Lavender :: essays research papers

LavenderLavender is a mystery that unfolds in a way not atypical of other mystery stories, but sets itself apart by defying certain characteristics and conventions. There are military many details to the plot (mainly to the descriptions of the characters) that are unexpected and deny the proveer a chance to confirm their stereotypes about who a detective is, how they should act, and what they should look like. Specifically, in the role of the unconventional protagonist (detective?), Easy Rawlins is so surprisingly human, honestly cowardly, and unromantically realistic that the story seems plausible to the vizor of disappointment that the characters arent actually real. Easy somewhat reminds me of Walter from A Raisin in the Sun Hes an intelligent black-market man living in a big city, he has problems with his marriage and he works a blue collar job (also, I could see Sidney Poitier or Danny Glover, both of whom perk up played Walter, playing him in a film version instead of Denz el Washington, who took on the part of Easy in the film adaptation of Devil in a Blue Dress). Many of the characters in Lavender appear in other works by Walter Mosley (this is the first one that Ive read however). In this story Easy learns of his friend Mouses death, which he is somewhat responsible for (though it is not explained in Lavender, Im guessing it is in an earlier tale). I wonder if he still would have helped EttaMae find Willis if he hadnt felt obligated to because of his part in her husbands (Mouse) death, and because of his discovery of Bonnies alleged infidelity. My guess is probably not since Easy seems to be rather self absorbed (but to be fair, who isnt?)Willis is an suspicious character in that I can relate to him easily. I too love playing music, and Ive fallen for the wrong kind of girls before, though none as appropriately named as Sin. Mosleys employment of creative and nuanced names for his characters is interesting. Willis for example, chooses the alias Li ttle Jimmy Long, a name that suggests to me that while he whitethorn be poor, young and nave while he may be a poor black child in a white mans world.(181), his talent and personality will take him to greater heights (Im somewhat alluding to Ettas comparing the success of Louis Armstrong to a string of black boys graves goin around the block.