This book left me feeling quite despairing. I knew we were going to lose M’man Tine as soon as things started looking up for José but it still devastated me. She fought so hard for that boy, and he in turn was kept going with the hope of making her life better when he finished school. I think I’m going to focus on M’man Tine for this blog because she deserves some appreciation.
Her story is depicted through the lens of a young boy, at the time, unaware of her sacrifices, as she labours all day, barely making enough to scrape them by, while he frolics with his friends, causing mayhem around the Alley. José as a child was pretty infuriating, just as a reader, nonetheless to poor M’man Tine who fed, housed, and clothed the boy her daughter left her to deal with, while he broke her bowl, and tore his clothes to shreds. Admittedly, I was a little wary of her to begin with, she seemed extremely strict, however unfortunately that was a necessity of raising a child in that environment, it seemed. We also recognize fairly early on that M’man Tine intends better for José than the other children of Black Shack Alley. The perspective of his carefree attitude during his time at Black Shack Alley, compared with how hard we know M’man Tine was working shows how oblivious children can be to the world, but also perhaps how well José’s grandmother sheltered him from certain hardships, as she wanted to create a better life for him. Do you think José would have had a similar path if he had been with his mother his whole life?
As José grew up, and began to understand his position in the social, and financial hierarchy. To me, much of this realization came when his grandmother fell ill, and he fell out of the bubble she kept him in. No longer under the care of M’man Tine, José is hungry and dirty, struggling to concentrate in school. Even when she returns to him, we seem to see a new side of the poverty affecting his life, Previously they got by well enough, but now money for education, suits, and shoes is needed. The death of Mr Médouze also seemed a catalyst for change, perhaps an event which spurred M’man Tine to provide a different future for her grandson.
I didn’t want this book to end, I so wanted to read a happy ending for these characters who have all worked so hard and sacrificed so much for each other, in hopes of a better future for their family. But I know it doesn’t work like that, and the feelings of hopelessness and unjustness this book leaves me with are proof of a book well written.