Desperation, the state of being desperate, rash and without care, as from despair which is to lose or give up hope (according to the Webster's Dictionary).
The following characters each reached a state of desperation at one point in the novel, Brother Man: Girlie, Minette, Jesmina, Bra' Ambo, Papacita and last but most definitely not least Cordelia.
Girlie's state of desperation came from the unhealthy relationship she fostered with Papacita. On page116, the desperation in which she craved for death by Papacita's hands was very extreme. The amount of times Papacita hurt her both physically and emotionally was suddenly too much for her to bear.
As for Minette, she has come to the conclusion that she is in love with Brother Man and she is very anxious about whether he feels the same way. She keeps fighting between boldly confronting the matter or just to take things calmly and slow. Inother words, she is desperate for his intimate love, attention and recognition of her as a woman.
Jesmina, though not crazy like her sister, Cordelia, has a bit of desperation also, as a result of the many struggles she has to go through with her crazy, half-cracked sister, her ill nephew, her relationship with her boyfriend, Shine (who she feels guilty about because she has a man and her sister's own is in prison) and her job (which does not seem to be much of an issue). Fortunately and unlike her sister Jesmina seeks help and refuge in Brother Man's care. In addition to that she prays.
Brother Ambo (Bra' Ambo), in pages 52-53 comes to Brother Man in urgent, desperate fear as though he is running from someone- the police. He practically begs Brother Man to hold unto some of his "equipment"with which he uses for obeah. Brother Man nicely refuses and states that if it was anything else that he would have happily kept it for him. He also tells him that if he (Bra' Ambo) doesn't want to get caught then simply throw the stuff away.
Papacita's acts of desperation come later in the story, when in an effort to get Minette he secretly frames Brother Man and then bails him, hoping to impress her by looking out for Brother Man's well-being. Also by handling the counterfeit money. If he wasn't so against getting a proper job he wouldn't have turned to such an illegal method of getting money... or maybe he still would, since he's just lazy.
Cordelia, the queen of insanity and paranoia.... Cordelia's desperation mixed with her state of depression is in itself overwhelming. This is so because she starts meddling with obeah, locking her sister in her room, hiding things, murmuring to herself, seeing things in her mind, becoming even more superstitious, becoming paranoid of Jesmina leaving and of Brother Man trying to steal Jesmina away, she also becomes a second hand partner to framing someone innocent (someone she used to trust) and finally committing infanticide and suicide. This all occured as a result of her not being strong enough to handle all her struggles and trials, which came one after the other cumulating upon each other. She also lacked faith, courage and trust, in God, (who seemingly is portrayed through the medium of Brother Man).
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