Resurrecting Mingus by Jenoyne Adams
By APOOO • Jun 13th, 2008 • Category: Discussion Guide •
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Resurrecting Mingus by Jenoyne Adams BUY IT NOW
1. What was Mingus sister Eva’s problem with Mingus? The book didn’t
say but it appears she had it in for Mingus. Did she identify more with the white side of her heritage since she had a closer relationship with the mother?
2. Mingus only wanted to date Black Men. Was she discounting a part of her heritage by having this attitude?
3. Do you think the mother was being vindictive by going to the bank and taking out the money?
4. Would you have a need to watch the video? Questions 1-4 provided by Jnette…THANKS JEANETTE!
5. Do you think Mingus’ reaction was fair for what happened between her boyfriend and Eva? Uranie–THANKS URANIE!
6. Do you think that Eva’s issues were deeper than the father’s attention paid towards Mingus? If so, what ere the issues? Dawn–THANKS DAWN.
7. There were two interracial relationships represented in the book? Which do you think is more accepted by society black man/white woman or white man/black woman?
Do you think Mingus should have taken Eric back after what he did with her sister? Did she forgive her sister?
Questions 7 and 8 submitted by Nicole. THANK NICOLE!
9. Why did Eva’s life turn out so differently from Mingus’ life? Sibling rivalry is one thing, but why did Eva hate Mingus so much?
10.. Do you think Carl’s attitude towards the ending of his marriage is typical of most black men who were married to white women? How much of the end had to really do with race?
11. How much of the dysfunction in the family could be attributed to race and not just ordinary circumstances?
12. Growing up in white neighborhoods and going to predominately white schools, did the characters of Eva and Mingus seem a little too black? i.e., slang, mannerisms, dating only black men?
13. Why did Elaine wait until her marriage ended to make contact with her family?
Questions 9-13 provided by Dera. THANKS DERA.
SPOTLIGHT MEMBER–DERA
1. Mingus was the perfect daughter, smart and ambitious. Eva was the mess up. I don’t think Eva identified more with her white side, but she had some issues. In the book she mentions that her life would have been easier had she been all white.
3. Elaine was being vindictive, yes, but so what? I would have taken all of his money. Carl was a dog, plain and simple.
4. Yes, I would have a need and would watch it.
5. Her initial reaction was fair. However, it appears she forgave him in the end. Eva was very troubled. I’ll just come out and say she was a skank ho.
7. I think the white man/black woman relationship is more acceptable. After all it was the first pairing of the races during slavery. It is more acceptable to whites because the white man has always put the white woman on a pedestal and portrayed the black man as a savage after their women. Black women have strong reactions to black men dating white women. But also black men have issues with Sisters dating white men. The bulk of interracial dating theme books I have heard of or read or white men/black women. I don’t know if it is because women are writing the books and they are in these relationships or what. Overall white men/black women is more acceptable.
9. I think this question is tied in with # 1.
10. I don’t know how many black men who have been married to white women attribute their problems to race. In this case however, I feel Carl and Elain had little communication to begin with coupled with the fact that he married her mainly because she was pregnant. I think this was a typical case of a couple that had outgrown each other many years before and the real issues had very little to do with race. Although Carl make references to being tired of being on display, the issues went deeper than race. For instance there was his music that he felt he had been denied because he was trapped by marriage and committments.A good nonfiction book I read and reviewed is ” AStranger in My Bed” by Kevin Luttery. This brother talks about why he eventually left an interracial relationship.
11. Carl and Elaine had baggage and issues that went beyond race. In my opinion had they worked on their issues, then worked on their marriage and DISCUSSED the issue of race things may have been different. I just read an article by an bi-racial woman who said the biggest mistake interracial families make is denial that race is an issue. They think by ignoring it and not discussing it with their children that there will be no problems.
12. It seems despite their upbringing Mingus and Eva developed a sister-girl persona. I found this a little odd. I would like to hear others opinion.
13. I think Elaine could have contacted her family before any thirty-five years. The fact that she was divorcing didn’t erase 35 years of estrangement from her family. She could have contacted her family had she not made her family her whole life.
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