Customer Reviews

Yesterday Will Make You Cry [a Novel]

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A book that goes beyond the usual cliches. It is not about racism, not about homosexuality, not about violence and only incidently about prison life. It is about what makes us human even in the most dehumanizing environment; it is about human relationships in a huis clos; it is about yearning for love, for a better life, for being a better person, but somehow always falling short. (don't we all?). And it is of course about self discovery and the ever eluding meaning of manhood. It is hard to believe thjat such a powerful book could be ignored for so long. However, this book continues to fly in the face of today's and yesterday's conventions: A black person writing about a white person; could this possibly mean that our humanity is not only defined by the color of our skin?

Far more than a prison story, Yesterday Will Make You Cry is a story of self awakening, discovery of manhood and what it takes to keep it and solidify it. Simply remarkable.

Tommy Mason, Jr.
English 11, 7th Period
Mrs. Fason
October 10, 2003

Yesterday Will Make You Cry: Why?
***

"It was the first night..., convict no. 57232 had been in the dormitory." This starts the whole thing. The author's purpose is clear, to put you in the zone of this book, but does it? Chester Himes' Yesterday Will Make You Cry is a novel that brings to life the way of life in jail.
Himes presents Jimmy Monroe, the protagonist into play with the realization of life in jail. He is hit with many obstacles, but doesn't know what to do. Himes present this story in a weird way.
The setting is very realistic. The protagonist has a problem with coming to the realization of it, "Top range,...a very cold block with small, grimy, and very cold cells."
Jimmy Monroe is a very complex character. One may not understand fully what's going on in Himes' mind when he created this character, but one must also keep in mind the title when you read the book at all times!

Himes present many flashbacks through Monroe, but fails to foreshadow at first. There is conflict between the whole story and the readers mind as well. One must not forget who the protagonist is because you will get lost.

Himes dos use some "big words" but, most of them tie in with the story. Some parts of this novel are simple, like every-day life talking, but the narration parts are more complex. "Before the fire, despite the fact of it's submergence beneath the level, endless, monotonous, unvarying, un-movingly eternal stretch," is an example of how Himes' really wants you to think.

This novel is an alright novel. One must keep in mind the "deeper meaning" or the "big picture" of some things. Read "between the lines." If the reader doesn't pay attention in the beginning, they will get lost later on in the book. Read the novel a couple of times to get the full meaning. One will find something new every time.

This is a well-written book that engages one in a cold world, a different perspective, in a non-judgmental, yet critical & analytical way, with a sympathetic overlay.

This book was awesome, I cry not only for yesterday, but today!! You have to read it from the beginning and keep reminding yourself what the title says, it goes beyond the hip hop,urban street,hard core books it tells a beautiful story,it's life education in itself.U have to understand, this book goes beyond racism,and prison life,it tells a story which goes deep in everyone heart and soul,because everyone have or will have some thoughts & feelings of this story. I cried almost all the way thru the book, this character went thru alot. Sometimes, u never know what u will do thru life struggles, so were no better than the next person, but thru it all soone or later we go thru struggles and we all cry for yesterday and today.

Himes is an excellent writer, but Yesterday was tedious. Pales in comparison to some of his other 'unfooled around with' works. Still a Himes fan, but Yesterday is not worth the eye strain.

You know, I really wanted to like this book.... but, and perhaps this is beyond the pale given the novel's publishing history, it seemed to need an editor more than anything else, not for any of its themes, or subject matter, but for the prose itself: it's true that the language is often very evocative (and those moments are very good indeed--for example, when he describes the loneliness inherent in prison life), but more often it is clunky... not at all bad, but somewhat disappointing given the relative hype....

Tommy Mason, Jr.
English 11, 7th Period
Mrs. Fason
October 10, 2003

Yesterday Will Make You Cry: Why?
***

"It was the first night..., convict no. 57232 had been in the dormitory." This starts the whole thing. The author's purpose is clear, to put you in the zone of this book, but does it? Chester Himes' Yesterday Will Make You Cry is a novel that brings to life the way of life in jail.
Himes presents Jimmy Monroe, the protagonist into play with the realization of life in jail. He is hit with many obstacles, but doesn't know what to do. Himes present this story in a weird way.
The setting is very realistic. The protagonist has a problem with coming to the realization of it, "Top range,...a ver cold block with small, grimy, and very cold cells."
Jimmy Monroe is a very complex character. One may not understand fully what's going on in Himes' mind when he created this character, but one must also keep in mind the title when you read the book at all times!
Himes present many flashbacks through Monroe, but fails to foreshadow at first. There is conflict between the whole story and the readers mind as well. One must not forget who the protagonist is because you will get lost.
Himes dos use some "big words" but, most of them tie in with the story. Some parts of this novel are simple, like every-day life talking, but the narration parts are more complex. "Before the fire, despite the fact of it's submergence beneath the level, endless, monotonous, unvarying, unmovingly eternal stretch," is an example of how Himes' really wants you to think
This novel is an alright novel. One must keep in mind the "deeper meaning" or the "big picture" of some things. Read "between the lines." If the reader doesn't pay attention in the beginning, they will get lost later on in the book. Read the novel a couple of times to get the full meaning. One will find something new every time.