Multicultual Literature for the Classroom-9th Grade: There are a Lot of Ways to Die

By: Neil Bissondath

There are a Lot of Ways to Die is the story of a man name Joseph who moves back home to the island of Trinidad. He moves from Toronto, Canada and misses the busy street life of being there. With no hope of returning he tries to adjust to life on the island. He struggles with this, which is seen through his flashbacks and visions of Toronto. He owns a shop with his wife. While she wants it to be open and inviting to costumers, Joseph is more focused on the security so no one will steal from it. The Pacheco house was a landmark of the island that had promise, but was given up on. Just like the house Joseph used to find excitement on the island, but as time goes on he does not think it is the place for him. His wife was excited to be back and hangs out with her old friends. She feels comfortable and confident in life being back on the island, but ignores him. The discussion between Joseph and an old friend shows that most people they went to school with were in bad circumstances in their life. The friend asks him about coming back after he had the courage to leave. At the end he decides that he will go back. This story is a good example of returning home from a journey and it not being what you expect. People from all over the world leave home to go after their goals. Many people that leave home to go to college or after a career, usually find a home there. When they go home to visit, they start to compare and notice all the flaws. They cannot find a place for themselves their anymore. The story teaches students that it is okay to find a new place you call home. It also teaches students the courage it takes to leave an environment where there isn't a good chance that you will be successful. Joseph learned about people who he went to school with that were now dead or in jail. This proved to him that he did the right thing by leaving. Leaving home may seem hard at first, but you will realize what you can accomplish and be exposed to new opportunities. He still has good memories from growing up on the island. No matter where you end up, you will always have memories of your childhood.

Problems that may come up when Teaching there are a Lot of Ways to Die

The story includes some aspects that a teacher would need to be aware of before teaching it. There is some swearing, adult conversations, and marriage issues. The teacher should warn students ahead of time, explaining that they need to be mature and respectful when discussing the story. The class may have a difficult time reading the text. The author uses a lot of description when explaining the setting and events. This imagery creates interest, but makes it difficult to understand the message of the story. By going over the story as a class and breaking down sections, the story will be more understandable. A teacher can make sure the students are learning from the story, by asking a lot of questions pertaining to the events in the story and the personalities of the different characters.