Monkey Beach is by far one of the most interesting novels I have ever read. I love the way Eden Robinson intertwines the cultures and educates the reader on the traditions of Lisamaire's people. There were many aspects of the book that I found extremely fascinating, but the part that really drew me in was Lisa's memories of her childhood. I found it so entertaining reading what was going through her mind and the motivations she described in acting certain ways. I really also liked her relationship with Uncle Mick and the tree spirit as well, they were both so complex!

This was the second time I've read Monkey Beach and both times I found it extremely frustrating how the story was left so open. While it may have taken from the over all meaning of the story, I really wish I could know what happened to Jimmy and Lisa!

Do you think of Monkey Beach as a Gothic novel? I've read a few reviews indicating that is so, but I fail to feel "Goth" in it. While it may be dark, for me the darkness is a screwed-up girl with the misfortune of having a name with too much baggage,and the terror of a brother missing at sea. It does have dream landscapes, forbidden cliffs and all that is so wonderfully gorgeous about her homeland in British Columbia. I see them as mysterious & majestic - not at all sinister or Goth-like. Of course Ms. Lisamarie is trying with all her might to be seen as a 'tough broad' & nearly succeeding when what she is can be better described as a kid trying to be grown-up & reflecting a mix of role models that when fused cause her to be a punk. To me,Lisamarie is fragile. She is caught between two cultures,actually three. because being a teen should be listed as a separate culture. She lives in a desolate location (although beautiful), deals with interesting little visitors and has the Haisla supernatural abilities. That is sufficient bsggsge to pull down just about anyone. There is conflict in every part of this story. The melding of the Haisla, the First Nation traditions, many family members unique personalities and the 'real' world feel as if a whirling dervish had arrived. It was difficult for me to read of Kraft dinners, Twinkies, Sasquatch and spirits all in one space and family. The tale is edgy and harsh. It's poignant and curious. From an on-line blog here's a suggestion for a classification - "Native American Dark Urban Fantasy" I like it and, in the hands of certain film-makers it could become a "Teen Gothic Thriller."

What struck me most after reading Monkey Beach was the dark but realistic world of Lisa Marie, the teenage narrator juggling two lives. As I was reading, I was taken back to my extremely judgmental views of my parents during teenage "tantrums" in high school. Like Lisa Marie, I was quick to make assumptions about my mom and dad's weaknesses, never acknowledging the difficulties they face as parents. In Lisa Marie's case, her chief perceptions of her mother involve hurt and disappointment, when in fact her mom is struggling to juggle her own two worlds.

Eden Robinson presents extremely dark challenges for her characters which pan out in an even darker writing style. It was difficult to put the book down once I started it, and after having finished it I was left dumbfounded about what happened to Lisa and Jimmy. After discussing it in class though, I'd have to agree with those of us who assumed Jimmy had died-- probably because it agreed with Robinson's unwavering dark themes...

I really enjoyed Monkey Beach, and I'm glad we got to read it in class because I probably never would have read it otherwise. I think the most intriguing part of the story was the Haisla aspect, especially Lisa's supernatural connections to nature and spirits. I'm a big fan of fantasy so of course that aspect was a draw for me. What made it even more fascinating though, was that what was fantasy for me is real in the Haisla culture; it didn't just come from the author's head. People believe all of it, and I really liked knowing that as I read.

Now that I'm done the book and have had time to reflect, I've decided that I never really liked any of the characters. Maybe Ma-ma-oo, she was pretty entertaining. But most of the other characters just made me really angry at one point or another. Somehow though, it didn't make me dislike the book, which is impressive in my opinion.

I found Monkey beach to a very enjoyable and satisfying read. Almost from the start I was drawn in to the book. It is as if Eden Robinson pulls you in and does not let go until the book is finished. I think there is something particularly interesting about the book's setting and main characters. It is a pleasant departure from most settings, taking place in a Haisla Native American village, the characters and events in the book were particularly unusual as it describes a foreign culture. I liked the learning aspect of the book too. Robinson dosen't just tell you a story, but provides a very educational and informative portrayal of the Haisla cultrue and history. The whole spiritual/supernatural aspect to he book was probably the most fascinating part. At times it became difficult to distinguish between what were dreams or reality, especially through Lisa's character. Monkey Beach is a book that eveyrone can enjoy and I am looking forward to reading Eden's most recent novel.

what i really liked about this book was lisa marie's family dynamic. robinson portrays their family in what i think is such an authentic light. their's is really the most stable out of all the families in the book, although they definitely have their problems. but that is what i thought was real about it because all families have their problems. even though the haisla community is something that is completely foreign to me, i felt it was relatively easy to relate to their family. through their struggles to find a middle ground between the modern world and their ancestral community i thought resonated a story which most anyone can relate to. one of my personal favorite parts of the book was when lisa's mother is getting on top of her father for smoking, and she throws out his cigarettes so in retaliation he hides her favorite coffee pot. this is the type of petty little passive aggressive fight that occurs in most households. i also liked it because i thought it to be a really funny part in a book which has a lot of sadness.

I loved Monkey Beach a lot. Trying to think of what i liked most about it was slightly difficult, but i've realized the aspect of it that i like the most is how real it all feel even though it is somewhat fantastical. the relationships that Lisa has with everyone in her family are described so well that when reading the book i felt as though they had to be a real family. the entire dynamics of their family that you learn about though lisa recalling growing up is very intriguing. i could see exactly how lisa turned out the way she did. watching her grow up though the story and seeing her grow as a person and not only a person but a child with such an amazing gift made the book have such a page turning allure. i also loved her relationship with mick in the beging. he's kind of a screw up but is also an amazing uncle and is very involved with lisa's upbringing. i also really enjoyed the depth of each character and there specific relationships with each other character and with nature. the beginning of the book makes me want to move there, camp, swim, cook and go fishing. the descriptions of nature and the natural world have gotten me really excited for summer and being outside too.

I found MONKEY BEACH to be an enjoyable and compelling read. Usually when I near the end of the semester, I am far from motivated in terms of completing reading assignments, but once I began the book I could not put it down. I think it was a strategic move on the part of Paul to save this book and Dionne Brand for the end of the semester because they are not as involved or convoluted as the works of Watson or Brossard.

My favorite part of the book was the commentary on promoting circular relations in life. The Haisla people attempt to "mind their relations" to maintain a balance in the often turbulent and unnecessarily lopsided scheme of life. They maintain a balance with the natural and modern world. This perspective rids one's life of false binaries and teaches one that all things play an equal part in life. Characters such as Ma-ma-oo lead a life that is balanced between enjoying the soap operas on television in the modern world and teaching her granddaughter, Lisa, about the ancient Haisla teachings and mythology. No one aspect of life needs to take precedent over another.

I think that if modern society could follow these balanced perspectives, our lives would become far more placid and we would be able to encounter and enjoy the many facets of life we miss out on.

I thought Elizabeth's comment was really interesting, probably because I'm taking a class on Gothic literature right now. I had noticed the blurb on the back about it being a "Northern Gothic" when I was looking at the book, and I thought that was an good genre in which to place the novel.

I think the characteristic of the Gothic tradition that is most prevalent in this novel is the constant return to the past and its influence on the present. In Gothic stories, the past is a major factor in the plot line and in the lives of its characters. Usually, these characters are "haunted" by the past. I think this is clearly the case for Lisa. The entire book is about her reliving the past, thinking about it, and it coming back to her in mysterious ways.

Another thing to add to its "Gothic-ness" is repression and the emergence of the repressed. I think that this exists in a few ways. First of all, it's obvious that Lisa's family and the modern culture that she lives in expect her to repress her ties to her native culture, especially the magical elements. Her mother tells her to take Prozac, to repress the things that she sees and that she hears. She tries to repress the little man with the red hair, ignoring him and hoping he will go away. Another major part of her life that she tries to repress are her memories. She tries not to think about her rape or the deaths of her loved ones, by submerging herself in drugs, alcohol, and partying. It's obvious that this is better said than done, considering that these memories keep coming back to her.

Monkey beach was, by far, my favorite book that we read in class. I would also go as far as to say that it is one of the best books I have read in a while. I really enjoyed seeing how the relationship between Jimmy and Lisamarie changed throughout the novel. It reminded me of my relationship with my younger brother. When they are young, you cannot stand them. Everyhing they do seems to be done just to annoy you. But, as you grow older and more mature, you realize they arn't really that bad, which occurs at the same point that they realize they don't want anything to do with you. The relationship between the two really adds to the development of both characters. I also found the use of the supernatural world very interesting. I liked the presence of the the little man with the troll-like hair and how, throughout the novel, we come to realize why he visits Lisamarie and how his character is used to help us understand Lisamarie and her struggle with her "gift".
I fell in love with the characters in "Monkey Beach" and felt a slight tinge of sadness as I read the very last page, not just because I had to come to the realization that Jimmy was dead, but also because I was finished with the novel. So, you can imagine my delight when I found out that Robinson's previous book, "Traplines", had similar characters and storyline! I am looking forward to reading this book!

This is my second time through Monkey Beach and it wil truly never become old for me. I thoroughly enjoy the connection with the spiritual native teachings that Lisa obtains from Ma ma oo throughout the story and what the signs that Lisa observes mean for the other characters in the novel. The connection with spirituality is interesting to look at because there is a connection with the spirits both in a place, which is Monkey Beach, and the everyday world which is the Hiasla Village. I think this is an interesting connection that Eden Robinson makes because we think of mythologies being connected to a spiritual and mythical place however, as she shows us, they can be seen in the everyday world as well. I think it is important to have Monkey Beach be this mythical and real place because it allows Lisa to see both mythical and real things there when they visit the beach itself. This become particularly confusing when, at the end of the novel we see Lisa speaking with the dead spirits on the beach itself. Even she is not quite sure that what she sees is real and this confusion leads us to ask some questions about the end of the novel. Does Lisa live or die at the end? Does Jimmy make it back to Shore? I think it is safe to say that Jimmy dies however the fate of Lisa is left up in the air particularly when Mick’s ghost says that she cannot stay in the spirit world she has to go back. This aside, the book does end in total confusion and I think that is important because it makes the story seem even more mythical and the connection with spirituality becomes even more powerful and prevalent.

I don't know if the book is Gothic or not, but it is depressing. Spousal abuse, sexual abuse, rape, incest, poverty, assualts, murder, it had a lot of people doing bad things to other people.
My favorite part of the novel and the part I found most interesting is when Mick grieves over Elvis Presley's death and heads to Graceland for a month without telling anyone where he is gone. I'm assuming residential schooling messed with Mick's priorities when he was a youth and that carried over into his adulthood. Screw the job and keeping the family in mind, act on raw emotion.
Comparing Mick an unemployed semi-drifter to Lisa's father who was an accountant who did not go to Residential School, you get a good idea as to what those places must have been like and how they could scar a mind forever.
Of course being trapped on a small island even if you are part of a larger community that shares the same ethnicity and cultural heritage can drive one crazy.
But getting back to Mick and his extreme Elvis fandom, I can understand why he grieved the way he did, Elvis's image and Elvis's music never hurt him like so many others did and it allowed him to escape from reality for a while.

Monkey Beach was one of those stories that caused me to do a great deal of "head-hurting" thinking. Our society is so focused on identifying what is 'normal' and what is 'abnormal.' In Lisa Marie's case, the fact that she can talk to and hear animals is absolutely normal to her. However, for such thoughts as these, society will quickly shun an individual and identify them as outcasts. Being the future early childhood teacher that I am, I find it powerful and exciting to read about such characters as Lisa Marie. Although her abilities seem supernatural to some of her family, she accepts her gift and finds it quite natural.
As we discussed in class, there is room for everyone at the table. Just like group discussions, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and it should be willingly accepted, just like Lisa Marie.

Eden Robinson is a very admirable author. She not only presents a woman’s perspective in the literary world, but she also presents a native perspective, which is certainly an underrepresented voice.

The story was not what I expected. It was fantastical, but at the same time very realistic. Robinson portrayed the character Lisa Marie with extreme realism. She is a young woman trying to figure out who she is and where she belongs, but she has this whole “communicating with the dead” thing going on, which can only make matters more confusing. Lisa Marie is stuck between the past and the present, two colliding spheres.

I think that many natives, while not having the exact same experience as Lisa Marie, found and continue to find themselves stuck between two worlds. A world where one is out cast for being different, but it is the world that “everyone” else lives. Or the world where modern society shuns you, but your history and culture is allowed to thrive.

It’s a tough choice and one that no one should really have to make. Monkey Beach does a good job of creating an entertaining tale to demonstrate this reality.

Monkey Beach was an amazing book. I really loved how culture played a strong role in LIsa Marie's world. Lisa's struggle with her "gift" seemed to me the most interesting part of the novel. Her gift is so rare, and it was interesting how she responded to it. Looking at her mother, for example, fear pushed the gift away and that was that. As for Lisa Marie, being close to her grandmother allowed her to explore her gift and find out more about it. It was certainly interesting that she ended up pushing it away for a while, much like her mother. However, her struggle with drugs and alcohol took more of a toll on her than her gift ever seemed to. I realize that this book didn't wrap up as neatly as most might have liked, but I kind of felt that it was necessary for it to end this way, with all of the confusion, and struggle with the self, moving and character evolution the book seemed to end where it should. I was happy that Lisa Marie finally looked at her gift as something that she should carry with her, as a proud piece of her culture.

Monkey Beach was one of the lightest reads we’ve had this semester, which is to say one of the most emotionally pleasurable. After books like Mauve Desert and the Double Hook, it was nice to laugh. It wasn’t all laughs though: there were certainly heavy moments, and ones of genuine adrenaline-pumping apprehension. However, unlike Mauve Desert or the Double Hook, it felt a lot clearer as to where the apprehension was coming from. It offered a clearer emotional satisfaction. I felt uneasy reading Mauve Desert and the Double Hook, but I couldn’t really figure out why without several close readings of the text. In Monkey Beach, I felt like my emotional reaction was the one that Robinson sought: I felt uncomfortable with the ambiguity of the ending, with LisaMarie’s visions of the dead.
I was interested in the repetitiveness of the novel. One can find certain refrains interspersed throughout, in the form of both imagery and language. We see, with LisaMarie, the repeated red-haired man. We also keep seeing the crows. This speaks to the influence of oral tradition: stories passed down in the oral tradition have repetitive elements that help the person reciting the story remember it. It also speaks to the circular nature of life philosophy held by native peoples. As Eric points out, no one aspect of living takes precedence.
Another interesting repetition that I stumbled upon occurs on page 135. It’s a description of the moment when LisaMarie and her father discover her uncle Mick dead: “Morning light slanted over the mountains. The sky was faded denim blue. Grumbling, a raven hopped between the branches of the tightly packed trees…In the distance, the sound of a speedboat) (135). The paragraph that the novel ends on is not this passage verbatim, but it’s strikingly similar, enough so that I believe that it begs a connection. Since the original is found right after a death, I believe that a death occurs at the end of the novel as well, be it LisaMarie’s or Jimmy’s.

I was thinking a lot about the idea that we categorize writers. I guess this is a mechanism for publishers. They try to sell the idea of the author as connected to their work. The author is not a separate entity from what they are writing, they are bonded together. But there must be some anxiety for writers who get branded as "First Nations" or "African-American" or "Asian" authors.I can't imagine being branded to an audience in such a way. It conveys the message that these authors are speaking for an entire race or region.

I don't think that Eden Robinson should be looked at exclusively as a native writer,but people write what they know. Her book deserves merit because of her ability to create experience.

Mauve Desert made me a bit hesitant to dive into Monkey Beach, but I was pleasantly surprised. Eden Robinson deserves credit for her writing - I think Monkey Beach was the best thing that we read this semester. I think Lisa was a character that someone from our generation can connect to, unlike certain aspects of the other books. I thought one of the best talents of her narration was to connect grief and anger. In Monkey Beach, characters were metaphorically 'drowning' in their anger and sadness; those who wore it on their sleeves became part of it and were stuck in their own tragedy.

I appreciate Eden Robinson for having a style that is simple grammatically, but still carries power and a deep meaning. I felt while reading The Double Hook, The Handmaid's Tale, and Mauve Desert, I had to re-read sections in order to understand it. Reading Monkey Beach, on the other hand, was a straight, enjoyable run-through that i still remembered clearly days afterwards. Some simple imagery were my favorite parts of the book, such as, "The day promised to be a scorcher, but out on the ocean with the spray cooling my face and the wind drying it away, the heat was bearable. I wished summer would never end"(253). I was instantly reminded of all the times I was on the deck of a boat and the sea breeze imprinted a distinct memory upon my mind.

One of the most prevalent themes in Monkey Beach was the important issue of dealing, or coping rather, with the abuse of the aboriginal people and their loss of language, tradition, and family values because of Western influence. Residential school plays a big role in terms of the incorporation of Christian values into aboriginal children, forcing them to put aside their family heritage, which has a bitter affect on Mick and Trudy especially in the novel. Mick sobered up from being an alcoholic, and chose to fight against the deep seeded Western traditions to gain back his sense of self. Aunt Trudy on the other hand continues to be in the cycle of abuse, received from residential school, by drinking heavily and passing the affects of abuse on to Tab. Eden Robinson does a great job, in this aspect, of showing the real hardship of abuse and loss while portraying realistic responses and behaviors toward the ability of dealing, or not dealing, with abuse amongst the characters.

Having read Monkey Beach twice now, I have much of the same reactions as the first time around. I love the gothic aspects of it, but since this is what I wrote my last blog prompt on, will leave it at that. I still hated the ending. But since going over it in class and hearing Caylin’s point about the paragraph at the end being the same as the paragraph before Mick died, I feel that I was given a sense of finality with the novel.

When reading this book for the second time, something that I gained a refined appreciation for is the relationship between Ma-Ma-oo and Lisa. In the Stone Angel Hagar says “ sometimes young children can look at the old and a look passes between them conspiratorial sly and knowing. Its because neither are human to the middling ones, those in their prime as they say like beef” (25). It is interesting to examine how western culture tends to delegitimize someone’s worth if they are unable to be self –sufficient and contributing members of society. It is ironic that two age groups that span a great distance between each other share a similarity in treatment. I think this quote really describes the main grounds on which Ma-Ma-oo and Lisa are able to bond. They both are marginalized and delegitimized by their community and society and it is thorugh each other that they find validation. Ma-Ma-oo is able to teach her grand daughter native ways with pride and dignity, without being mocked or looked at incredulously. And Lisa can talk to her grandmother about her visions and her native interests without being viewed as crazy or abnormal.