“Ti Jean and His Brothers”

A play written by Derek Walcott

Exploring Drama

THE PROLOGUE
What is the Prologue?
Every story begins in chapter 1, right? Wrong. Some stories have two beginnings. The first beginning offers
you a little pre-story or teaser called a prologue. This snippet might only be one paragraph, or it may
encompass several pages. However, it’s full of important information you should pay attention to. It’s like an
appetizer preparing you for the main course.
 OBJECTIVES

1.View and Summarise the prologue.

2.Comment on the use of stage directions, props and sound
effects/music.
3.Discuss the strategies used by the playwright to change the mood
throughout the prologue.
4.Discuss characterisation.
5.Complete comprehension items based on the prologue after reading.
(Do this in your books)
6.Discuss the audience’s response to the use of music and lighting.
7.Identify three functions of the prologue in Walcott’s play.
 CRACKING A STORY. A STORY ABOUT THE MOON. THERE IS A
MAN, NO A BOY,…THAT IS TI JEAN THE HUNTER
…
The Epigraph above is taken from the PROLOGUE

VIEW PROLOGUE IN
COMPLETE VIDEO OF
THE PLAY POSTED IN
YOUR CLASSROOM.

1ST 15 MIUTES OF
VIDEO COVERS THE
PROLOGUE

TI-JEAN & HIS BROTHERS

A fable is a short story, typically with animals Aesop was a famous Greek Fabulist & Storyteller
as characters, conveying a moral
Aesop’s fable: The Tortoise and The Hare
The Locust & The Ant The Lion and The Mouse

A Folktale is a a story originating

in popular culture, typically
passed on by word of mouth.
The GRIOT telling FABLES?
FOLKTALES is AN AFRO-CARIBBEAN CULTURAL HERITAGE
The Caribbean people inherited the tradition of telling stories by word of mouth from generation to
generation. In Africa where the tradition comes from the story teller known as the GRIOT went from
village to village telling stories and sharing songs and proverbs and other cultural oral traditions.
 FABLES & FOLKTALES
A fable isa short story, typically with animals as characters, conveying a moral

A Folktale is a a story originating in popular culture, typically passed on by word of mouth.

Folk literature ( Folk fable) includes all the myths, legends, epics, fables, and folktales passed
down by word of mouth through the generations. The authors of
traditional literature are usually unknown or unidentifiable. These stories have endured
because they are entertaining, they embody the culture’s belief system and they contain fundamental human
truths by which people have lived for centuries. Knowing the characters and situations of folk literature is part
of being culturally literate.

Folk literature, regardless of its place of origin, seems clearly to have arisen to meet a variety of human needs:

oThe need to explain the mysteries of the natural world.

oThe need to articulate our fears and dreams.
oThe need to impose order on the apparent random, even chaotic, nature of life.
oThe need to entertain ourselves and each other.
 Psst! Mek me tell wha di PROLOGUE is about. Come closer
Once long ago …

IT IS EVENING TIME IN THE FOREST. THE RAIN IS FALLING AND THE

ANIMALS OF THE FOREST, FROG, CRICKET, FIREFLY AND BIRD HAVE
BEGUN TO TELL A STORY ABOUT A BOY NAMED TI JEAN WHOSE
IMAGE WAS IMMORTALISED IN THE MOON BY GOD BECAUSE HE BEAT
THE DEVIL.
The animals are telling the audience about a heroic lad/boy and his two brothers and their
poor old mother who live in the heights of a forest. They’re very poor and had very little to eat.
The oldest brother was GROS JEAN, the middle brother was MI JEAN and the
youngest brother was TI JEAN. The devil sent his spokesman, a demon called the
BOLOM with a challenge or a deal for the brothers. Whoever can make him feel human
emotions will earn a bowl full of money and a favour. BUT if the brothers cannot make him feel
emotions like anger or sadness, then he gets to eat them.
The Play: The play is a folk fable/folktale which incorporates the African storytelling tradition, St Lucian
rituals like the Christmas black mass dances of Papa Diable aka JONKANOO and Western influences, such
as the The ancient Greek Chorus.

There is comedy and tragedy as well as the effects of music, sound and light.
In the play we also see how the English language has evolved in such a way as to complement the culture of
the Caribbean.
“The mood is playful and festive.”
The play features the important RULE of THREE : Ti Jean and His TWO Brothers

The Three part theory of knowledge :

> Belief ( The Mother’s faith is very STRONG. She tries to teach her sons to have faith/belief in GOD, but
only Ti Jean learns this lesson).
> Truth (The animals share the truth about Papa Bois with Ti Jean. They try to share the truth with his
older brothers but they both reject this help/wisdom. The Devil and the Planter withholds the TRUTH and
this keeps the people enslaved and results in the older brothers’ death.
> Justification Ti Jean’s actions on the Plantation is justified because the devil aka The Planter was trying
to deceive him in order to kill and eat him as he did with the other two brothers. Ti Jean’s actions forces the
devil to become angry and this helps Ti Jean to defeat him.
 RULE of THREE
cont’d
IN THE PLAY EACH BROTHER IS MEANT TO REPRESENT THREE TYPES OF CARIBBEAN PEOPLE THAT HELPED TO FORM
CARIBBEAN CULTURE AND IDENTITY.
1. GROS JEAN — REPRESENTS THE SLAVE GROUP OF THE PAST WHO BELIEVED THE IR STRENGTH COULD CHANGE THEIR
SITUATION OVER EDUCATION.
2. MI JEAN REPRESENTED THE CARIBBEAN PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED PROGRESS AND INDEPENDENCE COULD BE ACHIEVE
THROUGH EDUCATION OVER HANDWORK.
3. TI JEAN — REPRESENT THE MODERN CARIBBEAN PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTOOD THAT HARD WORK, EDUCATION AND CREATIVE
THINKING WAS IMPORTANT TO HELP THEM BECOME A STRONG CARIBBEAN CULTURAL GROUP.
4. THE BOLOM — REPRESENTED ALL THE BLACKS WHOSE DREAMS DID NOT BECOME A REALITY. WHO DID NOT GET A CHANCETO
DEMONSTRATE WHAT THEY COULD DO BECAUSE OF THE HARSH SLAVERY SYSTEM AND COLONIAL SYSTEM THAT STIFLEDTHEIR
OPPORTUNITIES.
 The MANY Functions of the PROLOGUE in the play

The Prologue:
Introduces the characters
Introduces the conflict/plot
Introduces the setting
Introduces the Themes
 The Characters in the Prologue
Beginning with the Animals of the Forest also known as the CHORUS

It’s ME i t
k e t I am BIRD b
Firefly Cric t r i b g
Cri c k e R Fro

The Animals serve the function or purpose of a CHORUS or CHORIC ODE.

➢Cricket In Ancient Greek Drama writing the Playwright always included a Group of Actors called
➢Frog the Choric Ode OR the Chorus. The job of these actors/characaters was to provide
➢Firefly background and summary information to the audience to help them understand what was
➢Bird going on in the performance. This is why one of the best place in the play to meet these
talking animals is in THE PROLOGUE.
 The HUMAN Characters
>GROS JEAN: HE IS THE OLDEST AND THE BIGGEST IN SIZE AS WELL. HE IS VERY
STRONG. HE IS PROUD OF HIS ARM THAT IS STRONG AS IRON. HE IS FEARLESS. HE IS
REPRESENTED BY A FARMER’S WORKING TOOL — THE AXE. HE BELIEVES THAT
STRENGTH IS ALL THAT IS NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS. HE THINKS HIS
MOTHER’S ADVICE AND BELIEF ARE OLD FASHIONED AND OUT OF STYLE. HE IS
DESCRIBED AS VERY STUPID.

>MI JEAN: MI JEAN AS HIS NAME SUGGESTS IS THE MIDDLE SON. HIS PERSONAL
SYMBOL IS BOOKS. HE BELIEVES HE IS AN INTELLECT AND LOVES TO READ AND HAVE
PHILOSOPHICAL (DEEP) DISCUSSIONS. HE LOVES LAW TERMS AND IS OFTEN READING
HIS BOOK WHEN HE SHOULD BE CATCHING FISH TO TAKE HOME FOR THE FAMILY TO
EAT. HE REALLY IS AN EDUCATED FOOL. HE ALSO DOES NOT BELIEVE HIS MOTHER’S
FAITH WILL TAKE HIM VERY FAR.
>TI JEAN: HE IS THE YOUNGEST OF THE THREE BROTHERS. HE IS DESCRIBED AS LAZY BY HIS
OLDER BROTHERS, WHO OFTEN SHOWS LITTLE TOLERANCE FOR HIM. HE IS THE ONLY ONE
OF THE THREE SONS WHO LISTENS TO HIS MOTHER’S ADVICE ABOUT GOD AND FAITH. HE ALSO TREATS
THE FOREST ANIMALS (CHORUS) WITH A GREAT DEAL OF RESPECT AND IS REWARDED BY THEIR ADVICE
AND THEIR WILLINGNESS TO SHARE IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT PAPA BOIS(THE OLD MAN OF
THE FOREST WHO IS REALLY THE DEVIL/EL DIABLO IN DISGUISE.)

> MOTHER : SHE IS A FAITHFUL CHRISTIAN WOMAN. VERY OLD AND VERY THIN, HARDWORKING AND
POOR. SHE WORRIES ABOUT HER CHILDREN AND TRIES TO RAISE THEM DECENTLY AND WISELY. SHE
DOES NOT FORCE HER IDEAS ON THEM BUT HOPE THEY WILL LISTEN TO HER WISDOM. SHE SPEAKS
KINDLY TO THE BOLOM
 Supernatural Characters
Bolom:
● A demon who acts as the devil’s agent by going to the family and offering them the deal on the devil’s
behalf.
● The Bolom is an unborn foetus whose mother aborted him while he was still developing in the womb.
● He does not trust women. And is very frightened by the mother’s kindness and attempts to touch him.
● He shares his tory with the mother.
● Ti Jean asks the devil to make him a real boy when he defeats him in the challenge.
Old man/Papa Bois:
● One of the devil’s disguises.
● Supposedly takes care of the forest and its dwellers.
● All three brothers encounter him on the way to the plantation estate to compete in the challenge
Planter
PLANTER: THE ENSLAVER WHO EMPLOYS ALL THREE BROTHERS AND
FRUSTRATES THE OLDER TWO AND GOADS THEM UNTIL THEY
BECOME ANGRY,` THEREBY LOSING THE CHALLENGE.
TI JEAN OUTSMARTS HIM AND WINS THE CHALLENGE

DEVIL: THE AXIS OF EVIL IN THE BROTHERS’ LIVES.

HE TRICKS THE BROTHERS INTO TAKING THE DEAL KNOWING
THATHE WOULD HAVE A GREATER CHANCE AT SUCCESS. REPRESENTS
THE NATURE OF ‘EVIL’ WITHIN THE OVERARCHING THEME OF ‘GOOD
VS. EVIL’.
 The Function of The Chorus
THE CHORUS:
ACT AS NARRATORS
THEY INTRODUCE THE CENTRAL CHARACTERS
COMMENT ON THE ACTION( THEY EXPLAIN WHY AN IMAGE OF
TI-JEAN IS IN THE MOON AND THEY TELL TI-JEAN ABOUT PAPA
BOIS’S TRUE NATURE
 STAGE DIRECTIONS
Stage directions are instructions in the script of a play that tell actors how to enter, where to stand, when
to move, and so on.
Stage directions can also include instructions about lighting, scenery, and sound effects, but their main
purpose is to guide actors through their movements onstage

The opening stage directions reveal the setting of the play (location, time of day, weather);
introduce the chorus and the mother (characters) and hints at the theme of poverty.
Stage directions add to characterisation: how Gros-Jean walks, how the creatures react, etc.
Show how props and sound effects/music are used.
Stage Property aka PROPS
A prop, formally known as property, is an object used on stage or screen by actors during a performance or screen
production. In practical terms, a prop is considered to be anything movable or portable on a stage or a set, distinct
from the actors, scenery, costumes, and electrical equipment.
➢Related to poverty – empty bowl, bare table
➢Props are used to indicate the brothers’ jobs (faggots, axe and fishing line) and also interest
(books)
 Music in Ti-Jean & His
Brothers
The different ways music is used in Ti-Jean and His Brothers
➢Characterization: Gros Jean performs an exaggerated march to music.
A drum roll and comic quatro introduce Mi-Jean, and the mother is introduced with
“sad music on flute.”
The mood and music change again with the entrance of the devil and his servants:
cymbals, shrieks, thunder.
Bolom enters with the sound of wind, rain and insects.
Bolom later imitates the crying of a child.
1>Music reveals ideas about Gros-Jean’s character/personality
2> Music is also used to ‘tell’ the audience about Mi Jean and the Mother(Sad music on flute highlights the mother’s poverty
and humble disposition. She doesn’t seem to catch any breaks in the play. Always watching always losing someone she loves.
3>The devil and his fiends as well as Bolom have their own particular music when they are going to come on stage
 The Function of LIGHTING in The Play

➢It is a dark rainy evening.( It adds to the atmosphere(mood) &

enhances the setting
Red for the devil.
Blue for Bolom. ( Special characters have their own type of
lighting that announces their presence on stage. For example,
the Bolom is usually preceded by the lighting colour —BLUE)
 Questions that the Students Can engage in answering in class to review and concretise
what they have learnt in the lesson

1.Who is the dramatist?

2.Where was he born?
3.Where did he write the play?
4.When was it written?
5.What type of play does the dramatist call Ti-Jean and His Brothers? (page 4)
6.What African tradition influenced the play?
7.What St. Lucian rituals contributed to the play?
8.Which ‘characters’ form the chorus?
9.How is the mood of the opening scene described on page 6?
10.“Intuitive” is used in the introduction to describe Ti-Jean. What does the word mean?
11.How did the Jamaican reviewer interpret the play? (page 7)