Cane river book characters

In a novel that combines painstaking historical reconstruction with unforgettable storytelling, lalita tademy presents an all too rarely seen part of american history, complete with a provocative portrayal of the complex, unspoken bonds between slaves and slave owners. Tademys extensive research, welldrawn characters and ability to. Tademy interweaves her own family history with fiction and wellresearched facts in order to tell the story of what is commonly known in the postcivil war reconstruction history as the colfax riot of 1873. Shes a house slave who often works in the kitchen with her mother elisabeth, the cook and family matriarch whose love and wisdom will sustain them all in the years ahead. Lalita tademys riveting family saga chronicles four generations of women born into slavery along the cane river in louisiana. History of the cane river regioncane river national. Cane river chronicles the family history of the author, starting in 1834 with her greatgreatgreat grandmother, suzette, followed by suzettes daughter, philomene, and finally, ending with philomenes daughter, emily, in. Together, their stories span more than a century, beginning in 1834 and ending in 1936. The civil war reached the cane river region in 1864, when union general nathaniel banks was ordered to move his army out of unionheld new orleans and capture the confederate capital of louisiana at shreveport in what is known as the red river campaign. Lalita tademy traced her ancestry through four generations of remarkable woman, each struggling for her freedom in different ways. In a blend of fact and fiction, tademy tells the story of four generations of her slaveborn female ancestors elisabeth, suzette, philomene, and emily. They were women whose lives began in slavery, who weathered the civil war, and who. Suzettes strongwilled daughter philomene would use determination born of tragedy to reunite her family and gain unheardof economic independence. In a blend of fact and fiction, tademy tells the story of four generations of her slaveborn female ancestors elisabeth, suzette, philomene, and emily following their trajectories from the 1830s to the 1930s.

Suzette elisabeths youngest daughter, and the first to. Ebscohost serves thousands of libraries with premium essays, articles and other content including the cane river characters and revisionist mythmaking in the work of kate chopin. The characters were very believable with real struggles. Free download or read online cane river pdf epub book. Nonetheless, her parents made sure their household louisiana west maintained a definite noncalifornia edge, including a steady supply of grits, gumbo, cornbread, and collard greens, and a stream of other transplanted southerners eager to share.

In the wake of a visit from the 1880 census taker, the aged elisabeth reflects on how far they had come. Cane river written by jimriverlady on march 15th, 2008. Her mother elizabeth works in the kitchen of the plantation rosedew, and when. Descriptions of hair are found scattered throughout the text of cane and a staggering thirty references are made to differing characters hair throughout the book. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics.

I admired the strength of these women and how they endured through many hardships. Toomer describes his characters as having hair braided chestnut,17 matted hair. Cane river follows the lives of 4 generations of black southern women spanning from the mid 1800s to the 1930s. Cane river book the seattle public library bibliocommons.

The main characters in cane river are based on the lives of the authors maternal ancestors, elisabeth, suzette, philomene, and emily. Suzette elisabeths youngest daughter, and the first to discover the promise and heartbreak of freedom. On a creole plantation on the banks of louisianas cane river, four generations ot astonishing women battle injustice to unite their family and forge success on their own terms. Lalita tademy was born in berkeley, california, far from her parents southern roots. The dialogue is really bad and the characters are just poorly developed even though. A new york times bestseller and oprahs book club pickthe unique and deeply moving saga of four generations of africanamerican women whose journey from slavery to freedom begins on a creole plantation in louisiana. Cane river 2001 is a fictionalized version of the lives of author lalita tademys female. Beginning with her greatgreatgreatgreat grandmother, a slave owned by a creole family, lalita tademy chronicles four generations of strong, determined black women as they. Jenkins, who died shortly after completing it in 1982.

Thats a lot of years and a lot of different characters. Cane river it was here, on a mediumsized creole plantation owned by a family named derbanne, that author lalita tademy found her familys rootsand the stories of four astonishing women who battled vast injustices to create a legacy of hope and achievement. Daughter of elisabeth and gerasime, suzette is born into slavery and lives in the plantation house as nursemaid and. The cane river characters and revisionist mythmaking in. Tademy brings the results of her research to cane river.

The author wrote this book because she learned about her family from her. To ask other readers questions about cane river, please sign up. Lalita tademys book, cane river, tells in fictional form the stories of four generations of the women in her family. Tademy shows us the complex lives of slaves and masters. Cane river oprahs book club by lalita tademy reading. Cane river is one of those few novels that must be read and read again to fully understand the characters and their culture, their feelings and their history. A story of three generations of strong women, slaves and the complexity of their lives, and the importance of family.

Cane river has paved the way to the better understanding not only of racial inequalities, but most importantly the issues that has manifested itself over several generations in some black society. Cane river by lalita tademy audio book simply audiobooks. Tademy takes historical fact and mingles it with fiction to weave a vivid and dramatic account of what life was like for the four remarkable women who came before her. Throughout this time period, the characters endure the hardships of slavery, the civil war, and the precivil rights south. Follows four generations of african american women from slavery to the early twentieth century as they struggle for economic security and the future of their families along the cane river in rural louisiana. The history is further enhanced by the inclusion of copies of actual documents unearthed in the authors research. Tademys extensive research, welldrawn characters and ability to weave complex issues and historical fact into family lore make cane river a rich, fascinating, wellwritten epic. The story begins with suzette, born a slave in 1821 at rosedew plantation where she works in the kitchen alongside her mother, elisabeth. Cane river 2002 read online free book by lalita tademy. Buy a cheap copy of cane river book by lalita tademy. The story stretches all the way back to 1834, beginning with tademys greatgreatgreatgreat grandmother, a woman who was born into slavery, living on a plantation off the cane river in louisiana. The descriptions of the people and the places are very vivid.

Its the only movie that he directed, and it was made with an all african american cast and crew. To enable the slow but steady advance of their clan, the black women of cane river plot, plead, deceive, and manipulate their way through history, extracting crucial gifts of money and property along the way. This book follows suzette until her children are grown, at which point it becomes the story of her daughter philomene, who will find herself in much the same. The film features the lives of african americans in the us state of louisiana.

After the civil war, philomene pins her hopes for a better future on her light skinned daughter, emily fredieu, who is given a year of convent schooling in new. The women of cane river cane river begins with elisabeth tademys greatgreatgreatgreatgrandmother and focuses on three women marked by her strength, her pride, and her instinct for survival. Cane river by lalita tademy reading guidebook club. Cane river is a familial saga that tells the story of the authors ancestors. The story opens in 1834, on a plantation on the cane river in louisiana, as suzette turns nine.

It is interesting to compare the dynamics of todays society to the groundwork laid out in this piece of fiction. Elisabeth has high hopes for suzette until her daughter is raped by visiting eugene daurat and bears him two children, gerant and philomene. Beginning with tademys greatgreatgreatgreat grandmother elisabeth, this is a family saga that sweeps from the early days of slavery through the civil war into a precivil rights southa unique and moving slice of. Published april 1st 2002 by grand central publishing first published january 1st 2001 more details. The story begins in 1834 with story of suzette, the authors greatgreat grandmother. The story, focusing on the women that raised children, mostly by white men, in rural louisiana during the years before the civil war and.

Cane river is a cinematic valentine straight from the mind and soul of writerdirector horace b. It was written, produced, and directed by horace b. I absolutely fell in love with every single one of the characters. The first edition of the novel was published in january 1st 2001, and was written by lalita tademy. The main characters of this historical, historical fiction story are. Jenkins longlost debut feature, a 1982 romantic drama centering on black characters in. Cane river begins with elisabeth tademys greatgreatgreatgreatgrandmother and focuses on three women marked by her strength, her pride, and her instinct for survival. Cane river tells the story of four generations of africanamerican women and the. It was emilys story, the last generation delved into in cane river, that was the most. So many characters that she just couldnt give the time to let us into the individual characters motivations and inner thoughts. Get to know your family becaus ethe things they went through and did could amaze you. Jenkins, who died before the projects original release in 1982. Cane river 2001 is a fictionalized version of the lives of author lalita tademy s female ancestors over the course of four generations. Meticulously researched and beautifully written, cane river presents a slice of american history never before seen in such piercing and personal detail.

Authors message the authors message is to get to know your family. With characters family members who come alive on the pages and a knack for storytelling, ms. I too felt it was hard to keep all of the characters straight except for elizabeth, suzzette, emily, and philomene. Daughter of elisabeth and gerasime, suzette is born into slavery and lives in the plantation house as nursemaid and companion to the niece of the plantation. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of cane river by lalita tademy. While the film premiered in new orleans, louisiana in 1982, horace jenkins died before the film could be released. Federal forces pushed through natchitoches during their advance up the red river. Not my usual novel but, one that was recommended and im glad it was as i feel more informed, understanding and appreciative after reading cane river. Named for a flower whose bloodred sap possesses the power both to heal and poison, bloodroot is a stunning fiction debut about the legaciesof magic and madness, faith and secrets, passion and lossthat haunt one family across the generations, from the great depression to today.

Lalita tademy has imbued life and blood into her family history, capturing you with her first sentence and only releasing you with her final word. Id have to say that red river along with lalita tademys first book cane river is historical fiction at its finest. Cane river is an isolated community that lies on a small river in central louisiana. It was chosen as an oprahs book club selection in a blend of fact and fiction, tademy tells the story of four generations of her slaveborn female ancestors elisabeth, suzette, philomene, and emily following their trajectories from the 1830s to the 1930s. Cane river book hennepin county library bibliocommons. Pdf cane river book by lalita tademy free download 522. This study guide consists of approximately 38 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of cane river. Twentiethcentury accounts incorrectly depict coincoin as the grand and wealthy mistress of cane rivers melrose plantation, but that classic antebellum mansion was built by her son louis some. Oprahs book club do you remember the first book she picked. Cane river is a 1982 american romantic drama film that was lost until its rediscovery in 20 and its subsequent rerelease in 2018 and beyond. Cane river lalita tademy, 2001 grand central publishing 584 pp. Cane river is the first and, alas, the only fictional feature directed by horace b.