Comments on: Expatriation — Chapter 8

By: Michelle Glauser

Michelle Glauser — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:05:27 +0000

I was getting ready to comment about the necessity for the naked guy story and the ice cream date, as well as the turn of stories–from one woman convincing a guy to marry her to Nell convincing a guy not to marry her, but then the story took a sudden turn and now I have to hurry and read the next part . . .

By: Carol

Carol — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:06:40 +0000

I’ll bet that Brother Cannon saw a scene like the lava-lava incident when he was there and just HAD to write a story to include that. Everything else is background for it.

By: Researcher

Researcher — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 03:29:51 +0000

Oh, too bad. For a moment there in the middle of the chapter I was hoping that the wretched main character would drown and all this hand-wringing would be over. Sigh. I've missed a number of installments, having been a little too involved in another project involving some similar themes to care to read it. Just in case anyone's interested, here is an academic treatment of the subject: The Prohibition of Interracial Marriage in Utah, 1888-1963 (Patrick Mason, UHQ, 2008).

By: Mark B.

Mark B. — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:25:28 +0000

“Every drop of your polluted blood shall go to the grave with me.”

Makes me think of the last line of The Manchurian Candidate:

“Hell . . . Hell”

“had sung the plaintiff Samoan farewell”

I knew we Americans were a litigious bunch. Did the Samoans catch it from us?

” nursed so tenderly by the hospitable natives”

He left out, after “hospitable” the words “but benighted and blood-polluted,”

I am shocked! SHOCKED!! that there was nudity in the Improvement Era.

“aroused in him more excitement than a dignified representative of the Untied States Navy is expected to show.”

I don’t even want to know what Bro. Cannon thought that meant. (But now I see that Coffinberry got there first.)

By: Alison

Alison — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:18:07 +0000

“Hang a white sheet on the front porch quickly! I’m going to faint.”

I must remember that line if ever I feel a faint coming on

By: E. Wallace

E. Wallace — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:59:37 +0000

I really thought there was going to be a beautiful moment of mother-daughter reconciliation in the cemetery in Apia! Nope, just a resolution to “let your polluted blood die with me.” I’m such a sucker.

By: kevinf

kevinf — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:12:41 +0000

Quick, Nell! It’s not too late to get Nate and his inbred bigotry back on your good side!

AAAACCCKKKKK! Sorry, I just coughed up a hairball. This series ought to be subtitled “Fear and Loathing in Samoa.”

Yeah, I feel pretty much nothing but contempt for everyone but Dick at this point. Really, what was the point of the whole native losing his lava lava except to further promote the stereotypical hapless natives?

It’s only a historical artifact, in the same way a buffalo chip is a historical artifact.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:05:55 +0000

I think your thinking is more likely than your hoping.

By: lindberg

lindberg — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:03:21 +0000

Okay, I see where this is going…

I keep hoping that at some point Nell will have an epiphany and somehow shake off her ridiculous prejudices, but I think I hope in vain.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:45:56 +0000

Coffinberry!

Well, you have to admit that the plot has suddenly started to move at the end of this installment. I don’t think it will be a spoiler to say that Friday’s episode will resolve certain issues (whether or not you like the resolution is another matter), while Monday’s conclusion will wrap up everything else.

And won’t we be glad to reach the end of it!