Topsy!

Topsy was a mischievous and clever black slave girl in the anti-slavery novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin" by Harriet Beecher Stowe. One of the characters treats her like an animal and whistles to her the way "a man would to call the attention of a dog".

She was trained to believe by her masters that as a "nigger", she was naturally bad. She tells another character: "I’s wicked, – I is. I’s mighty wicked, any how. I can’t help it"

Why do you think Miss Aggy refers to Lois as "Topsy"?

"A never see pigs friendly so. Them is mi company."

Do you think it is fitting for Mama to have pigs as company? Why?

Hold dog!

Mama: All right. [She is going, stops, turns.] The dog tie? --Old Story Time Act one pg 32

In what ways does Mama treat Lois like a dog?

Len's Letter

Len finally writes to Miss Aggy. Why do you think his letter is so brief and formal?

Storytelling Tradition

Don't you just love a good story? I'm sure you could still remember a good story that someone told you a while ago!

Pa Ben in Old Story Time is a good storyteller. What does he do or say that reflects the storytelling tradition?

Trevor Rhone

March 24, 1940 - September 15, 2009
Leading and awarding-winning Jamaican writer, actor, director and playwright. He with seven others, started the Barn Theatre.

In Old Story Time (1979), Rhone's most popular play, ‘Pa Ben’, the old story-teller, recounts forty years of Jamaican life.

This is the dark time, my love

All the words in the title are important. Stop and think! Why do you think Carter chose to give the poem this title? Is it appropriate?