Summary - Ti-jean And His Brothers by Derek Walcott

Synopsis of Ti-Jean

Dancing with the devil is a recurring image in the story.

Ti-Jean is set in Trinidad and portrays modern political realities and an ancient St. Lucian
legend.
The first scene establishes the story framework of the main plot all brothers align with a
particular arche type triparte structure, and the two brothers are foils to Ti-Jean
The play is a folktale and a rite of passage play contemporary political commentary, old
colonialists used labor for profit in Trinidad’s colonial past‘’ Burn burn burn de cane!’’ is blended
into the framework of the play and foreshadows Ti-Jean’s triumph over his adversary.
Blend of local dialects and speech rhythms to complement Walcott’s poetic license uses Creole
folk songs and calypso music to provide atmosphere creating environment through body
language, creates theatrically exciting scenes with animals and spirits. Theme modern political
realities of the West Indies conflict between upper and lower caste, presents archetypal
characters fighting the Devil plot borrowed from a St. Lucian folk narrative the number 3 plays
an important role, 3 brothers and 3 scenes of the play 3 represents the Holy Trinity Setting
Trinidad, Trinidad Creole culture, story takes place in the rainforest of the Trinidad, animals are
telling the stories Singing Gros Jon sang when he left home Mi Jean sang the song of silence Ti
Jean sang when he was comparing himself to David and Goliath devil sings when he eats the
human flesh and there is an explosion every time he does this
Characters Gros-Jon is the strong and stupid eldest brother Mi-Jean is the second and most
intellectual brother Ti-Jean is the youngest brother with the most common sense and trusts that
his faith in God is enough to overpower the devil mother is the widow who raised all 3 boys the
bolom is the demonic soul of an aborted fetus who wants life and works for the devil the devil is
the main antagonist who can shape-shift and doesn’t feel any emotions and only wants to eat
Elements of the Play tragicomedy, frame narrative, triparte structure, comedic aspect, dialect
speech Symbolism major theme is colonialism, and each brother represents a phase of
opposition towards colonial rule Gros-Jean represents strength against the opposition, but the
devil represents colonial oppressor Mi-Jean represents intelligence against the
opposition,––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Mi-Jean represents intelligence against the opposition,Ti-Jean represents belief in God,
common sense, and taking advice from other people, like his animal friends the Devil and the
many masks he wears represent colonial oppression Bolom represents the community that
wouldn’t be born, and when he is born, it represents the community that can come to be
Morality— faith in God is better than strength and intelligence, Ti-Jean is compared to DavidTi-
Jean and his Brothers The play has the model of a fairy tale, but with a more mature story. The
animals of the rain forest tell the story of Ti Jean and his two brothers, and their plight against
the devil. Bolom offers the 3 brothers a challenge against the devil and the objective is to win
and evoke emotion in the devil so that they can live in wealth and peace, if they lose the devil
will eat them The first brother, Gros Jean, sneaks out of the house and leaves home to go and
work on the plantation, having the utmost confidence in his strength. The Devil takes on the
form of the White Plantation Owner and angers Gros-John by undermining his work and
refusing to call him by his actual name. Gros-John loses all his patience and eventually gets
eaten by the Devil. Mi-Jean leaves to be a ship captain and a lawyer and plans to beat the devil
with silence and a smile. The Devil is disguised as a Plant and is at first frustrated with Mi Jean
not speaking. Mi Jean is forced to look after a goat that keeps running lose and he constantly
has to run after it. The Devil makes fun of him by comparing his intelligence to the goat’s and
insults him by implying that the goat is more intelligent than him. Mi-John loses all his patience
and eventually gets eaten by the Devil. Ti-Jean finally has his chance, his mother tries to keep
him at home but Ti-Jean is not afraid to meet the Devil because of his trust in God. Ti-Jean
compares himself as David meeting Goliath. The frog, cricket, bird, and firefly, who serve as
narrators for the story, are worried about Ti-Jean. Ti-Jean finds an old man, who is really the
Devil in disguise (the old man has a tail) Ti Jean sets out to defeat the devil, and is caught by
two of the devil's minions looking at his brother's graves. They assign him to catch the same
goat as before, which Ti Jean castrates. The Plantation Owner tell him to count all the leaves in
the sugar cane field, which Ti-Jean tells all the plantation workers to burn. The devil and his
friends return, drunk, and discover that Ti Jean has also burnt down their house. Bolom tells the
devil to be reasonable and fair...The devil then becomes enraged. Ti Jean calls him out on this,
and claims that he has won. The devil plays unfair and starts to kill Ti Jean's mother, telling him
that he will only win if he sings for her. Ti Jean's animal friend's encourage him to sing, which
he does. The devil feels sympathy, cries out of sorrow, and grants Ti Jean his wish. Ti-Jean
wishes for the bolom at the beginning of the story to have life. The bolom is 'born', and they all
sing in a dramatic ending. The devil leaves, but not w/o promising that he and Ti-Jean will meet
again. –––––––––––––––––––