Hey, readers! We got to learn more about a few of our characters and meet some new. I sympathized with LaTisha, related to Shirley, and can't wait to learn more of Penelope! Was anyone else surprised about Shirley and Penelope's bond? I related to the career path that Shirley has, working as an educator politics are so heavily involved and influence teaching. Some days it does feel that policies put into place work against the student/teachestaff.
Can't wait to discuss with everyone! There is a summary posted here and discussion questions in the comments. Feel free to write your own questions or comments.
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u/dogobsess will be our host next Monday, Nov. 29th.
LaTisha LaTisha acts out due to her father not being in her life. She threw an outrageous party, which her mother caught her and beat her as punishment. This moment was a turning point in their mother daughter relationship. She split up with her friends at school, Carole, Chloe, and Lauren. Carole was spotted online years later as the VP of a bank.
LaTisha is the hot foods section manager at a grocery store. The reader is introduced to her child, Jason (her first..an accident) Dwight, the father, was a security guard at the store. She told him about her dad’s disappearance and how hurt she was, which caused her to cry in front of him a few times. Then a new girl started working at the mart. Dwight received attention from the new girl and started ignoring LaTisha, which is when she discovered she was pregnant with Jason.
With Dwight not being in the picture, LaTisha needed support to care for her child since her mother could only do so much. Jayla was unemployed and was able to watch Jason while she worked.
She met a man in the night club, Mark. He had a good job and wasn’t overly indulgent when they danced, which she enjoyed and felt appreciated. She went back to his flat with him and they ended up sleeping together. Their night of romance led to Jantelle. Mark gave LaTisha a fake number, leaving her second child without a father.
Trey is the father of her third child, who is someone she knew from her school days. Trey is a sports teacher at the school she attended. He asked her out on FaceBook, and LaTisha did some social media digging. He was posting pictures of him and his friends, but no girls. The no girls on his FaceBook showed her that he wasn’t a player. As she was preparing for her first date with him, she promised herself that they wouldn’t go to bed together until their tenth date. Once he picks her up they catch up quickly though instead of taking her somewhere for the date, he takes her to his place. Where he lives is a room that he is renting from a shared house, she thinks of leaving immediately. Though he asks to dance, what harm could a dance have? Until he starts unzipping his pants and they are in bed together. LaTisha asks him to stop but she feels useless and he is relentless. Once he finishes she sneaks out and takes the bus home. At home she showers and thinks it was her fault it happened, she led him on. She waited for his phone call, but all she received was her third baby. Giving her Jason, Jantelle, and now Jordan.
As time passes, LaTisha starts being more assertive in her own self growth. Standing up to her employees who fake her sick days, taking online courses, pursuing a degree. While she still dated, even finding someone who she and her children got along with. He was a good man for her, but he wanted his own children and she was finished having any. She dated others who were jerks and cheating. Even though she and her children still live at with LaTisha’s mother, they make due in the living situation. As the children are growing they are all developing their personalities, which LaTisha admires, but also finds troubling for Jordan who is a lot like his father (stealing, watching porn, breaking his groundings, etc). LaTisha’s father shows up at the end of her chapter. Her two oldest, Jason and Jantelle are unsure of what to make of him, but Jordan adores him and takes in the father figure that his grandpa provides.
Shirley She is a teacher who came to improve the next generations. Shirley grew up in a home with her mom, dad, and two brothers. Her brothers didn’t have to do any household chores but always got treated slightly better for being boys. She does claim that her brothers would get disciplined when they broke the rules, but she didn’t face the same outcome because her breaking rules is ridiculous, she never did. Her brothers were set to be football stars, until they got older and nothing came of it. Shirley though, she is the success of the family.
It is the first day of school and the first day for her career as a teacher. She is determined to make an impact on her students and build lasting relationships with them. She is a history teacher who wants to make history relevant to her students. Teaching prejudice using Hitler and lynching as examples.
Shirley made some teacher friends that she has bonded with. Margo, who is a hippie working as a Geography teacher to fun her endeavor to Goa to take a spiritual voyage. Margo wants to find herself then find a husband. Her other teacher friend is Kate who is the English Lit teacher. Kate is fueled with determination, she wants to make headmistress before she turns 35. At work there are others who Shirley is friendly with or at least tries to be. There is also the gentleman John Clayton who teaches Math, who isn’t necessarily a friend but someone they lunch with. John doesn’t seem to be neat with his overgrown beard and the outfits he wears. John is reading a newspaper with a mugshot of a young black man on the front page. It causes Shirley to feel uneasy. She often feels targeted by others due to her race, people avoiding her on the street, ladies clutching their bags, etc. There are other colleagues of hers that she feels are offensive to her. The PE teacher, Tina, always moves away from her when she sits near her. Also, the Physics teacher, Roy, who lets the door slam in her face. The Biology teacher, Penelope, ignores her when she greets her. During a staff meeting Penelope addresses the issue of poor exam performances at the school. Stating the reason is due to the bad behavior of the students. Penelope is a teacher who is known for giving detentions to certain type of students, but suspensions to the other types (hinting at a racial divide). Shirley finds the strength to speak up against Penelope, saying she disagrees with behavior and exams being the only way to measure a student. Students deserve to have someone believe and help them. Penelope’s response is that she isn’t a social worker and passes off Shirley’s statement because she has the experience and Shirley is the new girl.
That night Shirley goes home to her Man Lennox, their conversation is mostly about Penelope and the attitude that she carries. Shirley wants to look out for her students best interests is what she proclaims to him. Lennox is a good cook, which attributes to his wanting to follow directions closely and so does she (making them a good match).
Lennox comes from a family who wanted a better life and set off to find work elsewhere. Leaving him with his great aunt until they could afford to send for him. Once Lennox was reunited, he felt the heat from racism by being frisked by cops, manhandled by strangers, people picking fights all due to his skin color. Even though he was harassed he still kept trying hard in school. Putting forth his best efforts and began wearing suits outside of class to seem proper (an easy way to be avoided). All black men faced it and all black men had to learn how to endure it.
Shirley meets up with her university friends every so often, but particularly she meets up with Amma. Amma and her have been friends since they were 11, being the only black girls in their year. While Amma was shy Shirley felt protective. Amma had political and educated parents and Shirley’s were just the opposite. When Amma came out as lesbian, Shirley felt betrayed (keeping that to herself). Shirley came to terms that if Amma didn’t show that she was keen to her and she kept the fact that she is lesbian to herself then their friendship could continue. Though once Amma graduated she was vocal and proud to be a lesbian. Shirley began to accept that of Amma because she loves her and they are friends. She wants Amma in her life.
Lennox and Amma get on together really well. Lennox is more extroverted, cracks jokes, and they both tease Shirley for being a goody two shoes. Lennox couldn’t care about Amma’s sexuality/her preferences. He believes that his Great Aunt Myrtle was a closet lesbian. He wishes that his Great Aunt could have felt free to express herself truly. While Shirley can appreciate how open minded Lennox is, for some reason she can’t quite agree with him.
Shirley was becoming a veteran teacher and do her best to show up for her students. Even with all of the politics and agendas that come with it. Her teaching philosophy of nurturing the whole child was questioned and made to be reevaluated. As years passed more politics got involved and more children were suffering from parents with addictions, unemployment, low socio-economic families. More time progressed and gangs picked up, parents in jail, children needing free school lunches, sexual assaults were all becoming apart of the norm. The school installed a metal detector, hired security guards, pass codes for doors installed, and cameras around the building. The fear of serial killers entered her thoughts, “what if I am teaching the next mass shooter?”
During this time Penelope and her became close friends. Laughing at all of the new teachers who thought they knew better than them because they were fresh out of college. Their friendship also grew because they have seen all of the policies, curriculum, practices come and go. After Penelope retired Shirley felt as if she lost her ally. She wanted to move to the private sector. She wanted students who were teacher-pleasers, did their best to get good grades, and parents who helped students with their homework to attain good grades. She was over the students who used drugs and promoted violence. Shirley began looking at other schools to apply to, schools that were high performing. As she was filling out the applications, she started imagining the rejection letters. Though rejection wasn’t a huge fear for her. She knew that she achieved mostly everything that she ever wanted. Had a beautiful home in a lovely neighborhood, a wonderful husband who was adored by her parents, and meets with her friends often. Within their age they both gained hobbies that they enjoyed separately and together. They had two daughters, Karen and Rachel. The girls had wonderful support. Lennox was an amazing father, Shirley’s mother was dutiful to her granddaughters, and Amma would even babysit every so often. Once Amma had Yazz, Yazz would spend time with Shirley and her two daughters. Karen and Rachel enjoyed having Yazz around since she was like a kid sister to them. As her daughters grew up Karen became a pharmacist and Rachel is a computer scientist.
Shirley and her family go to her parents each Summer. It is like a get away for Shirley since her teaching job is so difficult on her. She is counting down the days as her vacation gets closer. She is reminded of the types of students that will be attending. Such as Carole who was from a single parent household, but great at math and would go far but she lost interest due to friendships. Then there was LaTisha, who was extremely bright but used every excuse to get out of doing any work. Their was also Chloe who was a criminal just like her parents. Plus, Lauren who was so promiscuous she had an STD. One day Carole found Shirley during her lunch and asked for help, promising to do better if Mrs. King could just help her. With Shirley’s help Carole ended up doing fantastic and earning great marks. Though once she graduated and left, Shirley never heard back from her again. Making Shirley feel used.
Winsome Winsome is the mother to Shirley and adores having her family and friends close. Her love for Amma is strong just like her love for her daughter. Winsome notices how tense her daughter is when she arrives to her home, then she gradually relaxes while on vacation. She believes that her daughter should seek out other employment opportunities to relieve herself of the stress. Winsome reflects on her daughter’s life vs her own life. Shirley has many things to be grateful for, while Winsome believes that she worked and had a difficult run of things. Though while she is in her present place, she is grateful. Grateful that she was able to return to Barbados, which she calls home. The sell of her London home allowed for the purchase of a beach house. Winsome and Clovis, who have aged, receive pensions to live on for the rest of their lives. In Barbados she has made new friends and joined a book club. Her friend Bernadette was a secretary in the civil service in Toronto. Celestine was a clerk for the CIA in Virginia who lives with Josephine from Iowa. Hazel ran a hairdresser shop in Bristol. Dora was one of the first black school teachers in the 60’s. Each month they read a new book, and the increase of reading has allowed Winsome to grow her love for literature. At the book club meetings that have great discussions and even debates over questions, which everyone enjoys sharing their opinions.
Rachel, Winsome’s granddaughter, asks how she met Grandad and that she wants to know more about her when she was younger. Winsome is taken back but also appreciative that the younger generation is interested in her.
Cutting to the past: Winsome met their grandfather in the 50’s when she arrived in England. Both of their fathers were fishermen and were familiar with each other, though once they came to England they connected truly. They married, and Winsome was happy to have found a man who was not a player like those back home. Their first home was a shared house with other tenants, they saved for a house, but Clovis wanted to move where it was warmer and become a fisherman. She wasn’t particularly happy with being a fisherman’s wife since she was already a fisherman’s daughter. She felt the tasks that were asked of her were mundane. Though as a wife, she felt dutiful, and followed his dreams. After the couple arrived to Plymouth looking for work he was turned down. Clovis then suggests moving to Scilly Isles down South where he could fish there. Being dutiful she followed him even though she would have rather returned home to Barbados. Winsome speaks to Rachel, that if times were different and it was 20 years later she would have left him there and then or if it were thirty years later she would have moved in with him before marrying him. She realizes that she didn’t really know the man that she married. As they traveled it was evident that people weren’t familiar with POC as they would shout insults or refuse lodging. They traveled through many places as they were reaching their destinations, such as Looe, Polperro, Fowey, Mevagissey, St. Mawes, Falmouth, St. Keverne, the Lizard, Mullion, Porthleven. Winnie really enjoyed the beauty of the traveling. Though once they made it to The Isles, people were hostile and referred to them as monkeys. People would say remarks, “You can’t eat here,” “You can’t work here,” or “You can’t stay here your color will come off on the sheets.” After all of the hatred towards them, Clovis wanted to try again in Clovis. So back they went.
Clovis ended up finding work in Plymouth, but it was all labor and nothing of enjoyment. Though, after work Clovis would spend time with his work buddies drinking. Leaving Winnie all alone with her children day and night. She felt the racism wherever she went. Other people cursing at her, being served last, people driving in puddles to splash her, finding a dead rat on the doorstep, or the words “GO HOME” painted on the door. While people were hateful towards them, over time a neighbor started chatting with Winnie and giving pleasant attention to her three children by stroking their cheeks or giving them some sweets. Mrs. Beresford, was a neighbor that became a friend who invited to her home and church. Though, Winnie and Clovis’ children started growing and facing the same hatred that they did. The parents kept reminding them that it is important to behave well at all times, people will eventually notice that you are well kept. At Shirley’s school a girl of the same color, Estelle, joined. Estelle who was light skinned was shown favoritism. Such as being cast in a stronger role at the school play, when Estelle can barely sing (but Shirley was a strong singer and got cast as a tree…) Plymouth was not welcoming enough for Winnie and her children, so she told Clovis that they are going back to London and he is welcome to come.
Back to the present: Winsome is watching Lennox and Clovis working on the boat. She notices that Lennox is similar to Clovis, which is why Shirley chose him she thinks. Clovis’ identity comes from fishing, it makes him feel like a man who works and provides. Rachel thanks her grandmother for sharing her story and goes to spend time with her mother. Winnie continues to reflect on her relationship with Clovis. He offered her predictability, familiarity, safety, and security. He would give her attention and the adoration that she needed. While he fulfilled all of her needs, he wasn’t exciting. Once Shirley brought Lennox over for the first time she noticed he was vigorous and his trousers were very tight. She began to feel sexual desire and passion. Lennox was a catch and Winnie thought that her daughter was lucky to have him. Winnie encouraged Shirley to come over often with Lennox so they could spend time as a family, which increased her sexual desires when Lennox was around. Clovis and Winnie’s sexual intimacy increased so her frustrations could be relieved. Winsome had wished that her body was young like Shirley’s, that she had an education like Shirley, so she could have attracted a man like her daughter’s husband. Lennox would drive her over to babysit and their talks would include his hand on her knee for emphasis, kisses meant for greeting that lingered slightly longer, but she knew it was not betrayal since nothing was acted upon. She then started daydreaming about sexual encounters with Lennox.
Until Winsome and Lennox arranged to meet once or twice a week. The weekends that Winnie and Lennox took the girls to give Shirley a break from stressful work? It allowed them to be intimate. Over a year of this shocking relationship it stopped. It became awkward for the two of them at family gatherings because Lennox wouldn’t give her the same attention, or at least the attention she desired. While Shirley boasts that she has a man who will never cheat on her, her mother says that she is lucky that she found a good guy.
Penelope Penelope writes in her diary that her parents, Edwin and Margaret, are so boring, but she herself is vivacious (great word for a 14 year old to identify to). Her dad is typical he does the same thing everyday. While mom is dull even though her roots are exotic. Margaret’s father owned a barley farm, but with political drama the field hands were required to be tended to. All calling for bad business. Eventually things went too far and grandpa ended up taking someone’s life. Everyone relocated to England after that. Once in England Margaret would go out dancing, travel with friends, smoke, and push the boundaries as a teen. She even met Penelope’s father while she was out and about. They moved forward in their relationship, Edwin was sensible and sober. Margaret needed those traits in a marriage with her father dying tragically. Margaret admitted to Penelope that she loved dancing, it was apart of her identity. She even misses her old self, she is unsure of what happened to her.
On Penelope’s sixteenth birthday her parents told her that she was adopted. They couldn’t have a child of their own. Though, when admitting this news what Penelope needed the most was unconditional love though her parents provided a normal conversation ignoring the tears on her face. Continuing the meal as if it was a normal day. She ran to her bedroom crying hoping that her mother would come check on her. Though what did happen was her “father” left to go play golf. While her “mother” continued her knitting with a comedy show playing on the radio. Penelope felt so rejected, she couldn’t confide in anyone. She just wanted to know who she was. She noticed more and more everyday that she looks nothing like her “parents.” Physical features that don’t match her own.
In these moments Penelope decided that she would attend college, find herself a man who adored her, a career of a teacher, and have her own children. Wishing that these goals would fill the gaps of being unwanted.
I had some spare time today, so I thought I'd watch through Black Museum and list all of the references I could find.
0:1:50 gas station Nish pulls up at is called 'BRB Connect', which is a reference to S2E1, Be Right Back
0:5:02 behind Rolo is the mugshot of Victoria Skillane, the main character of S2E2, White Bear
0:5:02 on the bottom left screen, it reads 'cloning without consent'. Possible reference to Be Right Back again, but most likely to be S4E1, USS Callister
0:5:02 on the middle right screen, it reads 'double suicide'. This is very likely to be a reference to Jennifer and Harry killing themselves (or more Jennifer killing Harry then herself) in the first part of S2E4, White Christmas
0:5:53 the robot bees from S3E6, Hated in the Nation
0:5:54 the tablet from S4E2, Arkangel
0:5:57 the bathtub that Shaiza's husband was killed in from S4E3, Crocodile
0:6:04 the hunter's outfit and gun from White Bear
0:6:08 the cloning machine from USS Callister
0:6:09 in the back left, one of the cookie 'eggs' from White Christmas can be seen suspended in the air in a display box
0:6:30 in the background. bunkbeds can be seen, could possibly be referencing S3E5, Men Against Fire
0:7:14 Rolo mentions working at 'St. Juniper's', which is the hospital from S3E4, San Junipero
0:9:14 Rolo brings out two of the test rats he used for the transmitter, who are named Kenny and Hector, a reference to the two main characters in S3E3, Shut Up and Dance
0:20:34 Not a reference to previous episodes, but a reference to the 'big attraction' of the museum. On the TV, a picture of the woman Clayton Leigh was accused of murdering is shown
0:25:27 In the background, on the right, a man can be seen hanging. This is a reference to the kidnapper of the princess killing himself, in S1E1, The National Anthem
0:25:35 Rolo mentions TCKR, a company he worked for which could possibly be derived from Tuckersoft, the games company from Bandersnatch (Bandersnatch was created after Black Museum but was set in the 80s so it does make sense)
0:25:43 Nish says 'Uh, like when they upload old people to the cloud?' in reference to San Junipero
0:34:23 Jack is reading a comic book called '15M Merits' and the page he's reading is a direct copy of when Bing holds glass to his throat on the stage of Hot Shots in S1E2, 15 Million Merits
0:35:13 On the tablet on the table, a mugshot of Clayton Leigh is shown, the 'big attraction' from later in the episode
0:39:54 This one is interesting. I just realised this now, and I'm pretty sure my brain has just imploded. A reference to something that happens a few minutes later in the episode. Carrie tells Jack to tell Parker that "Mommy loves you" and "Mommy needs a hug". Coincidentally, these are the only two phrases Carrie can say when she's inside the monkey teddy. This is definitely my favourite part of the episode, I can't believe I never noticed it before!!