"Sylvia don't have any man." This was an aspect of the introduction to the chapter "The Princess". In your reading of this entire chapter, do you think that the author had to mention this information? Give a description of Sylvia and discuss why the author felt the need to give the readers this information.
Discuss the traits that were seen in Sylvia. Compare and Contrast her to the other women mentioned in this chapter; list some similarities and differences between the women in the village and Sylvia.
In Earl Lovelace’s novel “The Dragon Can’t Dance”, his introduction of chapter 2 “The Princess”, he begins by revealing that “Sylvia don’t have any man.” The Author thought it wise to begin with this information as he sought to highlight the traits of Sylvia, “The Princess” on The Hill.
ReplyDeleteSylvia, at the ripe age of seventeen, possessed many traits. She was cunning, manipulative and a seductress. She was “street smart” and tried effortlessly to survive on The Hill. Sylvia was most desired by the men on The Hill; however, she was too quick for them. Mr. Guy and few of the men had already felt her up, yet Sylvia was able to hold on to her virginity and used this to her advantage. The author noted that Sylvia “was already engaged in the apprenticeship of being the whore, the virgin fucked but untouched.”
Sylvia held an advantageous position when compared to the other women on The Hill. Like her mother, Miss Olive, they both had no man. However, her mother was already burdened by age, poverty and having to take care of her seven children alone. Women like Thelma Bridges, Miss Hilda and Miss Caroline had already succumbed to the pressures and had felt the burning of living on The Hill, looked on at Sylvia in envy. They felt that she too would be doomed and yield to the men on The Hill and before long will be impregnated. Sylvia kept proving them wrong. Miss Cleothilda, who was referred to by the author as “the Queen of the Band” tried to tend to her fading beauty and would look on at the young, vibrant Sylvia and envy “the Princess” who could get anything she wanted.
Sylvia, the young, beautiful princess, continued to maintain her virginity and her dangerous woman youthfulness and used this to capture the passion of men as she sought to survive on The Hill.
I strongly believe the author had every reason to state, Sylvia had no man. The chapter was entitled “The Princess” and as such it is expected that anyone deemed to be a Princess must possess certain qualities different to the normal person. Unlike Sylvia’s peers she was a virgin and it was not usual for girls her age, hailing from the Hills to be (a virgin) at that particular age. In stating that, “Sylvia had no man” the author painted a clear depiction that, it was impossible for her to be like the hundreds that passed through the Hills. Even though other villagers had begrudged and envy her, desiring to see her become pregnant Sylvia prove otherwise, the virgin fucked but untouched.
ReplyDeleteIn essence the author stated clearly up front that Sylvia had no man and there was nowhere she could have fall into the loop of the hundreds that had passed through on their way to the inevitable whoredom. Sylvia was smart and knew how to get around the men of the Hills. She was clever, while seducing her clients whereas the other women of the Hills weren’t as smart. Sylvia did not lose her virginity to neither of the predators in the hills whereas hundreds of women had. In comparison to the other women in the Hills, Sylvia flirted with some of these guys. Finally Sylvia look forward to her costume and parading the streets on carnival days just like Miss Cleothilda and the rest of the ladies in the Hills.
The author began the chapter with the phrase “Sylvia don’t have no man” because he felt the need to emphasize to the reader, the type of person that Sylvia was. He sought to highlight that even though Sylvia was a very provocative and sexual woman, she did not have a man because she possessed a level of cunning that enabled her to not get caught up or tied down by men. She was able to manipulate them for her own benefit without having to sacrifice her body.
ReplyDeleteSylvia and Miss Cleotilda are the same because they both felt the need to assert their power over each other. They both would engage in a subtle battle to see which would be victorious in conquering the other. For example, the author stated, “Miss Cleotilda intent on blunting Sylvia’s triumph and asserting her own power…” Cleotilda wanted to let Sylvia know that she possessed power too, power over her (Sylvia) in particular. She regarded Sylvia’s youth and beauty as a personal threat.
The difference between Sylvia and some of the other women in the village is that Sylvia possessed a level of common sense that enabled her to be a step above the other women from the hill and not succumb to losing her virginity at a young age or becoming pregnant. Her “street sense” allowed her to capitalize on her sexuality and youth without jeopardizing her innocence.
The author mentioned that Sylvia had no man in the passage so that the reader would have a clearer idea as to who Sylvia was. Sylvia is a young girl on the hill that was beautiful and was able to have any man that she wanted on the hill. Though in this chapter she was described or branded as a whore she, she was able to maintain her innocence.
Delete‘…… from a distance, was already engaged in the apprenticeship of being the whore, the virgin fucked but untouched.’ This brand of being a whore came about through jealousy of the other women especially the older ones.
Sylvia though she was young was able to keep away from men on the hill enjoying her flesh. Instead she was enjoying toying with them without they themselves being able touch her. They were only able to talk, watch and imagine. She was able to use the knowledge she had from growing on the hill to her advantage. She was really cunning with it.
If one is to compare Sylvia with the other ladies on the hill one would say she was the ‘smarter one’. She did not allow her beauty and youth to get the best of her like the others did, especially the older ladies mentioned in the story. They now with kids and under the pressures of the hill to because they allowed themselves, their beauty, to succumb to the men of the hill.
Even though the men secretly lust and craved for her flesh, there those that saw her with a difference, as the most dangerous female on the hill and yet as a princess.
‘……you is a princess already,’ he said ‘Play a slave girl.’
The author mentioned that Sylivia had no man because he clearly wanted the readers to identify with Sylivia's charater. Sylivia was a virgin,who used her body to get whatever she wanted.However, she never allowed any man to penetrate her. She could be classified as a brilliant whore. The other women were jealous of Sylivia's phisique and youthfulness. Sylvia was wiser than the other women in the village. Since she never allowed sex to take place. The other women however did not have that tactfulness and cunningness as Sylivia.
DeleteIn the chapter “The Princess”, the author’s use of the statement, “Sylvia ain’t have no man”, indicated to the reader that although the story outlines Sylvia as a girl on her way to “whoredom”, she didn’t have any ties. Sylvia was only seventeen years old and she was cunning, clever and wise (street wise). At that age she knew how to manipulate men by using her female sexuality, to achieve whatever she desired from them.
ReplyDeleteAs the story unfolds, one can see that over the years Sylvia became more expert at what she did. Women like Thelma Bridges, Miss Hilda and Miss Caroline feared that Sylvia, like all the other girls, would end up getting pregnant. In stark contrast to Sylvia, the other girls whom Sylvia was often being compared to did not possess her craftiness. However, what was unknown to them though, was that although she engaged in these “whoredom” acts, unlike them, she was still a virgin.
The story continued to stress that both Sylvia and her mother, Miss Olive, were similar in many instances. They both had “no man”, but were still able to survive on the hill. Sylvia was “the gift arranged even before she knew it” by her mother and Mr. Guy the rent collector. Sylvia was meal ticket for the survival of her mother and her seven other siblings.
The phrase "Sylvia ain't have no man" was used by the author, to introduce the reader to Sylvia. It was also used to make the reader aware of how clever she was. Sylvia though young and untounched by any man was street wise, she knew how to use her sexuality to manipulate the men on the hill to achieve what she wanted. Her beauty and sexy physique attracting them all the while. Though Sylvia grew up on the hill and it seemed her destiny was inevitable unlike the other women she was excellent at achieving her goal while giving nothing in return and not getting trapped by any man and losing her innocence. However she was admired by the other women on the hill, not just because of her youth and physique but also because she was smart and still able to remain a virgin and secrectly they hoped that she would be the one to make it off the hill and into a better life. Like so many of the women who live on the hill Syliva had no man but was able to survive.
ReplyDeleteIn chapter two (2) of “The Dragon Can’t Dance” by Earl Lovelace, it was relevant for him to point out that Sylvia had no man in order to emphasize her mannerism and personality. Sylvia was characterized as being the “The Princess” on the hill simply because she was still a virgin at seventeen as compared to the other women who had lost their innocence. The author reiterated that “generations of girls graduated from the beginnings to night clubs, to brothels, to the city’s streets” but Sylvia was not one of them, she was too smart to succumb to those pressures; the women on the hill were envious of her abilities.
ReplyDeleteAs compared to the other women on the hill, Sylvia was pretty, innocent, manipulative, shrewd, had great sex appeal and was street smart. She was able to use her virginity to her advantage by cunning men like Mr. Guy to get what she wanted where as the other women like Miss Hilda and Miss Caroline had already surrendered to the demands on the hill.
Miss Olive (Sylvia’s mother) too had no man. Although she was burdened by seven children, she was also able to survive on the hill. While Sylvia was perceived to be a whore, she still remained the princess and the most dangerous female person on the hill. She remained untouched.
Earl Lovelace title for Chapter Two of The Dragon Can't Dance "The Princess" goes without saying. He started off the chapter by saying Sylvia have no man. Sylvia here is being referred to a princess. Sylvia was earned that title. Sylvia's home and family life set her to be doomed. but she has proven herself to be a very intelligent smart young lady. she resided in where was called 'the hill' and it is believed that nothing good ever comes from there. Sylvia was seventeen and still a virgin, which is never the norm on the hill.
ReplyDeleteAll the men on that hill wanted Sylvia even the oldest man alive. Sylvia had youth, the physique and the looks and i think the other female villagers might have been a little jealous at times. Sylvia was so street smart,she had her head on her shoulder,she got what she wanted without even selling her body. Sylvia was thought of being a whore but the villagers couldn't be more wrong. Sylvia knew the art of manipulation and to me she was an expert. I think it was possible that Sylvia might have laughing at everyone in that village and i also think she was saving up to leave on day.
As compared to the other females on the hill Sylvia was smarter, sexier, younger, ruthless, crafty and more so she is a survivor.
As the title of the chapter indicates "The Princess,"I strongly believed that the author had every right to mentioned that "sylvia aint have no man." this is to emphasized the qualities of a princess and the characteristics that goes with the name. This was to also make the comparison between sylvia and the other women that lived on "The Hill." Sylvia is seventeen years old and was "already engaged in the apprenticeship of being the whore, the virgin fucked but untouched." Sylvia was very street smart and clever. she knew what to do to get whatever she wanted from the men in her village especially Mr. Guy the rent collector. the women in the village was jealous of sylvia because by the age of seventeen these women fell prey to whoredom, they graduated to nightclubs, brothels, and the city's street. all these men and women stared at sylvia whenever she passed becasue they knew what "The Hills" gives. sylvia was more intelligent than all the women that lived on the hill. she never gave in to the games but however she would play along with the men and cunned them of whatever she wanted. this worked pretty well for her. Sylvia's mom was a woman with seven children and no man,and, she believed that she "was the gift arranged even before she knew it, even without the encouragement and connivance of her mother". in other words she knew she was the sacrifice.
ReplyDeleteThe difference between sylvia and these women on the hill are:
Sylvia was pretty, smart,cunning, she had the ability to capture the men in passion and caring, she had a great physique, sex appeal,youth on her side and the ability to achieve what these women never achieved. Although Sylvia was known as the most dangerous girl on "The Hill," and was also known for her whoredom acts she remained "the virgin fucked but untouched."
In Earl Lovelace Novel the Dragon Can’t Dance. Chapter two entitled the “Princess” the author mentioned that Sylvia had no man so the reader would have an idea as to whom/type of person Sylvia was. Sylvia is referred to as a virgin which is highly impossible at the age of seventeen especially on the hill but is mostly noticed by many men as a princess for the qualities she possess. Sylvia is innocent (virgin), young, sexy, pretty, street smart, cunning, clever, intelligent she had a great physique and sex appeal compared to the other women on the hill.
ReplyDeleteThelma Bridges, Miss Hilda, Miss Caroline and Miss Cleothilda was jealous of her (the traits she possess as mentioned above). Miss olive her mother was a single parent burdened by age, poverty and the responsibility of providing for her seven children. Sylvia was their meal ticket, she would provide for them on a daily basis.
Sylvia was similar to the other women because she had no man.
Sylvia was different because she possess special traits the other women didn’t have (or use to have), what was unknown to them, was that although she was engage in whoredom acts, unlike them she was still a virgin, she maintained her innocence. The men on the hill lust over her, they can only imagine being with her.
The author emphasis the process which many women pass through on the hill: night clubs-to brothels- to the city streets, but Sylvia would never stoop to this level she learned a lot from her seventeen years living on the hill (from people mistakes). She got what she wanted from men without having sex and manipulated a lot of men of various age groups
The opening lines in the chapter states that Sylvia ain’t have no man. This information is important as the character played by Sylvia in the chapter, ‘The Princess’ suggest otherwise. In the chapter, Sylvia possessed the characteristics of a provocative but smart young woman who was able to survive on ‘The Hill’ yet maintain her innocents. The chapter gave accounts of Sylvia being fondled; ‘A few of them had already delved fumbling hands beneath her dress’ or touched inappropriately; ‘Once Mr Guy had felt her breast, cupping them in his hands in that sly cunning hug, pretending fatherly affection’ but Sylvia the humming-bird blur was always able to evading them yet still able to achieve her goal.
ReplyDeleteSilvia was different from the women in the village because unlike her, the women on the hill, young or old were not able to overcome the pressures of the hill and soon succumb in order survive while silver was able to acquire whatever she desired without giving up her priced possession.
Silvia was similar to her mother in that they both had no man. She was also similar to Cleothilda. They were both beautiful as one was referred to as, ‘queen of the band’ and the other ‘princess’.
In the book the Dragon Can't Dance chapter two The Princess Sylvia don't have any man. Sylvia at the age of seventeen possessed many different traits such as street smart, a manipulator, cunning and seductive. In order to survive on the Hill, she was the "gem" among all men, however she was still a virgin which was unusual for girls her age. Sylvia and her mother had one thing in common they had no man. Age and poverty stroke her mother in providing for seven children. Sylvia was envyed by all and negative thoughts from others to fight her down because of her beauty and high spirit in meeting her goals. Sylvia the beautiful princess portrays a level of common dignity above all other women from the hill.
ReplyDeleteSylvia, Miss Olive's eldest daughter, with all the promise of budding womanhood, but with her only perceived resource being her sexuality. She has constantly been a symbol of temptation and sexuality. When her mother miss Olive is short on the rent money she sends Sylvia to perform sexual favours for Mr. Guy.
ReplyDeleteIt is as if Sylvia's path is already choosen for but she has ambition and street smarts so she will outsmart the males from the "Hill" and retain her virginity. Unlike the other girls her age Sylvia is still a virgin. The writer mentions her status to emphasise her strenght of character and her ambition.
Compared to her mother Sylvia has her whole life in front of her.
Miss Olive is a long suffering mother of seven who lets people walk over her. Miss Cleothilda is a fading mulato woman who uses her fair coplexion ad status to rule the yard. Both she and Sylvia are proud women but that is where the similarities stop. Sylvia is nothing like her mother or Miss Cleothilda.
With virginity being the key to the men of the hill’s heart, deceptive, sly, brilliant, beautiful, innocent and ghetto smart Sylvia was the talk of the town. Yes, the author saw it fitting that he uplifted Sylvia’s character by giving this gentle incentive.
ReplyDeleteWhere Sylvia lived was a “dog eat dog” village and like no other she new here strengths (her beauty, intelligence, virginity etc) and her weaknesses (the men and her enviers) and when used wisely made her “the hot topic”.
In keeping with the character of the book: “being the Carnival theme”; Sylvia and Cleothilda were the front row runners as they were the Princess (female individual) and Queen of the Band respectively. Another similarity is that Sylvia followed in her mother’s footsteps and as a result wore her shoes and just like her mom, Sylvia had “nobody to report to” (no man, boyfriend, fiancé or husband that is).
The main difference in the book which was coveted by many: is the fact that Sylvia amongst all the other women mentioned still had her prized possession and also she had youth in her favour.
A Princess is a woman considered to have the qualities or characteristics of a princess. Sylvia was held in high esteem by the people on the Hill; to the men she represented an untouchable sexual icon and to the women she represented hope for a change on the hill. Mr. Lovelace in labeling this chapter as the Princess aptly identified the persona of Sylvia and the belief of the person on the hill of whom she was and who they wanted her to be.
ReplyDeleteHowever, Sylvia's innocence was contradicted by her cunning approach to gaining what she believed was hers. She knew she had a prized possession that none of the women on the hill were able to keep for very long, her virginity. This was due to her youth which came with strength and speed to escape the situations in which she would have lost that grand prize that the men ably sought. The women on the Hill had lost their innocence long time ago and wanted to preserve Sylvia's in the hope that she would liberate herself from the hill; something the other women were unable to do. The men on the Hill hoped that Sylvia would fall into their clutches like the women on the Hill that came before her.
Sylvia was indeed a princess, she had her virtue, youth and beauty on her side.
In the chapter "The Princess", the author stated "Sylvia ain't have no man". This was to tell the reader that although Sylvia had been engaging in the practices of what was called her destiny(whoredom), she still had her virginity and was not involved in any form of relationship with any of the men from the village.
ReplyDeleteSylvia was a sassy seventeen year old girl who used her beauty and sex appeal to gain what she wanted from the men in the village. She was very clever and moved too fast to allow anything to penetrate her. It was seen that the generation of girls before her seemed to have been on the road to their destinated whoredom as well and actually made it. This made the villagers think that the same would eventually happen to Sylvia, but she was too fast for that.
Sylvia had to go through the same sense of inevitable whoredom as her destiny for survival on the hill as the other hundreds of young ladies that passed through before. However, she was different. She used that gift, that prized possession in which she kept for so long, that no other woman on the hill had managed to keep, to get these men to give her what she desired. These women now hoped that Sylvia would be the first to successfully make it out of the hill, that she would hold her head high with dignity, not having to worry again where her next meal would come from or ways and means of getting it.
Seventeen Year old Sylvia was very much advance for her age .She was a beautiful ,attractive young lady. Sylvia was a virgin an educated young lady. She was the most attractive young lady living on the hill. Sylvia came from a single parent family and seven other sibling .This young lady like to look a romantic movies.
ReplyDeleteYes the author had to mention that Sylvia was able to arouse the guys in the village. Sylkkiva was a very educated young lady she conduce the guys to get whatever she needed .Similarities they were able to get money and clothes from the guys, They were in the same age group and these young ladies was able seduce the guys. Differences most of the girls were pregnant Sylvia was not . The young girls were sexual active while Sylvia was not. Sylvia was the first to make it successful from on the hill while the other young girls were all pregnant
In my view I think that the writer had to mention that Sylvia had no man. Given her age, and the fact that she had six other siblings, a body that had men falling over her, this phenomenon had to be report. After all, this was the hills, where at seventeen the nightclubs, brothels, the city streets or motherhood would have already claimed these young girls. Sylvia was desired by every man on the hill, she was cunning and dangerous for she knew the spell she wove on men, and knew that part of her success was due to the fact that she remained a virgin. Sylvia was similar to the other women in the village because they also lived on the hill and experienced some degree of poverty, but the similarities ended there. She was unlike her mother who was saddled with seven children or Miss Cleothilda, who reigned queen for only two days of the year, or Miss Thelma, Miss Caroline and Thelma Bridges, who knew a bit too much about abortions. Sylvia was the princess of the hill.
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