Ninth world by Jewell Parker Rhodes book question - Essay Example

Moreover, despite not related by blood, Mama Ya-Ya had a incredibly strong love with the young Lanesha. However, despite having outstanding similarities, Jewell Parker Rhodes the author of the ninth world has demonstrated considerable level of differences between young Lanesha late mother and Mama Ya-Ya. The essay below will compare and contrasts the relationship between Mama Ya-Ya and the death mother. Similarities Both the death mother and Mama Ya-Ya had a strong affection on Lanesha. The death mother took great care of Lanesha for nine month until her demise in the delivery process.

Similar to Mama Ya-Ya, the death mother hoped for a better future to the new born. She had a great plan to ensure the young girl prosper in her life. However, death could not have allowed her to take care of the new born. Lanesha admits that, she could have died at her tender were it not for the good care of Mama Ya-Ya. According to Lanesha, Mama Ya-Ya sliced the bloody membrane that covered her face during birth. Moreover, Mama Ya-Ya took good care of the child until her adult age. In some instances, Lanesha asserted that “I would have died, too, if Mama Ya-Ya had not sliced the bloody membrane from my face” (Rhodes 12). . Mama Ya-Ya asserted that, the death mother used to narrate to her stories on past phenomena like earthquake and droughts.

Just like the death mother, Mama Ya-Ya talked about past occurrences. It is also through Mama Ya-Ya that Lanesha understand the reality that, she was born with skin netting that covered her face. Moreover, Lanesha explains that, in every year’s birthday Mama Ya-Ya told her about the situation that surrounded her birth. According to Mama Ya-Ya “Lanesha, your eyes were the lightest green, with the tiniest specks of yellow. I knew you would have the sight. ” (Rhodes 17) Differences Contrary to the death mother, Mama Ya-Ya was in a position of predicting future incidences.

The same spiritual power was as well transferred to Lanesha. Lanesha held the spiritual ability of interacting with the spirits of deaths while Mama Ya-Ya predicted the coming of Hurricane Katrina and its impacts. As stated in the novel, “Lanesha can see the spirits of the dead, and Mama Ya-Ya is a midwife, able to predict the future” (Rhodes 67). However, the death mother lacked the spiritual power of predicting future occurrences. The death mother was also not linked to spirits of the deaths.

Despite presences all indicators in her delivery, the death mother could not envisage her death. In addition, although Lanesha intended to rely on her mother spirits to predict the future, the spirit of the death mother lacked the ability to forecast the occurrence of Hurricane Katrina. The death mother was composed and had independent minded traits. She lacked direct and strong connection with other people in the society including her relatives and friend. Despite being too friendly and lively to her family, the death mother