Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

This month's read, published in 1970, is Crick Crack, Monkey by Merle Hodge. The protagonist and narrator is a young Trinidadian (Afro-Caribbean) girl Tee and is about her journey to find her identity. The book addresses themes of race, class, and identity.

The phrase "crick, crack" (or Krik? Krak!) is used in the Caribbean islands as a call and response to storytelling. Storytelling is very important in the Caribbean Island and is integral to their cultural identity. Without reading too much about the book ahead of time, I'm not sure how the title relates to the book but we are going to find out! Who is up for reading this one?

I'll be reading this. The first two months' books were excellent.

Kathy - Awesome! I’m waiting for my hold to come in. I think this will be a good one! I read several books last year set in the Caribbean and I liked all of them.

My library hold came in yesterday so i will pick it up today and start it this coming week!

That's great, Pam. I hope to start soon too.

I started the Intro part today. Sat outside for a bit. Got distracted with the birds in the feeder though!!

Glad to see you are joining us Lesle! I skipped the intro. It looked like it gave away too much of the story. I’m reading something else right now but hope to get back to this one on the weekend. It’s pretty short so I might just read it on Sunday.

Thanks Pam! and understandable now.

I've just finished Crick Crack, Monkey. I read the introduction last, which cleared up some of the relationships of the characters.

The main character, Tee, is caught between two worlds as she lives with Tantie, loud, loving and boisterous, then goes on to live with black, middle-class Auntie Beatrice.

Kathy wrote: "I've just finished Crick Crack, Monkey. I read the introduction last, which cleared up some of the relationships of the characters.

The main character, Tee, is caught between two wo..."

What did you think of the book Kathy? I thought I saw you gave it 4 stars. Is it clear what "monkey" refers to? I still haven't started it.

Two points and one being an answer for you Pam.

“Crick, Crack meaning is the oral storytelling tradition in the Caribbean which is between storyteller who states "Crick" and audience who replies "Crack". The exchange between
the audience and the storyteller are aware that the story is fictional and not reality.

Monkey is a racist slur. As in “porch monkey” has been used to refer to “lazy Black people” who sit on their front porch all day. It is a term that for me is hard to take as racist as people call their children monkeys all the time as just crazy out of control. That is how I see the term anyways.

Thanks Lesle!

Pam wrote: "Kathy wrote: "I've just finished Crick Crack, Monkey. I read the introduction last, which cleared up some of the relationships of the characters.

The main character, Tee, is caught ..."

I did like the book, Pam. I could relate to Tee as she grew up, first in one type of family, then in another. I found all the racism and the effects of colonialism on her culture as heartbreaking, but very true for the time. Some of her experiences in school were just maddening to read.

Lesle answered about Crick Crack. I don't know if it's apparent what monkey means in the story. There is the rhyme that the children said after the storyteller ended her story with "Crick, Crack?. The children cotinued with "Monkey break 'e back on a rotten pommerac!" So I just interpreted it as part of the rhyme. It didn't have a racist context to me.

Thanks Kathy! I’m looking forward to reading it in a few days. I usually like these types of stories. The rhyme makes sense that it could be related to the title.

I like coming-of-age stories and this was a good one.

There is another book called Krik? Krak!, published in 1996 by Edwidge Danticat set in Haiti. I've read other books by Danticat, but not that one. Reading this classic makes me want to pick up the newer book.

Kathy - I really enjoy coming-of-age stories also! I read Krik? Krik! in 2021. I don’t remember it but I must have had mixed feelings since I didn’t rate it. That’s the only book I’ve read by Danticat. I’ll probably read something else by her now that I have more exposure to Caribbean literature.

I read Breath, Eyes, Memory and Claire of the Sea Light and loved both of them.

Kathy I like your reasoning behind Monkey being part of the rhyme. I did not find anything more about the Crick Crack than what I shared, Good to know it was a rhyme that would be fun at an ending of a story being told. Nothing geared towards race is good!!

I enjoyed the coming of age story as well. Just wish things were not that hard during her time growing up.

Unfortunately, I had to return the book before getting into it. I only read 1 or 2 chapters. I did read a line where one of the adults referred to the girl as “monkey”. It seemed like it was just a term referring to a little kid.