The Wine of Astonishment Summary - Earl Lovelace - Masterplots II: African American Literature, Revised Edition

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At a glance:

Author: Earl Lovelace
First Published: 1982
Type of Work: Novel
Type of Plot: Social realism
Time of Work: 1940’s-1950’s
Setting: Bonasse, Trinidad
Characters: Eva, Bee, Bolo, Ivan Morton, Prince
Genres: Long fiction, Social realism
Subjects: 1950's, Culture, Tradition, Caribbean, Racism, Blacks, Social issues, 1940's, Villages, 1930's, Moral conditions, Catholics or Catholic Church, Warships
Locales: Bonasse, Trinidad, Central America and West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago

The Novel

The Wine of Astonishment is the story of the struggle of a Spiritual Baptist community, from the passing of the Prohibition Ordinance in 1917 until the lifting of the ban in 1951. It is told by one of the members of the church. Eva begins her narrative of the trials and sufferings of those of the Spiritual Baptist faith with the notion that there is a purpose behind it all.

The only hope for the villagers of Bonasse, as they see it, lies in Ivan Morton, a teacher turned politician, the new man in the legislative council of the country. They would like...

(The entire page is 2875 words.)

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