Mammita’s Garden Cove

In Mammita’s Garden Cove by Cyril Dabydeen, the author uses the literary techniques questions, tone, and flashbacks to convey the main characters view on place. Max believes that he will have better opportunities in Canada rather than in his home country. This short story details his views on his life at this point, and how he is doing in Canada.
The prompt immediately begins with the question, “Where d’you come from?”. This tells the reader that Max is not from the current country or setting in which the story takes place. Throughout the passage, there is only three questions, the aforementioned one, another in the first paragraph, “How couldn’t it be?”, and another in the second paragraph, “Was it that far-gone?”. These are significant because they are both followed by Max is responding to the questions in his head. He does not clearly answer the first question, instead stating he is used to being asked of his origin. So used to it, in fact, that he ignores it and keeps going on his search for a job. In this same paragraph the question “How couldn’t it be?”, in which he responds with a bit of dry humor; “After all he was in Canada.” This question and response means that, when he first came to Canada, he compared it to a safe haven to his native country, in his words “a sweet heaven”. He entered Canada with hope. This eventually leads to the final question, “Was it that far-gone?”. The question indicates his past, in which he states he’s not sure if it’s too far out of his reach. His response leads into a paragraph about his hope in Canada.
While answering “Was it that far-gone?”, Max’s tone changes. Max’s tone takes a few dramatic turns throughout the passage, beginning in the first paragraph. In the first paragraph, he’s obviously tired and distressed. After all, he is jobless, starving, and lacking hope in faith. He even felt “prepared