A Second Chance

Use this forum to discuss the September 2020 Book of the month, " "Kalayla" by Jeannie Nicholas.
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Gabby S14
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Re: A Second Chance

Post by Gabby S14 »

Lena was aware of the similarities between Kalayla and her boys, but I don't think she was conscious of the "second chance" aspect of helping Kalayla right off the bat. It seemed to me to start off as a "well, someone has to lend a hand before something bad happens" kind of deal. Lena was trying to be a good neighbor and was spurred by her maternal worries for the girl. However, as they got to know each other better, Lena started to care more deeply for Kalayla and her mother. As circumstances evolved, Lena started to realize that something was changing inside her; she started wearing some color. So, her redemption or second chance came as a surprise but a welcome one.
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Post by Dzejn_Crvena »

I think it is more likely that Lena is giving the chance for Maureen to do better as a parent.
As for Lena, she just doesn't want to witness her failures in another family setup, so she sees it as an opportunity to be Maureen's guide.
Throughout the story, I see how Lena mediates in the reconciliation between Maureen and Kalayla.
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Post by Michelle Menezes »

Yes, she definitely does. She has constantly mentioned that she couldn't do certain things for her kids, but maybe she could do those for Kalayla.
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Post by Ruchi Raina »

Yes, I think she does. When she had just met Kalayla, she saw the reflection of her children in her. It all started with just general concern for a child heading towards a wrong path in life and later on, it turned into love for a precious soul that had seen too many disasters at such a young age. She found a second chance to accomplish, what she thinks she had failed to do for her children.
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Post by Kaushiki Parihar »

I don't think so. A mother is always worried and caring for every child. Kalayla used to roam on the streets, and she didn't have any friends, so she was anxious for her. However, Lena had regrets for not being able to raise her kids the way she wanted. She didn't want to repeat the same mistake. Therefore, she was extra cautious for Kalayla.
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Post by Mason Garrod »

Maybe not in the eyes of Lena herself, but certainly in a narrative sense it's an opportunity for her to help in the development of a child while no longer having the poisonous influence of Joey hanging over her
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Post by Nivedita BookBee »

She definitely saw Kalayla as a new start, where she could right all her wrongs and not repeat the mistakes she once committed. Those mistakes gnaw at her so bad and so painfully that she makes setting Kalayla on the right path her only objective.
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Post by Clare Jose »

I'm not sure if Lena recognised her opportunity to help Kalayla as a second chance. I think it has more to do with how Kalayla reminded her of her boys, and how she felt like Maureen needed all the help she could get. Lena knew and regretted the wrong she had done to her boys and wanted to make sure Maureen didn't make any of the same mistakes.
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Post by Janet Kimetto »

I think at first Lena helped Kalayla because someone had to. Kalayla had too much time on her hands, so Lena thought of constructive activities to involve her in - because she was a "disaster waiting to happen." Later she thought she could do for Kalayla what she couldn't do for her sons.
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Post by Nathaniel Owolabi »

I do think so. I don't think she would have done the same thing if she still had her boys and a lovely family. Although she is a good person and very tolerant, I think there are some character she would not have tolerated from Kaylayla if she had a lovely family with her boys. In conclusion, I think going through what she did and enduring the death of her sons taught her a lot and made her into who she is, a selfless and loving person.
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Post by Kira Bonita Reece »

I think she definitely does. We see it in the way she interacts with Kalayla. She sees her own children in that one little girl. She tries to treat Kalayla the way she wished she had treated her boys
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Post by Linda S 1 »

Yes, I think that Lena considered it to be a second chance. She wanted to implement all the lessons she learned during her past to ensure a better future for Kalayla. Their interaction and bond become a source of light for both Lena and Kalayla.
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Post by Oyster »

Most definitely. She did not get 'motherhood' right the first time and due to her confusion of what to do she lost her kids. Kalayla was a second chance to do right by herself and her kids
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Post by J Edwards »

Second chances only come to the deserving. When you look at the personality of the character Lena, you can clearly see that she deserved reliving her motherhood that was taken away from her.
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Post by 19blueofficial »

Yeah. I think she sees Kalayla just like she saw her little boys while they were still alive. She saw Kalayla as someone who needed guidance and to correct her mistakes she had made in the past as a mother.
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