Institute History
Description
SEASONS is the story of Solomon, a writer with two wives, with whom he spends alternating seasons, and a woman who wants to be his lover. They know about each other, but since they're spread out over the globe there's not much chance they'll meet, until one day.
The journey opens with Solomon, a forty year old African American, returning to Cape Corcos Island, his childhood home in the West Indies, where he spends four months out of the year with his wife Miriam. Nine years his senior, Miriam is a sensual, patient woman who has never left the island. Although barren, she devotes her life to being a mid-wife, birthing the babies of poor Islanders. A respected man of the community, Solomon invests in and enjoys the beauty of island life.
For the first time in their fifteen year marriage, Solomon cuts his visit short to return to America to promote his new children's book inspired by the folk tales of West Africa. In America, his life is further complicated by Sam, his attractive but needy alcoholic neighbor. Solomon disentangles himself from a compromising position with Sam, explaining to her that he's never been unfaithful to his wives, a concept which Sam finds frustrating, contradictory, and challenging. Sam's relentless questioning of Solomon's lifestyle and perusing events challenge him to revaluate his commitments.
Anxious to anchor himself, Solomon travels to visit his second wife Ashia in Ghana ahead of his four month schedule. Here in Ghana, Solomon enjoys Ashia's dedicated passion, the simplicity of village life, and the strong sense of family and history. It is apparent that Solomon needs his African roots to spark his muse.
When Solomon returns to Miriam on the Island he questions his need to be there. Because of Miriam's response and subsequent events, Solomon decides to remain permanently on the island. He cannot bring it upon himself to share this news with Ashia, who unbeknownst to him has given birth to his son. Ashia tries to find her husband and travels to the Island to give him the news. At the same time, obsessed with Solomon, Sam also appears on the Island.
Shaken by the final climactic events, Solomon is forced to make hard choices and confront inner truths.