbs
Mama King
Nurse Douglas
Matron
Mrs. Gomez
Mama King
Cindy
Miss Ginchi
Carlton
Markey
Quango
Miss Gomez
Nurse Tibbs
Markey
CHAPTER 12
Mama King escaped from Frangipani House at last. She got of the house and to the latrine
where she kept wondering if she will get caught_ What if walls should fall down like walls
of Jericho? What if Good should expose her and make a Jonah of her? She had a fear of
getting caught by one of the nurses. Getting out of frangipani house was something Mama
King wanted and was determined to get through with. She was encountered by a little beggar
girl which led to her meeting up with the other beggars. Mama King asked the boss-man to
stay with them, she told them that she doesnt belong to anybody. The beggars decided to
keep her but told her if police ever come around searching for her, they will leave her. They
journey out of the village and spend the night in an abandoned boothy. Sumentra (one the
beggars), gave Mama King a bowl of soup .The beggars sat with Mama King and they asked
her questions and also told her about their experiences of being a beggar. Mama King felt
good inside, she felt as if she belonged and so slept well that night.
CHAPTER 13
Mama King felt good to be in and a part of what was once the outside world to her while in
Frangipani house. With the beggars, she felt that she was surrounded by people who cared for
her. Eventually, a police came looking for her, Pandit Prem managed to persuade the police
and when he asked questions Pandit told him that he didnt see Mama King around. The
police went away, and Mama King accompanied the beggars on their expedition hoping to
meet up with Markey but did not. She was very disappointed, she worried about him and
thought about Mrs Gomes and Nurse Carey. Pandit Prem consoled Mama King and assured
her that Markey will come for her. Three weeks after, Pandit was confronted by Matron but he
told her nothing of what he knew of Mama King. She was scared, she feared the reporter Jack
Roper. Bubble elder the police sergeant promised Matron to find Mama King in a day or two.
Ginchi, Mama Kings best friend, fainted when she heard what happened to Mama King. The
nurses were saying that they really liked Mama King although she can be a hand full
sometimes. Nobody Knew where she was, Carltons theory was that the martians came down
and took her to nowhere land in their space ship. Matron feared the thought of Mama Kings
body being found, she worried a lot about what Mama Kings family especially her daughters
would tell her. The thought of this brought back memories of her uncle Zekie who died a
terrible death.
CHAPTER 14
Mama King ate less food but felt stronger. She accompanied Sumentra to the fish market.
Sumentra went to the fry fish shop to collect a parcel only to return and find Mama King
gone. She found her telling someones fortune. The person gave Mama King some money
which brought back memories of when she worked hard for money to take care of her
grandchildren. She bought gifts for Charlie, Solo and Cindy. Mama King excitedly went to a
shop to buy a big bottle of mauby with her money. Some young men kept taunting her, they
sang a song about grandmother for Mama King. They robbed and injured her, and left her
on the ground. She was in pain. The young men that robbed her noticed that the twenty five
dollars she bought the mauby with was all she had, we kill she for nothing. When Mama
Kings moaning stopped Sumentra thought she was dead so she hurried back to the market
and alerted the market constable. She then went off to tell Pandit Prem. Newsmongers and
sightseers gathered around Mama King. Carlton was among the people, He was surprised to
see Mama King, he exclaimed that its Mama King, She was lost for weeks and that shes
almost his grandmother. The people questioned him and he gave them answers then went off
to tell Marton. The people were surprised when they heard Carlton said she got family. If she
got, where them gone?. In Mama Kings unconscious state, she heard voices and saw a lot of
people who were already dead like her mother,Miss Tilley, Dolly Mc Abe and her husband
Danny, they were all young again and Danny came to her and asked her to go with him but
she ran away without saying a word to him.
CHAPTER 15
Mama King was in the hospitals intensive care unit in a coma. Cyclette and Token put money
together to pay so their mother could be given the best of care in the hospital. Reporters
gathered, Matron was there too. Jack Roper was asking her questions. She told the reporters
to stop making herself and Frangipani House look bad because its a liberal place. She told
them that Mama King went for a walk and got lost. Mama King was recovering slowly. She
remembered how Cindy ran off after she beat her. Cindy wanted her to buy a new broom but
Mama king hadnt enough money but eventually did buy the broom. She later found herself in
a place where Sumentra and herself were laughing. Then she opened her eyes and was now
conscious. She muttered that her head hurts. The nurses came to her, they were relieved.
Matron visited everyday, she felt pain in her heart, pain that make up nor the fancy clothes
could hide. She went back to Frangipani house and put on a brave face. She heard that Mama
Kings family was coming. She got angry and so remembered her mother. She hated her
mother because she married her to an old man at a young age. Carlton came to tell Matron he
will not work the next day because Miss Ginchi had to go to the hospital. Matron received a
call from Bubble Elder saying Mama King woke up. She was relieved and so started to drink
rum. Matron hated her mother very much for what she did that is why she look after the old
women hoping she will find peace in her heart.
CHAPTER 16
Miss Ginchi refused to take a mastectomy. She had breast cancer. She said her breasts are no
use to anyone so why cut them off. She was in pain but kept thinking about Mama King, she
had to confess something to her before she dies. For years people had said that Miss Ginchi
should have gotten married to Danny instead of Mama King, but he was to cruel. A night
Danny came to her house with a friend Esteban an Amerindian man who brought bush rum
with him that Miss Ginchi encouraged Danny to drink in large amounts. Danny drank too
much, it killed him. Ginchi got Esteban to get rid of Dannys body. She said he deserved to
die because of the way he treated her best friend. She kept telling Mama King that he went to
Aruba to find a job. She felt she should tell her friend the truth of what happened to her
husband. She walked a painful one to where Mama King was and confessed but Mama King
acted as if she heard nothing. Miss Ginchi went out of the hospital to where Carlton was and
went home. She told Carlton to take care of her flowers. She went into her room where she
saw shadowy forms, she knew them all. She held out her hands towards them, then pulled
them back. She held them out again, smiled then died. When Carlton realized what happened
he was too numbed to speak and shocked to cry. Miss Ginchi didnt want a fancy funeral or
wake. She was buried the next afternoon and left a lot of friends to mourn her departure.
Carlton went through Miss Ginchis things and saw a lot of letters from Danny, and thought
theres a lot of Dannys in the world when mama Kings Danny came to mind.
Mama King had seen it all Life and death. In her head, she was young again, asking her
mother a lot of questions about heaven and hell and angels. Danny came to her, but she didnt
go with him. As she laid on the bed a beam of light magicall came upon her and reawakened
her making her whole again.
CHAPTER 17
Mama King, for the first time in a while was aware of what was going on around her. Nurses
were taking care of her, she didnt longer had to work to look after her grandchildren. The
thought of them brought happiness to her. Carlton came to visit, and told her that Miss Ginchi
passed away. He told her about the funeral service. He then asked where Miss Ginchi got him
from, she never told him. Mama King told him of when there was a drought and two young
people went in miss Ginchis garden to steal food, Miss Ginchi caught them, they ran away
and left a baby behind under some bushes. The baby was Carlton. Carlton was now more than
thankful. He realized that Miss Ginchi saved his life, took care of him and gave him
everything he had. On his way home he could remember miss Ginchi telling him to be a good
man. He was now cautious of everything he did, he knew what a life well lived was. He
went home and cried he lit a candle by the window then went off to look after the chickens
and saw lights in Mama Kings house so he went over. He was surprised to meet Markey,
Cindy, Solo, Token and Cindys husband Chuck. They talked of times past and their new
lives. Carlton was about to go home when he smelled smoke and saw fire coming from Miss
Ginchis house. The people helped to put out the fire but nothing was retrievable, everything
was gone, all the memories. Carlton now blamed him self for everything that happened.
CHAPTER 18
Although Matron talked about Mama Kings Daughters as she didnt fear them, she did. She
spend everyday preparing for their arrival at the Frangipani House. Finally they came, Token
and Cyclette. Token was the tall well-build one and Cyclette, the thick one that was almost as
tall as the first. Cyclette walked up to Matron and started to ask what she did to her mother.
Matron told them what she told everyone else, she went for a walk and got lost. She told them
that they should not criticize her because when they failed to look after their mother, she did.
Cyclette admitted her mistake but then said it wont happen again, this time shes doing the
right thing, shed taking her mother with her, token didnt want any of this to happen, she
wanted Mama King to stay in Frangipani House. The two ladies left, Matron never felt so
violated before, she asked Nurse Carey to comfort her, she felt suicidal, but as she thought
more and more about it the reasons for wanting to take her own life just didnt make enough
sense. Carlton came b to help. He wants to become like Markey and Solo. Matron laughed at
him and called him a fool. Matron questioned Nurse Carey about Solomon and her getting
married as she heard Carlton mentioned. Nurse Carey told Matron to Row her own boat.
CHAPTER 19
The news of Carol Carey and Solomon Combs getting married was all around. It spread
quickly in the Frangipani house. All the inmates were talking about it. The old women said
only white people get married. Matron joined in the conversation when she heard Miss Titsy
mention her name. They asked if she ever got married and she told them the story of when
she got married to an old man old enough to be her grandfather at the age of sixteen. He had
to marry him because they were liable to him. He drank rum a lot and abused her. Rum
choked him he died. She said that as the happiest day of her life. She then went away to
America and came back when her mother got sick.
Bubble Elder the sergeant, was attracted to Matron, he admired her body especially her skin.
Matron never felt love, care, tenderness and appreciation. For the past weeks with everything
going on with Mama King, she got to realize her mistakes and got to understand her life
better. She was greatful to Mama King for this.
Matron visited Mama King in the hospital, the beggars were there too. Mama King didnt
want to see Matron. She remembered when Dannys mother came to take Token from her but
she didnt give up her child. Danny physically abused her and the reason seems to be that
Mama King was rude to him and his mother. Ginchi came to rescue her from Danny with a
cutlass. Danny ran away and was never seen again. The nurse gave Mama Kind a drug to
sleep, she was awakened by the voices of her children and grandchildren in the room.
Cyclette wanted Mama King to go home with her, Token wanted her to sat in Frangipani
House and Mama King wanted to go with the beggars. Pandit Prem wrote to Mama King
saying that the police told him to leave her alone. Mama King was sad and disappointed. Now
she had two choices, to go with Cindy who was willing to wait until the papers are ready to
go or back to frangipani house. Markey had to go back to his job, Solomon had a wedding,
and token and cyclette had their jobs too. All of them left leaving Cindy ad Chuck who were
willing to take care of Mama King.
CHAPTER 20
Token went away, Cyclette went away, they all went away. Mama King remembered when
her pet cat died Brownie. When she woke up, the others were gone. She decided to go with
Cindy and Chuck. The took care of her, she was happy again this time she was surrounded by
family. Chuck told Mama King of when he was apart of a tribe in Aferica.His father never
gave him of his siblings anything, his mother brought them up by her self. Sometimes he had
nothing but was still motivated.Cindy was getting closer to her date, she was scared to stay
in this country and deliver her baby, she couldnt wait to go home back. Mama King also
couldnt wait to se what the life in a foreign country has instore for her.
CHAPTER 21
Mama King was now at peace with everything. She reflected upon Julia Mc Abe and her
daughter Tina. They used to look after two children then the childrens mother came for them.
The chidren left, then returned because of how they were treated but was chased away by
Tina. Sumentra came to Visit She brought greetings from Pandit Prem and the others. Some
women from the neighborhood also came by to give Cindy advice and support. Mama King;s
mother was a twin, But it skipped generations, she told Cindy this so she can look out for and
not be surprised if she give birth to twin. The women told Cindy all about giving birth and
that she should talk and sing to the baby. Cindy was thankful and greatful for the support she
got.
CHAPTER 22
The next Monday, early the morning, Cindys water broke. Missy New Fangle, the mid-wife
that was known by the ard people came to deliver Cindys baby. Cindy was in pain in the
room. Mama King was upset because she thought that Cindy was being told wrong. Whie all
of this was happening, Chuck was outside, excited but still worried. He remembered his
mother and family from back in Africa. Mama King was with Cindy and Missy new Fangle,
she told Cindy what to do. Cindy gave birth to twins both boys, this made everyone happy.
Mama King wanted to bury the after birth. Cindy and Chuck named their sons Amos and
Abel. Now Mama King saw that the family was complete and perhaps was thinking about
staying in Guyana but Cindy needed her. The birth of the babies maked a new beginning, a
new start, new life that mama king was greatful for.
Freedom
Love and Family Relationship
Freedom
Another theme also presented in frangipani house by Beryl Gilroy is
freedom. When learned that Mama King in frangipani house, loves to walk
on the grass, it is understood that she is a free woman and that she refuses to
give up her freedom. Frangipani house relates the tale of how Mama King to
hates the old people home, she is confined in that she runs off with a group
of beggars and street people in a quest for freedom and to find a measure of
self- respect.
Foreshadowing often appears at the beginning of a story or a chapter and helps the reader
develop expectations about the coming events in a story. There are various ways of creating a
foreshadowing. A writer may use dialogues of characters to hint at what may occur in future.
In addition, any event or action in the story may throw a hint to the readers about future
events or action. Even a title of a work or a chapter title can act as a clue that suggests what is
going to happen. Foreshadowing in fiction creates an atmosphere of suspense in a story so
that the readers are interested to know more.
*Chapter 14 Come quick. Them boy a choke and rob in broad daylight. Dis old woman,
she dead. Ah road top.