A Brief History of Seven Killings

Josey Wales has recruited Demus, giving him a gun, money, and cocaine in exchange for killing people. However, Josey then informs Demus that the person they are going to kill is the Singer, and Demus—who is Rastafarian—freaks out. He worries that he will go to hell for killing the Singer. However, eventually Demus lets Josey persuade him that it is important to kill the Singer, and after shooting up cocaine Demus stops caring about who he kills. This passage illustrates Josey’s impressive powers of manipulation. Josey knows how to play into Demus’ cynicism and paranoia, which tell him that any hope in real political change is an illusion and will only serve to increase the power of those already in power: the PNP, the Prime Minister, and the “white man who live uptown.”

At the same time, Josey also utilizes cocaine as a tool for breaking down Demus’ willpower. Whatever principles Demus is trying to maintain disintegrate in the face of the euphoria he feels when shooting up cocaine. As long as Josey is supplying the drugs, he exercises an enormous amount of control over his men.

Alex has been interviewing various men in the ghetto about the peace treaty. He has spoken to Shotta Sherrif and Papa-Lo; after his interview with Papa-Lo, men come and escort him to Josey Wales’ house. Josey interrogates Alex, and when Alex asks about the peace treaty Josey claims it was a “joke.” This quotation reveals the full extent of Josey’s cynicism about the peace treaty, which puts him at odds with most other characters in the book. Even those who believe that it is unlikely that peace will come to Kingston at least tend to imagine that peace would be a good thing.

Josey, on the other hand, maintains that peace is “dangerous” and makes people “stupid.” This view might at first seem extreme, but Josey’s reasoning in fact suggests that his view is more persuasive than we might expect. Contrary to widespread assumptions, Josey suggests that it is actually fairly easy to get “gunman” to put down their weapons and accept a peace treaty. However, this only works if violence originates with these gangsters alone. Instead, Josey points out that violence is as much the work of police and the government as it is that of the Kingston gangs. From this angle, Papa-Lo and Shotta Sherrif’s hopes of peace look naïve at best, and “stupid” and “dangerous” at worst.

Josey is sitting at home, waiting for the phone to ring. He has a brief conversation with his eldest son, followed by his youngest daughter. He notes that the little girl is light-skinned, and that this is a good thing because there is “no future for no dark girl in Jamaica.” This is one of several moments in the novel that explores colorism, prejudice based on the shade of a person’s skin that takes place within the context of a particular race. Once again Josey reveals his profound cynicism, referring to black power as “bullshit” and implying that efforts to fight colorism in Jamaican society will come to nothing. His comment about there being “no future” for dark-skinned women in Jamaica reflects his general pessimistic orientation toward the future. The 1979 winner of Miss World was Gina Swainson, a light-skinned Bermudian model, suggests that Josey’s claims––while demoralizing––reflect the reality of the world around him.

Josey has explained that Weeper has been living in New York, and that Josey charged him with maintaining the link between Jamaica and Griselda Blanco in Miami. However, this did not go very well, as Weeper has trouble getting along with women. In this quotation, Josey admits that he has known for years that Weeper has sex with men, and even knows that Weeper is penetrated (“get fuck”). Like most of the characters in the novel, Josey is severely homophobic and even previously resolved to kill Weeper for being gay, yet ended up making an exception and turning a blind eye to Weeper’s sexual exploits.

Josey claims that this is because he found it better to watch Weeper try to “shoot out” his gay desires by having sex with women. However, given the overall portrayal of the relationship between Josey and Weeper, it is arguably more likely that Josey simply likes Weeper and doesn’t want to harm him. In multiple ways, therefore, homophobia prevents both men from expressing their true feelings about other men. Weeper is “fooling himself” about not being gay, whereas Josey cannot admit that his friendship with Weeper ultimately trumps his prejudice about Weeper’s sexuality.

Eubie has gone to pick Josey up from the airport. As they are driving through New York, they discuss business, and Eubie tells Josey that Weeper has been “fucking around.” One of Weeper’s runners has been spying on him and reporting back to Eubie. Eubie warns that Weeper is using crack now and that this threatens to derail their drug operation. Eubie’s explanation of the difference between crack and powder cocaine usefully illuminates one of the major cultural shifts taking place at this point in the novel. In the 1970s, the widespread use of powder cocaine––fueled, as Eubie points out, by club culture and the music industry––greatly increased the wealth of Latin American cartels like those mentioned in the novel as well as drug-dealing gangs. In the 1980s, a “crack epidemic” swept over the United States and Caribbean, causing widespread devastation and provoking the American government’s War on Drugs.

Although dangerous and addictive, powder cocaine does not have the same intense, short-lived, sometimes hallucinatory effect as crack, and crack is far more addictive than the powder equivalent––hence Eubie’s comment that crack users cannot combine the drug with business because “crack is you business.” Furthermore, the crack epidemic was mainly an issue for poor, disenfranchised communities. Eubie’s ominous warnings about crack thus reflect the dark turn of the international drug trade during this period. While the novel shows that drug trafficking by gangs is always violent, dangerous, and brutal, the form of devastation caused by crack emerges as a particularly bleak, pervasive issue toward the end of the novel.

In Rikers, Tristan discusses the possibility that Josey still wants to murder Alex, considering it’s been six years since Alex killed Tony Pavarotti. Tristan emphasizes that Josey is untouchable, so powerful that he has not seen the inside of a prison since 1975. He describes the way in which Josey and Papa-Lo have become beloved figures in Kingston and the intense loyalty people feel toward them. Although the two men (and particularly Josey) are responsible for bringing a large amount of violence to Kingston, people still identify with them because they are some of the very few representatives and advocates of those living in the ghetto. Meanwhile, politicians also remain loyal to the dons, because their support is vital to electoral success. As Tristan’s words indicate, those who exercise the most power in Jamaica are arguably not the official authorities, but the dons living in the ghetto.  

Josey Wales has recruited Demus, giving him a gun, money, and cocaine in exchange for killing people. However, Josey then informs Demus that the person they are going to kill is the Singer, and Demus—who is Rastafarian—freaks out. He worries that he will go to hell for killing the Singer. However, eventually Demus lets Josey persuade him that it is important to kill the Singer, and after shooting up cocaine Demus stops caring about who he kills. This passage illustrates Josey’s impressive powers of manipulation. Josey knows how to play into Demus’ cynicism and paranoia, which tell him that any hope in real political change is an illusion and will only serve to increase the power of those already in power: the PNP, the Prime Minister, and the “white man who live uptown.”

At the same time, Josey also utilizes cocaine as a tool for breaking down Demus’ willpower. Whatever principles Demus is trying to maintain disintegrate in the face of the euphoria he feels when shooting up cocaine. As long as Josey is supplying the drugs, he exercises an enormous amount of control over his men.

Alex has been interviewing various men in the ghetto about the peace treaty. He has spoken to Shotta Sherrif and Papa-Lo; after his interview with Papa-Lo, men come and escort him to Josey Wales’ house. Josey interrogates Alex, and when Alex asks about the peace treaty Josey claims it was a “joke.” This quotation reveals the full extent of Josey’s cynicism about the peace treaty, which puts him at odds with most other characters in the book. Even those who believe that it is unlikely that peace will come to Kingston at least tend to imagine that peace would be a good thing.

Josey, on the other hand, maintains that peace is “dangerous” and makes people “stupid.” This view might at first seem extreme, but Josey’s reasoning in fact suggests that his view is more persuasive than we might expect. Contrary to widespread assumptions, Josey suggests that it is actually fairly easy to get “gunman” to put down their weapons and accept a peace treaty. However, this only works if violence originates with these gangsters alone. Instead, Josey points out that violence is as much the work of police and the government as it is that of the Kingston gangs. From this angle, Papa-Lo and Shotta Sherrif’s hopes of peace look naïve at best, and “stupid” and “dangerous” at worst.

Josey is sitting at home, waiting for the phone to ring. He has a brief conversation with his eldest son, followed by his youngest daughter. He notes that the little girl is light-skinned, and that this is a good thing because there is “no future for no dark girl in Jamaica.” This is one of several moments in the novel that explores colorism, prejudice based on the shade of a person’s skin that takes place within the context of a particular race. Once again Josey reveals his profound cynicism, referring to black power as “bullshit” and implying that efforts to fight colorism in Jamaican society will come to nothing. His comment about there being “no future” for dark-skinned women in Jamaica reflects his general pessimistic orientation toward the future. The 1979 winner of Miss World was Gina Swainson, a light-skinned Bermudian model, suggests that Josey’s claims––while demoralizing––reflect the reality of the world around him.

Josey has explained that Weeper has been living in New York, and that Josey charged him with maintaining the link between Jamaica and Griselda Blanco in Miami. However, this did not go very well, as Weeper has trouble getting along with women. In this quotation, Josey admits that he has known for years that Weeper has sex with men, and even knows that Weeper is penetrated (“get fuck”). Like most of the characters in the novel, Josey is severely homophobic and even previously resolved to kill Weeper for being gay, yet ended up making an exception and turning a blind eye to Weeper’s sexual exploits.

Josey claims that this is because he found it better to watch Weeper try to “shoot out” his gay desires by having sex with women. However, given the overall portrayal of the relationship between Josey and Weeper, it is arguably more likely that Josey simply likes Weeper and doesn’t want to harm him. In multiple ways, therefore, homophobia prevents both men from expressing their true feelings about other men. Weeper is “fooling himself” about not being gay, whereas Josey cannot admit that his friendship with Weeper ultimately trumps his prejudice about Weeper’s sexuality.

Eubie has gone to pick Josey up from the airport. As they are driving through New York, they discuss business, and Eubie tells Josey that Weeper has been “fucking around.” One of Weeper’s runners has been spying on him and reporting back to Eubie. Eubie warns that Weeper is using crack now and that this threatens to derail their drug operation. Eubie’s explanation of the difference between crack and powder cocaine usefully illuminates one of the major cultural shifts taking place at this point in the novel. In the 1970s, the widespread use of powder cocaine––fueled, as Eubie points out, by club culture and the music industry––greatly increased the wealth of Latin American cartels like those mentioned in the novel as well as drug-dealing gangs. In the 1980s, a “crack epidemic” swept over the United States and Caribbean, causing widespread devastation and provoking the American government’s War on Drugs.

Although dangerous and addictive, powder cocaine does not have the same intense, short-lived, sometimes hallucinatory effect as crack, and crack is far more addictive than the powder equivalent––hence Eubie’s comment that crack users cannot combine the drug with business because “crack is you business.” Furthermore, the crack epidemic was mainly an issue for poor, disenfranchised communities. Eubie’s ominous warnings about crack thus reflect the dark turn of the international drug trade during this period. While the novel shows that drug trafficking by gangs is always violent, dangerous, and brutal, the form of devastation caused by crack emerges as a particularly bleak, pervasive issue toward the end of the novel.

In Rikers, Tristan discusses the possibility that Josey still wants to murder Alex, considering it’s been six years since Alex killed Tony Pavarotti. Tristan emphasizes that Josey is untouchable, so powerful that he has not seen the inside of a prison since 1975. He describes the way in which Josey and Papa-Lo have become beloved figures in Kingston and the intense loyalty people feel toward them. Although the two men (and particularly Josey) are responsible for bringing a large amount of violence to Kingston, people still identify with them because they are some of the very few representatives and advocates of those living in the ghetto. Meanwhile, politicians also remain loyal to the dons, because their support is vital to electoral success. As Tristan’s words indicate, those who exercise the most power in Jamaica are arguably not the official authorities, but the dons living in the ghetto.