Beka Lamb

In both texts the main focus is on two individuals who face different hardships. In both texts the main character has a best friend ( who eventually dies), the difference however is noted in the time period in which each best friend affects the main character. For billy in A Kestrel For A Knave his best friend is a kestrel (Kes) even though his friend is a bird the impact it has on the character is to be noted. Due to the amount of care the bird requires billy no longer has time nor motive to participate in disruptive behaviour. The change for billy occurs while his best friend is alive. on the other hand in Beka Lamb the main character Beka begins to change as a result of her friends death. after the death of toycie it can be seen where beka becomes more focused and determined she conquers her habit of lying and she improve academically.

The main character in both texts have a problem when it comes to society accepting the. Bekas problem arises when she is unaware of her true identity, at school she is taught one way and at home she is expected to act another. Beka coming from a middle class family is looked down upon by the upper class and scorned because of her life style by the lover class. she is unaware of where she belongs in society. Billy is from the lower class, he resides on the "Estate" (irony) billy is ostracised by society because of where he is. Billy trough out the text struggles for acceptance. his life is made difficult by the friends he used to keep, his bad relationship with his brother and his mother (there is strong suggestion that she is a prostitute). these factors cause society to look down on Billy.

family also varies in the two books. in Beka Lamb, beka's familly is very supportive and close problems are resolved through the help of all the members. in contrast Billys family is estranged and there is great tension bettween billy and his older brother Jud. Billy's mother is portrayed as selfish and unreliable.

In chapter 16, there is an excerpt/ quote states, 'National unity, my people, that is what we have left. Let us present a united front to the world. We must show, as we said in the memorial, that a poor, suffering, homeless, undernourished people can stand together until our not unjust demands are met. National unity, shoulder to shoulder...' The speaker's call for 'National unity' is ironic, because even at the level of personal relationships between creole and panias, terrible difficulties arise.

what are some literary devices found in the book b

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The basic theme is the struggle of the Creole population of Belize to hold on to their ethnic heritage and assert their civil rights while faced with opposition from the Hispanic community. (IMO, reading great literature should be seen as a privilege and an honor not a tedious obligation).

Remove the atch bone and split the leg from the atch bone to the shin, removing the cartilage at the knee, then remove the bottom bone at the ankle. Once the bones are removed you will be left with a flat piece of meat, on each side of the meat there will be a fat piece of meat, split the meat at that point and fold back the fat bit. One butterflied lamb leg...easy peasy

This Chapter continues to fill in details of the current political situtaion in Belize.there seems to be change and unrest everywhere;trouble may come from Guatemala, from those who are tired of british rules or from the new party.Since Mrlamb thinks the Caribbean is in a 'mess', it is suggested that such problems existed throughout the West Indies at that time,as people began to claim control of their own country's resources.

Beka's dream at the beginning of the chapter is symblolic.She dreads falling into the filthy creek water,as Toycie 'fell' morally,was degraded and disgraced.Beka feels in the dream,as Toycie felt in her time of trouble,that people around were only looking and laughing,with out really trying to help.

Chapter 11 summary

chapter eleven delves the deep into the theme of breaking with tradition and superstition. Miss Ivy and Beka's mother are arguing about the wake that Aunt Tama wants to keep for Granny Straker. Beka's mother feels that too much superstition is involved in the wakes that people keep to prevent spirits from roaming after death. Miss Ivy feels wakes are important. The debate about the past versus the present and future weaves it through this chapter. Granny Ivy tries to point of saying she doesn't believe in the superstitions that are held by the Caribs and the Afro-Belizeans. When Beka tries to enter the conversation mother is upset.

When Beka becomes angry and declares she is going to marry a Carib when she grows up, her mother slaps her and sends her to her room.

more soon

Zandy is 3 years old and Chuku does not have a age,well the book doesn't say.

The women in Beka Lamb are to cook, clean , and do all the work around the house. Give birth to children and take care.

Toycie and beka beka and her grandmother.

a sammary tells us part of the story of beka lamd and her family

she is the daughter of bill and lilla lamb

not to be bad so you wont get in trobble.and not be BAD AT ALL IN IF YOU DO YOU ARE OUT THE GAME.

In the book 'Beka Lamb' by Zee Edgell, characters Beka and Toycie are best friends. One difference between the two of them is that Toycie is three years older than Beka. Another difference is that Toyce is immature in many ways and Beka, while younger, seems to deal with stressful situations in mature ways. One stark difference between Beka and Toycie is that Beka lives, and Toycie dies due to complications from a miscarriage.

Bill Lamb is the father of Beka Lamb in the novel. He is basiccally the breadwinner

of the family with an extreme temper.

Beka Lamb is the central character in this novel. This novel is about change and the change in the political climate mirrors the change taking place in her life. At the beginning of the novel, Beka displays immaturity. She lies about silly things and even about failing first form. She steals money from her parents for trivial things and does not hold value in school or care much about what goes on around her. Throught the novel we see her changing, valuing her education, no longer lying and even ashamed when her fellow creole's give the race a bad name (Mrs Arguelles flashing her bottom at the Spanish priest). The whole story is told in a flashback.

Bill Lamb is the father of Beka. He is seen as the disciplinarian and makes the final decision on whether Beka goes back to highschool or not. He also brings the news of Granny Straker's death. He and granny Ivy always disagree about politics as he does not support the PIP. He fails to show consistent love in the family.

Lilla Lamb is Beka's mother. She loves roses and always plants rose gardens. she hates Beka's lies and does not have a set political view (she hates politics)

Granny Ivy is Beka's grandmother and a strong woman role in the novel. She is an active supporter of the PIP and attends meeting regularly at the battle field park along with Ms Eila. She knows more about life than even Beka and Bill.

Ms Eila is Toycie's surrogate mother. She took Toycie in after her mother went to the states and is an active supporter of the PIP. She feels guilty when Toycie dies, feeling she could have done more to prevent it. She is poor and lives in a broke down house.

Granny Straker is the matriarchal role in the family. When she passes away a bram is held which is a lively wake with music and dancing. she took in Bill when he was a boy and was close to Beka before she got sick.

Toycie is a seventeen year old student of St. Cecilia's and is Beka's best friend. She has a steady relationship with Emilio and becomes pregnant. At saint George's caye, she is seen emerging from the cemetery fixing herself, foreshadowing death. Toycie is trapped in that cycle of poverty that plagues many Belizean women. she is rejected by Emilio then expelled from St. Cecilia's. The abandonment and loss not only of Emilio and school but coupled with the abandonment of her mother, caused her to lose her mind. it is ironic how she wanted to live by the sea and ended up in the asylum situated by the sea commonly known as sea breeze hotel. Toycie moves to Stann Creek with Eila and is killed by a mango tree during a hurricane, not uncommon at the time.

Emilio is also known as man fish and is Toycie's boyfriend. He impregnates Toycie and leaves her coldly telling her he could never marry a creole girl and an unpure one at that. He is attached to his mother who calls him her little prince.

Mrs. Juana Villanueva is Emilio's mother. She teaches toycie guitar, eventually ending them when she realizes Toycie and Emilio are getting too close. She is a social climber wearing fine clothes and acting very fake.

Sister Virgil (mighty mouse) is a small pigeon chested woman and the principal of St. Cecilia's. She is and American and comes from Rhode island. She is very strict and harsh, ironic as she is a sister of charity. She expells Toycie from school only continuing the cycle of poverty. She displays the woman's role of power but is very harsh.

Sister Gabriella is a teacher at St. Cecilia's and ecourages Beka to enter an essay competition. She is the opposite to Sister Virgil and displays the qualitites of kindness and encouragement. She wants the best from the students.

Father Nunez is a priest and teaches Beka religion. He is a mestizo and had to work to break out of the stereotype and prejudice toward his race. He did this by being extra pious and had Beka suspended because she was honest in that she didnt know weather or not she believed in heaven.

Father Rou is the American priest who helped Beka by appealing for her so she would not be expelled, only suspended.

Father Mullins is a priest at the church Senora Villanueva goes to. He was flashed by Mrs Arguelles, a newspaper lady who flashed her bottom at him.

Chuku and Zandy are Beka's younger brothers. They often play marbles.

Mrs Benguche was the Carib teacher who told the students stories about brams and obeahs.

Mr Blanco is Bill's employer he has children who walk keeping their head perfectly straight which amazes Beka.

She got beaten one time and got a cut on her face, but she deserved it because she lied, and in the Caribbean getting a few "Good Claps" like Beka got is nothing really. ___________ I would say that being beaten is abuse, whether you did anything wrong as a trigger or not... and no matter where you live. Even if a certain society accepts abuse, it doesn't mean it *isn't* abuse. but she was not that bad to get beaten

It may be true to an extent, that Beka lamb is 'boring' to quote a few previous answers...but one must take the text-a literature text book, in context. It is a metaphor for Ms.Edgell. And yes, as some of my students attest, it is a book to put them to sleep. But it is about a Caribbean experience.

In chapter 7, Beka does not lie to the grocer, Mr. Gordillo, if she has passed exams.The book is written in a series of flashbacks that makes it difficult to understand at first. Beka remembers her maternal grandfather. Beka learns that her maternal grandfather was living in the bush with a Mayan woman and he dreams of going to England because he is half English. This gives insight into the background of Beka Lamb, her cultural upbringing. Her grandfather questions her father about his patriotism.

Granny Ivy and beka's mother also discuss the bouganvillea (recurring symbol)being cut down. This was Beka's first successful plant and that is symbolic for Granny Ivy.

In chapter 24(pg158) of the book "Beka Lamb" Beka's father Bill comes home from work and brings the news of Toycie's death.They receive a letter from Miss Eila saying that Toycie who became mentally ill, wandered off in the middle of a storm to go and get prepared and a mango tree fell and broke her skull.

Oh, dude, Daddy Bill in "Beka Lamb" is a total boss! He's a carpenter, like the OG handyman of the story. He's out there hammering away, building stuff, probably making all the other dads jealous with his skills. So yeah, Daddy Bill is the man with the plan when it comes to woodworking in "Beka Lamb."