[Haley Reading groups Fall 2020]
In the last four chapters of American Spy,
Lauren Wilkinson reveals how Marie went to Martinique, nursed her pregnancy and
birthed her twin sons. Then, she returned to Connecticut where she encountered
the experience at the beginning of the story. Meanwhile, Marie had received a
threatening mail from Ross, and she had decided to leave her kids with her
mother at Martinique, while she returns to America to find Ross and “do him
violence.”
In the last chapter of the novel, Marie expressed her
love and advice for her sons: “I love you. I hope you grow into men who
are the best part of your father and me. I hope that if you’re called to resist
injustice, you’ll have the courage to do so. I hope you’ll love fiercely and
freely. In those ways, I hope you’ll be good Americans” 289).
50 comments:
I found the birth of the twins to be the most interesting event to occur in the concluding scenes of the novel. Marie's nonchalance is the first thing that I noticed. She didn't tell her mom when she began to have contractions, she apologized when her water broke like it was her fault, and she insisted on putting on makeup before going to the hospital. It also stuck out to me because of all of the times Marie could have died in the novel, she came the closest while giving birth. I think Lauren Wilkinson did a wonderful job at showing the terrors of childbirth, because while it is beautiful, it is also one of the scariest things that a woman can go through.
-Mackenzie Cohoon
I found it interesting that we finally got to the reason why she wrote this book. Marie believes she may die while going after Ross. She even got together her assets in preparation for them to be passed to her sons. I was also surprised that she decided to take Robbie with her, as he had nothing to do with the situation and could also end up dead.
-Linda H.
I didn't really find any specific event to be interesting. But I think it's interesting to have watched Marie grow as a woman throughout this book. It's powerful seeing the love a woman has for her children. When she told them that she hoped they grow to become basically the best version of her and their father that spoke volumes to me. Then towards the end she got her things together so that her sons would have more wealth to their name in the end if she was to pass away. The love of a mother is a strong thing and I think just seeing that love especially towards the end of the book was the most interesting thing to me.
-Alle H.
What interested me was the way that the beginning of the story made it full circle to the end where Marie talks about how things were going well in the United States until "that man broke that life apart" (284). In the concluding scenes of American Spy, we see that Marie's commitment is to her twin sons by the way she plans for the worst by getting her finances in order and writing the truth before she goes to America to find Ross and “do him violence.”
-Aleeya B.
In the last few scenes of this book, I found Marie finally explaining why she chose to be a spy to be the most interesting. Throughout reading the novel Marie didn't really give reasoning as to why she chose to be a spy and if she began to talk about why, she would give a vague reason relating Helene. Learning that Marie decided to be a spy to pay her respects to Helene and to try and be above the law put Marie's whole personality into perspective and reiterated her biggest personality trait of being strong. I really enjoyed this novel and liked getting to see Marie learn and grow throughout her different life experiences.
- Alexis S.
I was most interested in the interaction between Marie and her mother once Marie arrived in Martinique while pregnant. It was interesting to see the dynamics and progression of their relationship change. They never really developed a "typical" mother and daughter relationship; however, there was some resolution made and a better understanding gained from them. Although it is for very different reasons, its ironic that Marie is in a situation where she will leave her children just as her mother did to her and her sister. I respect Marie for giving her sons a detailed reason for why she left them, opposed from her mother.
Jacqueline Smith
None of those scenes were the most interesting to me. What I did find interesting was the fact that the conclusion of the book brought the entire plot to full circle. We finally got the explanation of why she became a spy and what the purpose was in writing the book.
Marie reveals to us her concerns and fear for her life and explained what happened at the beginning of the book. She then goes to leave her children and assets to pursue the Ross mission even though she feared she may not live to return.
Throughout this what I found to be the most interesting was the relationship between Marie and her mother. Her mother left her and now she is doing the same thing. I was expecting her to make a different decision considering the relationship that she has with her mother is not a typical one.
What I found to be the most interesting in the concluding events of the novel was that Marie became pregnant with Tomas' children. This was very surprising to me because I thought that initially Marie was just following orders to become close to Tomas, but she actually fell for him. I think this shows that we all crave love and closeness. Marie, for a while, had us convinced that she is the woman to do the job. She can carry out tasks and missions and she did. I believe she underestimated how much life can place on you on a different path. It's comforting to know that anyone can come into your life and change it for the better.
Teighlor Traywick
I didn't find any of the scenes particularly interesting. However, I do like how the author uses "in medias res", (in the midst of a plot) when she opens with Marie unlocking the safe beneath her desk and grabbing a service automatic. This type of writing style builds tension and peaks the interest of the reader. Once we finish the book we understand the opening scene and everything starts to make sense.
-Madalynn M.
I found the scenes after Marie escapes to be the most interesting. Starting with her learning of Thomas's death. A part of me was holding out that it wouldn't be true, that he wouldn't have let it happen. It was definitely difficult to read. My mood picked up after, though, when Marie describes her pregnancy and first two years with the twins. It felt like the only time in the entire book that she was actually happy. It was nice to get a break from the craziness. Did not like how the book was left open-ended, there are SO many questions that needed to be answered.
- Alayna M.
I thought that the narration explaining Thomas’s assassination and the government coupe was very sad and unfortunate. It was really interesting how the author decided to explain the series of events to us through the perspective of Marie’s inner monologue/journalling to her sons. It was really easy to feel the despair and anger that Marie felt through her descriptions and personal sharing. It’s heartbreaking that Thomas did not even get the chance to learn that he was to be a father to her twins and that Marie had to go through her pregnancy without his support. This book came with those harsh realistic moments that are tough to swallow.
I found Marie's explanation on why she became a federal agent/spy to be most interesting as it shows just how imperfect our justice system is. The law is not always fair to everyone, which leads some people to get screwed over. Marie knew she can gain knowledge, skill, and reinforcements that can help her get around the law if needed or prevent her from getting screwed over by the corrupted law. Her explanation is still relevant in today's society as there are corrupted people in the law who are not providing justice for all.
-Samantha A.
I really enjoyed the fact that the book seemed to go in a complete cycle, bringing the full information from start to end. However, I was really interested when the book started to go into the dynamics with Marie and her mother. I think that this overall shows hoe much Marie has truly changed throughout the book. I also felt like there were many questionable things that could have been answered but weren’t at the end.
What I found interesting about the concluding events of this book was how everything ties back to the beginning. I’ve read other books like this and it really takes the storytelling to a different level. Some of the questions I’ve had since the beginning were finally answered.
Kayla P.
I found it interesting how her reason for writing the book was finally revealed, everything in the ending tied back to the beginning which was exciting to read. I could not grasp why certain events happened until the ending of the book which peaked my interest and answered the questions I had in my head. Marie
I found these last few chapters to be rather interesting. Specifically, I found it interesting that we finally get to know why Marie has been writing to her boys throughout the duration of the book. Likewise, I was not expecting Marie to leave her children with her mother to seek out Ross, considering how upset she was that her own mother left her and her sister. I assumed that she would find a quiet place to live with her children and maintain a low profile life. Despite this, I did appreciate that she provided her sons with a reason as to why she needs to leave.
Jaydyn Zykan
I found the last couple of chapters within this book to be very interesting. I say this because we as readers were finally able to get the reasoning as to why Marie has been writing this book in the first place. I really enjoyed how the last few pages of the book tied into the beginning of the book! I also found the birth of her twins to be very interesting. Her manner in which she was acting was a little strange and quite intriguing. I say this as she did not tell her mom when she began to have contractions. She also acted very nonchalant as what was to come especially when she wanted to put makeup on before she left for the hospital. All and all this book was definitely a very interesting read.
Gabrielle Wimes
On the last chapter, I was blown away by the fact that Marie was articulate about her needs although she was being pressured by her mate. She stayed true to herself and focused on her ideology rather than her colleague's ideology. She emphasized on what she believed being right. she did not want to put innocent's people lives in danger simply because she was being asked to do so. Once again, a beautiful life lesson of not following the mass. It is always better to stick to our principles.
- Geonel M.
I found it interesting that the book made a full circle and we now know the reason she wrote the book. In looking for ross she believes she may die and she is prepared to do so. She gathered up all of her things to make sure that her children will be financially stable. That goes to show the type of mother she is. It also spoke volumes to me that she told them to become the best versions of her and their father and to resist injustice if they are faced with it. That is something that speaks volumes even today. Many people are afraid to stand up for themselves and she let her children know that she hopes they will stand up against injustices! Very powerful!
In the last ending chapters I’m not gonna say I have a specific part that i found interesting because I really didn’t. What is most interesting about her and the book overall, is that she overcame those obstacles she wanted to fight and get through. She always seemed so uptight or feeling as if she don’t want to express anything. Going through pregnancy, then after leaving your kids behind ( not purposely ) but she felt like it was right she felt like she had something to handle and she kept them in good hands. Now I understand the authors purpose of the book it self and the whys of thing we questioned early on in the chapter.
Courteona Combs 11/21/20
No specific scene stood out to me to be most interesting. What interested me was Marie’s unconditional love for her twin sons. This book never really focused on Marie as a mother but her in her career. You can be a strong working woman and still love your children. I also found it interesting how the reason for the book being written was finally revealed. The ending made you realized why certain events happened which I appreciated.
Danielle Hawthorne 11/22/20
Seeing Marie’s love for her family in each of these final chapters was really what made the ending interesting. Marie finally explained that she became a spy to pay tribute to her sister. She writes her final words to her sons and sets them up for wealth. Despite her estranged relationships with her parents, Marie has deep love for her family. -Deja L.
I found Marie's expression of love to her sons and her words of wisdom she left with them to be the most interesting. This is because Marie have faced many struggles of her own well enough to know she was bringing children into a society designed against them. I love that she told them to have the courage to resist injustices if faced with them. Though the book didn't focus on Marie's role as a mother, we see that she is strong woman in her professional life. This is an aspect of her personality that I believe she'd love for her children to have growing up when faced with problems.
Kenisha T.
The fact that she wrote to her kids was interesting to me. The emotions that come out with it is really catchy and a little sad. The fact that we finally know the reason behind her writing the book and leaving it behind for her kids brought a connection to me and I remembered the first few chapters when I was reading and suspected that this book was more or less for memory purposes to be carried forward to her kids.
Elizabeth Kyande 11/23/20
In the last four chapters of the book, I found a couple of things interesting. For one, was that who was the father of William and Thomas. It was definitely something that I did not see coming and kept me on my toes. Another interesting thing that happened was when Marie was giving birth. I just thought it was funny how she was not trying to make a big deal out of it and trying to "control" her body as she put it to postpone her birth. Lastly, I found the fact that Marie was trying to go after Ross was interesting because she does not feel confident in her return and I don't understand why she would take the trip and risk her life now that she has children.
Marie explaining why she chose her job was very interesting to me. Marie upheld a very strong woman image throughout the book. She proved herself many times and i know it was not easy for her. Also, The fact that the ending of the book ties back to the beginning of the book was very interesting. I’ve watched movies like this. This book was very good in my opinion. I would definitely recommend this book to others
-Damaiya L
Marie’s escape after she killed Daniel Slater interested me the most. She was finally making decisions based on what she wanted to, instead of what someone else life was based on. Granted the fact it took her to get to the point of killing someone, but she still grew. When she was lost in the dessert and dehydrated, but thankfully saved by someone passing by was by pure luck! She the foreshadow of her being pregnant and her finding out was bizarre. I mean I can’t say I did not expect Thomas to be their father, but I didn’t think things would’ve went the way they did. Marie changed and not because she was forced to changed because she had children, but because she realized her flaws.
Alexis H.
I found the last part of the book interesting because one of the things that really sparked my interest in the book was the very beginning. I had so many questions about her family and the type of work she does. The end pulls everything together and now I understand she was writing this for her sons.
What I found interesting about the last four chapters of this book was how it all seamlessly tied together to back to the beginning of the book. Even though that is not a particular event to happen in the chapters, it was really enjoyable to read that. I also enjoyed the story of Marie finding out she was pregnant with twins and how she would talk to them while floating in the water. I liked that because I found it to be a really sweet moment between Marie and her children in this book.
Kelsey McNeil
After reading the last chapters of the book, I found it interesting that Marie was going after Ross even though the odds of her surviving are against her, especially since it will leave the twins without not only a father, but a mother as well and doesn't guarantee the safety of her entire family. There is no guarantee that Ross is the only person out to get Marie as well since there are many people who work with Ross and therefore also have grievances towards Marie.
Marie explaining why she chose her job was very interesting to me. Marie upheld a very strong woman image throughout the book. She proved herself many times and i know it was not easy for her. Also, The fact that the ending of the book ties back to the beginning of the book was very interesting. I’ve watched movies like this. This book was very good in my opinion. I would definitely recommend this book to others
Damaiya Lasenby 11/23/20
Honestly, within the last chapter of this novel, I found so many different things to be interesting. For starters, the full circles of the last chapter, and the connectedness that it encompasses was so interesting and impressive. I really have a love and appreciation for when authors tie everything together for their readers and audience, to have a full grasp of the dynamics of the characters in the book. Within this chapter, we finally find out the purpose of Marie writing this book, and we not only find out more about our main character and her motives but also more about some major topics and themes of love, family, sacrifice, moving on, and addressing feelings of regret and past mistakes. Also, this book continues to emphasize the idea of being a braver, stronger, and more courageous version of yourself as you live your life, and the fact that it addresses so many relevant and important messages is the most interesting aspect of it to me.
I thought Marie’s reasoning for becoming a spy was very admirable. Throughout the book, she has always expressed how much she loved Helene, so this was a way to pay her tribute. I didn’t expect Marie to leave her children because of how affected she was by her own mother and sister leaving her, but I’m glad she gave them a full explanation
- Joke Adanri
What I found most interesting about this last chapter was we finally got some reasoning as to why maire wrote this book and some background as to why she became a spy. It was a little heartbreaking though that she wrote that letter to her sons as if she might never see them again after this journey to go after Ross. The most interesting part of the book though was how the ending tied to the begining. It was an overall great novel.
I think that the most interesting thing was how the story came into full circle. Things like that intruige me so seeing how everything that played out contributed to what wasn't known in the beginning is pretty cool.
The last few chapters of the book answered a lot of questions I had about Marie and why she chose this job. Throughout the book she’s always seen as hard-working and very focused on her job so it was nice to see her as a caring mother to her sons. I wasn’t expecting her to leave them behind given the relationship she has with her mother but I also understand she did what she felt was necessary.
The scene that was the most interesting to me was when Marie explained why she wanted to be a spy. Her reasoning and explanation of her career choice made the entire book make sense and it felt like I understand all her choices and why she did what she did better.
Marie’s aunt Sido surprised me when she commented that Marie didn’t have good hair like Agathe. There is such a stigma in the black community about having “good hair.” Her definition of good hair is having bone straight hair while it should be having healthy hair.
It was also interesting how the men who assassinated Thomas and his cabinet were promoted into Compaoré’s guards. It’s disgusting to see that Compaoré would do such a horrible thing to someone who truly loved him. We already figured out his loyalty wasn’t with Thomas but it was sad to see how he dealt with the murderers.
Nyla Woods 11/25/20
I thought Marie going into labor was one of the best parts of the book, because it was weird. Even though her demeaner seamed calm, her actions were a little out of place. She apologized for her water breaking on the floor and she tried to put her make up on. It was unusual. I also liked that she wrote this story for her kids. If she dies going after Ross, then her children will know about who they were and where they come from.
Carah F.
What I found to be the most interesting part was her pregnancy. She first found out because she thought she had contracted a disease; pregnancy was the last thing on her mind. Then the fact that she immediately thought to go to her mother surprised me, I would have thought it would have been her father. Then finally her reaction to her water breaking. " I looked across the table at my mother and said, "I'm sorry." (Wilkinson 278). That is a strange reaction to have in my opinion.
Jayla Pierce, 11/27/20
I enjoyed many things about the book, but I especially enjoyed learning about her relationship with her family throughout the story and how it came full circle. I admired that no matter what she went through Marie always tried her hardest to remain strong. The fact that Marie became a spy because of her love for Helene tells a lot about her as a person.
Fatima Bashir, 11/28/20
The part of the concluding scenes that I found most interesting were about Marie, her pregnancy, and the birth of her sons. I am very interested in things like this in general, which I suppose made me want to know even more about Marie’s experience as a mother and as a mother of twins. I just wish that Sankara could have been there. We might have been able to see Marie as a wife and maybe even more of her being a mother.
-Breanna J 11/28/20
In my opinion it’s very sobering that Marie asked her children to be good Americans at the most. I believe this is a testament to all of the double crossing and blackmailing she’d experienced over the journey depicted in the book. This is just an interesting twist to see an African American woman being used by the establishment whom she helps to ultimately be
“beaten” by it but still wish well those who come behind her and may serve it in the future. All she can do is hope that things get better after her.
Kaelyn Cupil 11/29/20
The ending relationship between Marie and Thomas was the most interesting to me in the conclusion. Marie was ordered to become close to Thomas, but I never expected her to have his children. I was also to sadden that Thomas never got to know he was going to be a father.
Breann Walton 11/29/20
I found it interesting that Marie decided to leave her children with her mother, so that she could go hunt down Ross. I think it shows how devoted she is to fighting injustice, regardless of how it might affect her personal life. Instead of choosing to be around her children and watch them grow up, she decides to risk her life to combat Ross and his threats.
-Chai Curry 11/23/20
I thought that Marie's closing statement to her boys was the most interesting statement. She wants her children to grow up free changing the government that oppresses them rather than working for them. She gives them an early definition of what being a "good american" should mean for young black boys. I love the way that Marie is transparent about her disappearance leaving an example, piece of her, and lessons for her boys. The stories and inheritance she leaves for them is nearly a bible as to how her boys should be raised.
What I found interesting about the end of this book is how open ended it is. We know Marie is leaving the book for her children incase things don’t go as planned on her trip to find Ross, but we’re unsure what goes on when she actually does find Ross. She could technically complete what she sets out to do and return to see her two boys again one day. I think it would be very interesting to see a continuation of this story. Marie knows her family will never be safe until she takes care of old business, and I think she is very brave to set out and do this for her family.
Vanessa Hovey 12/2/20
What i found most interesting about the ending of the book was not how Marie chose to leave her sons because that wasn't the issue. She did it with grace and elegance but what I find interesting was that she chose to leave altogether. Marie went into such depth about how she felt towards her mother for leaving her life, yet she chooses to leave her sons. It is a very bold and pivoting moment for the life Wilkinson paved in this book. -Kailey Blanton
I found most interesting how it connects the overall purpose of the novel. She also had amazing character development seeing as she started doing what mattered to her as she self-reflected more and more. The novel really brought together the idea of having a strong, brave woman. It was really great to read.
I'Lysa Walker 12/11/20
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