Afterwards, while discussing the disposal of Mr. Nancy's estate, Mrs. Callyanne Higgler, a very old family friend, reveals to Fat Charlie that the late Mr. Nancy was actually an incarnation of the West African spider god, Anansi, hence his name. The reason Charlie had apparently not inherited any divine powers was because they had been passed down to his hitherto unknown brother, who Mrs. Higgler explains could be contacted by simply sending an invitation by talking to a spider.
|
|
Jamaica Phrase Dictionary "Rasta/Patois Jamaica Dictionary" In other cases, both versions coexist as in the case of "diapers", "pampers" and "nappies" or "rubber" and "eraser". Jamaican English has also borrowed some words from Jamaican Patois. Such borrowings include "duppy" for "ghost"; "higgler" for "informal vendor/hawker"; "bandooloo" for "dishonest/illegal/sketchy"; and some terms for Jamaican foods, like "ackee", "callaloo", "guinep", and "bammy".Mair, Christian, 2002, pp.
|
|
Meanwhile Rosie and her mother have taken a consolation cruise to the Caribbean, where they unexpectedly meet Grahame Coats, who offers them a tour of his home. The two have not heard of the events in England and thus unsuspectingly walk into a trap at his home where they are locked in his basement. Charlie goes searching for Callyanne Higgler to help him solve his problems. He looks for her in Florida, but Anansi's old friends tell him that Mrs.
|
|
Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire 1885, p. 584 By 1933 occupations, in what was now a village, included twenty-three farmers, three cottage farmers, five smallholders, a potato merchant, a fruit grower, a butcher, a blacksmith, a higgler--itinerant pedlar--two carpenters, two shopkeepers one of whom ran the post office, and the landlord of the Golden Lion public house.Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire 1933, p. 436 The Golden Lion public house still exists and there is also a village hall and playing fields.
|
|
With Charlie out of the office, Grahame Coats proceeds to alter the financial records to frame Charlie for the embezzlement. Embittered by the loss of his fiancée, Charlie uses his holiday to return to Florida and requests help from Mrs. Higgler and three of her equally old and eccentric friends to expel Spider. Being themselves unable to banish Spider, they instead send Fat Charlie to "the beginning of the world," an abode of ancient gods similar to his father, each of whom represents a species of animal.
|
|
In 2005, Mike Walker adapted Anansi Boys into a radio play for the BBC World Service. It stars Lenny Henry as Spider and Fat Charlie, Matt Lucas as Grahame Coats and Tiger, Rudolph Walker as Anansi, Doña Croll as Mrs Noah and the Bird Woman, Tameka Empson as Mrs Higgler, Petra Letang as Rosie, Jocelyn Jee Esien as Daisy, and Ben Crowe as Cabbies and other voices. It was broadcast on 17 November 2007. The original soundtrack was composed by Danish composer in residence Nicolai Abrahamsen.
|
|
Charlie is skeptical, and on his return to England largely forgets what Mrs. Higgler had told him, until one night when he drunkenly whispers to a spider that it would be nice if his brother stopped by for a visit. The next morning the suave and well-dressed brother, going under the name of "Spider", visits Charlie and is shocked to learn that their father has died. Spider then magically steps into a picture of their childhood home and Charlie goes off to work, rather puzzled by Spider and his sudden miraculous disappearance.
|
|
Higgler has returned to the Caribbean country of Saint Andrews. These friends reveal to him that it was another old lady, Mrs. Dunwiddy, who was annoyed with the young Fat Charlie and made a spell to separate his good side from his bad side, which then became Spider, separating the one person into two. Fat Charlie finally finds her after a long search in Saint Andrews and is sent again, via seance, to the beginning of the world where he forces the Bird Woman to give back Anansi's bloodline in return for her feather.
|
|