parrots-not-in-london-anymore:

Identity

I just realised that the revolutionary triumvirate of my heart, John Silver, Madi Scott and James Flint, all have names that are not their “real names”…

John we all know ain’t no John or Silver.

James ain’t no Flint.

And Scott is very unlikely to be Madi’s real surname as, after emancipation, many slaves adopted English surnames or kept the ones given to them to facilitate integration and recognition in the face of the law.

These name changes all have distinct meanings and purposes. They are ostensibly used to conceal the character’s true nature but at the same time something to be used and brandished as a projection of themselves in a world that has shunned and punished their true nature. It’s not who they are but what they were forced to become. Their avatar.

And still, it represents a part of themselves they are reluctant to accept and have decided to compartmentalize. James’ rage and loss of control, Long John Silver’s cruelty, Madi’s complicated history with Eleanor and her begrudging study of the English and the empire in order to protect herself and her people from it.

It’s their mask and it’s their scapegoat.

And, once again, it’s all about IDENTITY.

Meme

RULES: Tag 10 followers you want to know better

TAGGED BY: flintetc

TAGGING: difficult. Some of my followers don’t do memes. Some of my followers I don’t know at all. Some people I would like to know better aren’t my followers, others have already been tagged by flintetc. So this is my very short list: @bleak-nomads, @hootenannie, @elfbert , @tintenfischie, @clinteastwood-blog,@stephantom, @sexymonstersupercreep.

STAR SIGN: Virgo (but I am untidy and unmethodical …)

HEIGHT: 165 cm

GRAB THE BOOK NEAREST YOU AND TURN TO PAGE 23. WHAT’S LINE 17? Page 23 has only 11 lines because the rest of the page is taken up by a photo of Han Solo.

EVER HAD A POEM OR A SONG WRITTEN ABOUT YOU? No. But someone painted a picture for/about me, it’s on my living-room wall.

WHO IS YOUR CELEBRITY CRUSH? Marlene Dietrich.

WHAT’S A SOUND YOU HATE AND A SOUND YOU LOVE? I hate the North American “Huh?” meaning “Pardon?”. I love appreciative/reflexive “Hmmm”.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN GHOSTS? Not in the least.

HOW ABOUT ALIENS? Ditto.

DO YOU DRIVE? Yes. Both on the left and on the right.

IF SO, HAVE YOU EVER CRASHED? Three times.

LAST BOOK YOU READ: “Honeydew”, by Edith Pearlman.

LAST MOVIE YOU SAW: The Italian film “L’ordine delle cose” (The Order of Things). Saw it this afternoon.

WORST INJURY YOU EVER HAD? None. Teeth extracted and C-sections don’t count as injuries.

CURRENT OBSESSIONS: Black Sails and, to a lesser extent, Twelfth Night and the Italian Western “Death Rides a Horse” (Da uomo a uomo).

DO YOU TEND TO HOLD GRUDGES AGAINST PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE YOU WRONG? No. Pointless. Hope none of the people I wronged are holding grudges against me.

IN A RELATIONSHIP? No.