Thing

QUOTE READING
No music. Cake Mix Shaker intro.

We came from [...]Georgia bearing Betty

Crocker cake mixes into the jungle(13).

PART 1 ARRIVAL
The triangle starts out with four notes, high
and peaceful. Which are echoed by the drum
twice as fast and aggressively.

Meaning
What she carried in, shows her out of place
and unprepared. We wait to see what beliefs
will carry her and the cake mix through this
journey, or will the cake mix have to be left
behind?
This quote shows that when Leah arrived in
the jungle she brought ignorance. Instead of
bringing something useful she brought an
item that seems only to be of value in first
world countries.
The triangle represents religion, which is
where Leahs beliefs are derived from
originally. Religions peaceful and vague
instruction is taken to extreme, however, by
Nathan (the drum). The extremely simple
rhythm can be interpreted in many different
ways, which shows that religion which seems
so straightforward can hold a completely
different meaning without even changing the
rhythm (the rules).

Then Leah plays finally, following the pattern.

After the rhythm has been passed through

Nathan, it is followed by Leah. Leah as you
can see doesnt get her beliefs from her
interpretation of religion, but from her
interpretation of her fathers interpretation of
religion.

Her melody follows the rhythm as fast as the

drum.

These beliefs are not only present in Leahs

life, but have twisted themselves into her
personality. She is being directed by the
rhythm of her father.

After she has echoed four beats, she is cut off Instead of letting her personality expand, it is
again by her father.
cut off by her father pounding his same
beliefs again and again, making the melody in
short pieces, and unable to take on a life of its
own.
The melody is high, and grounded only by the
interfering sound of the Nathan drum.

Even if she was free of the pounding bass

notes and drum, she is so unsure by herself
(no low notes) and would sound almost weak.

They take turns.

The notes are slow and melodic. They are

also minimal, with nothing decorative, only
the melody and harmony.

QUOTE READING
While quote is reading, Nathan drum and
Triangle play. The cake mix follows along.
Then all of a sudden the fire hit the
pan(128).
PART 2- ANATOLE OR NATHAN

Leah never dares to play over him, though

her melody would be so much more beautiful
when uncorrupted by his sound. She never
questions him, but lets him speak and follows
fearfully but flawlessly.
Her life inside and out line up like melody
and harmony. She does not favor her outer
self like Rachel, nor her inner self like Adah.
Her beliefs and outer self line up with no
dissonance, but fit together nicely to sound
proper and classical.

In the back of her mind is what has always

been there, the percussion of religion and her
father. Her ignorance is healthy as ever.
When Anatole visits the price family, there is
obvious conflict between him and Nathan. In
a sense, this is when Anatole and Nathan
begin fighting for Leahs heart.

Nathan plays three notes but is cut off by a

new rhythm that starts on the fourth beat.

Anatoles rhythm is unusual and rains on

Nathans parade. Although it is a refreshing
change, it is not the most pleasant, as he
intrudes on Nathans steadiness. Inside
Leah, the two fight for the place in her life
represented by the lower keys and drums; the
part that anchors her to the earth

It is in minor key.

An ominous situation is born that will present

itself later on as well, but for now stays
hidden deep within Leahs inner self.

The four notes double in speed in response.

Nathan is flustered and his face is turning red.

There is a lapse in his place within Leah, as
he turns less controlled and more frantic. This
is Anatoles chance.

Anatole moves up and says something

involving G major, but quickly moves on.

The G chord represents the Congolese ways

because it disrupts the normal progression
that has been going on until now in their
family. It is known to bring about dark times
when it is combined with B minor, their main
key.

Towards the end, Anatoles rhythm reveals

Leah is changed by her encounter with

itself surprisingly strong.

Anatole, and despite the ominous key, she is

now marked with her first bit of understanding
of the Congolese ways, and her melody will
be possessed by Anatoles new rhythm.

The last bit (Anatoles official theme) is played The guitar represents love. Leah likes Anatole
as well by guitar.
a little even when she first meets him. The
guitar is a warm and loving sound.
QUOTE READING
Piano; Nathan drum. Cake Mix is quiet.
Anatoles drum enters.

Independence is here and white people

should not be...telling us what to do (280).
PART 3- STUDYING WITH ANATOLE

Ignorance is not as loud with other things to

drown it out. Nathan still present, but another
drum takes the lead. Nathan is not fighting
hard to control her, she has always been such
a duckling.
Leah studies with Anatole and her eyes are
opened to the truth of the Congo, she finally
begins to understand the fault in her previous
ways. Nathans influence begins to fade
away.

Introduced by Anatole in B major key.

Anatole is being nice, we all knew it could

happen. With new peacefulness and joy,
Anatole gives Leah a little inspiration in the
key she was raised in, no less. Anatole
teaches her on a level she can understand
and enjoy.

Leah changes her melody, still high, but

uninterrupted.

Nathans drum may still be going, but not at

the cost of Leah. Now that she has found
something else to listen to that goes along
with her instead of against her, the melody is
more continuous.
.
The way she now jumps to high notes
represents her unsureness about her current
ways. The melody is not settled, but is now
jagged in a way, the octaves being little
fractures in her idea of smooth completeness.
This happens when she understands the fault
in her previous ways.

Octaves

Guitar plays along

QUOTE READING
Guitar is playing Anatoles part along with his
drum. Nathan exits.

Leah has not yet stated her love, but it is

there as she learns from Anatole.
Nathan gets higher and higher (less powerful
and influential upon Leah) and then

disappears. He does not disappear from the

story all together, but stops being an influence
on Leahs beliefs.
Anatoles name anchored me to the earth,
the water, the skin that held me in [...] I love
you Anatole(310-311).

Leah choses Anatole when she professes her

love. Nathan is replaced as the driving force
in her life by Anatole.

PART 4- LOVE
Anatoles rhythm is at the lower end of the
piano. And on the only drum being played.

Anatole is playing the low rhythm and drum

part once played by Nathan. Instead of
cutting her off, they play together. This
symbolizes the way their relationship is two
way and they both can talk to each other.

Leah plays her melody on the guitar.

The guitar is playing the melody more

sweetly. It can now because the piano rhythm
is grounded and she knows it will continue.

The guitar is the only thing with the melody.

She confesses her love, it is out in the open

now with nothing else to hide it.

QUOTE READING
Piano keeps on playing Anatole in the
background. The other shaky thing enters.
The triangle plays a note but the other shaky
thing answers it.

Im going with the men and thats final(340).

PART 5- EXPLOSIVE EPISODE

For the downbeat, the Cake Mix is thrown on
the ground.
It is in B minor

The melody is filled with fast downward

arpeggios.

The other shaky thing represents African

ways. It goes well with Anatole, of course,
and might affect Leah soon. The triangle
(religion) is being challenged by African ways.
Right now this conflict is in the other
instruments, not within Leah.
Leah tells off her father in this explosive
episode. She breaks the small link that she
had with her father and begins thinking for
herself.

The End of Ignorance.

The key of her family and origins, but darker,
being torn apart. Even her original beliefs she
is turning against now, in rebellion.
Her melody now finds this overwhelming
power. She pays no attention to what she
does with it, and explodes against everything
she has known. She breaks down Nathans

rhythm, crushing it into small enough pieces it

cannot be recognized.
Anatole rhythm.

Through this, he supports her and tries to

keep her crazy actions in line.

It ventures into G minor.

Leahs wishes and rebelliousness clash with

the old ways as well, and fate comes after
her. As the chords switch between B and G
minor, it sounds very ominous, and we hear
them bring about tragedy together.

Dissonance

the dissonance shows her inner struggle, how

she blamed herself for the death of Ruth May,
and it follows her as she leaves town. There
are always uncomfortable sounds (memories)
that resurface.

QUOTE READING
The other shaky instrument returns. The
guitar returns. Anatole is a guitar and drum
again.
I imagined honey-colored parasites
celebrating in my golden-tinted organs as I
alternatively froze and burned (394).

The African ways represented by the

instrument return. It prepares to be a part of
her now. Love resurfaces as she and Anatole
are reunited in the other town.
Leah is very weak and vulnerable physically,
but with unseen strength inside,

PART 6- MALARIA
Her melody is in the Left Hand.

She is strong inside, she is no longer unsure.

She has malaria, so her outer self is not doing
much, but inside is slow but strong.

Right Hand is being slow with weird scales.

The sickness and hallucinations are

represented by the right hand, which would
sound dysfunctional if it were not for her new
inner strength and Anatole playing as well.

Anatole is in the guitar.

She loves him. The guitar is in the middle
range and she is lower, which means she is
sure of herself, but her love is what is heard
and brought out during the illness. It takes the
lead.
B minor but G major.
It is hard times, and the key of G (the Congo)
is becoming a part of her personality, but in a
good way this time. It filters in a little hopje

while her old beliefs bring pain and sorrow.

QUOTE READING
The shaky thing takes the lead. The triangle
follows along with the shaky thing now.
Anatole is in the drum and guitar.
And only now, after...ten years, am I coming
to understand the length and breadth of
outsiders failure to impose (524)

Her religion now follows the way of nature

and Africa. They find a surprising stability
together. Her beliefs now are like those of
Brother Fowles, a combination of new and
old.
She is much older and wiser than the little girl
who stepped off the plane in the Congo many
years ago. She is aware of just how much
Africa and her family has overcome and how
much there still is to fight for resulting in a
failure on the imperialists side. They have
destroyed a lot of Africa and its culture, but
the people survive and adapt and learn to live
with such an unfortunate parasite.

PART 7- STRONGER SELF

The melody is not high and weak anymore.

She has knowledge and is stable on her own

now. She carried in ignorance and left with
understanding.

The melody leaves in G major.

She is now a part of the African ways. She

and Africa have been on a journey together,
and overcome difficulties, it is only right that
her key should change to fit her new identity
and connection with the congo.

Nathan is gone.

She exits as independant as could be. She

entered following Nathan who followed
religion, and now follows nobody.

Her song is the same, but with changed

percussion.

Her song is continuous and able to play

loudly (fight for her beliefs) because her
beliefs are strong. It is the same melody, but
not stomped on by her father or stained with
ignorance.