Lessons Learned in Kate O’Brien’s Land of Spices Essay -- Land Spices

Lessons Learned in Kate OBriens Land of SpicesKate OBriens Land of Spices is a sound read especially if the bookworm is from a catholic school upbringing. The storys contents complete with the antics of the girls and the lack of patience in the sisters is recognizable from memories drawn on similar events. The nuns softer emotions were hidden away from the students and only their hard-heartedness evident in the schools classrooms. In sixth grade during the fall of 1963 after chairman Kennedy was shot and killed in Dallas, Texas, a Dominican sister was seen at school with tears in her eyes. At this moment the realization descended upon the enrolled that there was flesh and telephone line under that habit and not an alien being. OBrien addresses Catholicism, homosexuality and love in her novel with creativity and realism for the times. On a negative note, the spare use of the French language is a reminder that this book was written with the rich and cultured person in mind and becomes aggravating to this unenlightened one. In reading the excerpt from The Land of Spices by Kate OBrien contained in The Penguin Book of Irish Literature, this reader is at once aware of the descriptive dustup with which Helen (the eventual Reverend Mother of the novel) depicts her father, Henry Archer. She presents him in the passage as a man who is very beautifuldifferent from other menwith curly, silky hair and eyes that shone like stars and goes on further to say that his face grew more beautiful as one drew nearer to it. 11 Perhaps, this female impersonation is a less than subtle hint into Henry Archers being for in revealing him as a man with a feminine countenance and inevitably finding him locked in a loving embrace... ...ontrol to temperance to love. Despite the rocky relationship between Helen and her father she inadvertently learned patience from him as he continues to love her despite her attitude and she in turn awaits Annas realization of her interest and love. Helen and Anna learn temperance in their everyday dealing with Mother Mary Andrew. The greatest lessons are those of dedication and commitment as Helen in the role of Reverend Mother becomes the best nun she can be despite a decision made under duress. Notes1 From The Penguin Book of Irish Fiction p. 475.2 From The Penguin Book of Irish Fiction p. 475.3 From The Penguin Book of Irish Literature p.485.4 OBrien, Kate. The Land of Spices, p.20.5 OBrien, Kate. The Land of Spices, p.252.6 OBrien, Kate. The Land of Spices, p104.7 OBrien, Kate. The Land of Spices, p. 110.