1. Why do you think so much emphasis is placed on the Mongoose throughout the novel? What role do you think it serves in Oscar's life, both realistically and metaphorically?
2. In my blog post last week I mentioned the importance of the Faceless Man, and how he could potentially represent the loss of identity present in the novel. Do you believe that this apparition represents more than that? If so, then what? Could he potentially be a manifestation of "fuku"?
I think there is a lot of emphasis place on the mongoose is because it seems to be the force that is fighting to overcome the curse that has fallen on this family. The mongoose appears mostly when their lives are hanging in the balance (ie when Beli is beaten and the mongoose summons her to get up, or when Oscar is beaten in the cane field) It is what sustains the family and helps them to survive.
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