"Little Cogbert" & "Cotton Candy"

The two stories present two main women, Moira and Lola. To compare the two, you see them both existing in “man vs. self” conflicts within their respective stories. Additionally, like their stories, the authors share some information on their background; comparing the authors’ synopses can help with understanding the connections between Little Cogbert and Cotton Candy.

The author of Little Cogbert is Phyllis Shand Allfrey. She originates from the island of Dominica, the location of where her story takes place. In a somewhat similar fashion, Dora Alonso, author of Cotton Candy, hails from Cuba, which sets the setting in this story. The conflict in Little Cogbert is more external, as Moira was not in favor of the very different children she threw a party for; her xenophobic nature was especially expressed towards Cogbert, the only child who appreciated Moira’s gift from the start. The conflict in Cotton Candy is rather internal: It’s emphasized in this story that Lola has had much trouble with finding a husband to marry due to her overbearing mother. With the eventual passing of her mother’s death, Lola feels an “alleviating remorse”. Lola later realizes she can still find love, despite her age and appearance, as she’s reminded of her innocent youth.

Tétiyette and the Devil - A Brief Analysis

Tétiyette and the Devil is a short story centered around a young girl in search for a husband to marry. The author, who remains anonymous, presents multiple underlying messages, including acknowledging those of authority and acknowledging that things may not be what they seem.

One of the main points in this short story would be Tétiyette's interactions with the "devil", or her corrupt husband-to-be. Her mother addresses the man's evil nature and tells Tétiyette, "At night after you go to bed, you will stick your husband with [a pin]. If blood flows, he's a human being, but if slime oozes, he's a devil." She later discovers that the man is indeed a devil, and keeps the truth secret from the rest of her family. This proves the first moral message of following authoritative direction to be true.

Later in the story, Tétiyette finds herself in a crisis, as she's being eaten whole by the devilish husband; she has disobeyed her parents and now faces the bitter consequences of staying with the devil. She cries out: "Oh, Mama! Oh, Mama! ... The man to whom you married me...is a terrible devil! ... He's eating me up!" Not everything is what it seems to be, the author conveys.

Personally, this short story paints a very vivid picture in my head about the morals presented. It's an excellent medium to deliver info on the ways of narrative. Using what I've analyzed here can add some insight to my understanding about Caribbean culture.