Chapter Summaries:
Chapter 18
Dona Eva's birthday also happened to be the day of Rafi's unofficial wake. Initially Senora Valencia wouldn't allow anyone to see the body of her son, but on the day of his wake anyone who asked to see him was allowed to walk past him. During the wake, Senora Valencia sat alone in her room with her daughter, Rosalinda. Later on, Papi turned on the radio, which was playing fragments of speeches by the Generalissimo, and everyone listened to them, silently agreeing with what was being said. Then when everyone had left, Senor Pico held Senora Valencia while she grieved. Afterwards she said she wanted him to bury Rafi's clothes, and he began to without question.
Chapter 19
Amabelle tells us how long it takes to get to a cave where she and Sebastien made love. And that when you are in the cave, the curiosity of nature makes you want to celebrate yourself in a way where you should hope that your body knows you better than yourself.
Chapter 20
Senor Pico is burying his son's clothes for Senora Valencia, and did not accept help from anyone who offered. Senora Valencia wanted to go to her son's burial, but instead was told about her mami by Juana. Amabelle went to see Sebastian that night but before she saw him she was to tell Kongo that Don Ignacio wanted to pay for Joel's funeral, and Kongo said that there was not going to be a funeral. Then she saw Sebastien and after they talked he walked her back to Senora Valencia's house. The next morning, Senor Pico was preparing his son's coffin and then he drove it to be buried. Senora Valencia made an altar for her son and then invited the passing group of cane workers, including Sebastien and Kongo, in for a cafecito. Sebastien, Kongo and others had one and Kongo gave his regards to Senora Valencia. Then when Senor Pico, he noticed that a certain tea set was used, and he threw all of the pieces against a cement wall outside.
Chapter 21
Amabelle tells us of a time at Christmas, when she was younger and with her father. Her father would always make her lanterns shaped as monuments and she asked her father to make her one of his face so she could keep it the entire year, but he laughed because it would've been too vain of him to spend the amount of time required, on it.
Chapter 22
Rosalinda's baptism was taking place. It was crowded at the chapel because others were waiting for their children to be baptized as well. After the baptism, they ate a feast cooked by Juana. Then Kongo brought Amabelle a papier-mache mold of his son's face. He talked to her about when he used to make the masks and that his wife loved them. Then he revealed that he was there because Sebastien had sent him because he wanted Amabelle to save herself for him. After she thanked Kongo for the mask, she went on her way to see Sebastien through the footpath around the stream but did not make it all of the way because she was stopped by stonemasons and Unel. They said it was not safe for her to be out at that time alone because of talk of Haitians being killed. She was brought to the compound and then went to Sebastien's room with Yves. She found out that he talks in his sleep with his eyes open, and then the next morning while Sebastien had coffee she and him exchanged a smile, before he went to work.
Chapter 23
Amabelle dreams of the sugar women again. She is described as dancing in a skirt, with jewelry on and a mask covering her face. Amabelle in her “orphan child voice” that she recalls from the day her parents drowned, asks the women about her face. She replies by saying she was made to put on the mask so she would not eat the sugar cane. Amabelle wakes up next to Sebastian asking her about her dream.
Chapter 24
Dona Sabine’s house is described as an opening to this chapter, surrounded by cement and watchmen. Amabelle walks by the house on her way to Senora’s, she sees Luis outside and he informs her that the Patron is leaving today and that he doesn’t know where he is actually going. As Amabelle heads into the house she is almost shot by Senora Valencia as she is practicing to shoot with her husband, she is shocked but Amabelle assures her that she is okay. Later, a Guardia truck comes to pick up Senor Pico and instead of saying goodbye to his daughter he chooses to just say goodbye to his wife. Lidia, a visiting distant cousin of the family holds her as this scene unfolds. At the end of the chapter Papi decides to go on a walk by himself.
Chapter 25
Amabelle dreams again in this chapter. She speaks of dust storms, and personifies it as a sheet coming undone from a clothes line. She sees her mother, her father and her child self amidst the chaos. When the storm ends she sees only herself, standing there with her arms raised up “in motionless prayer”.
Chapter 26
This chapter starts off with Doctor Javier examining Rosalinda. He also approaches Amabelle about fleeing as a mass killing of Haitians is about to unfold. He tells her of the plan, with other priests and people to cross the border. Amabelle thinks it over, and just in case she decides to go. She hand makes a sack and throws some belongings in it, one of those things being the mask made of Joel. Papi has still not returned and everyone is worrying so Luis goes out to look for him, at this time Amabelle goes searching for Sebastian. She tells him of what the doctor told her and offers them plus Mimi to cross the border tonight. Sebastian seems to get angry, then decides that they should go see Kongo. When they get there and talking ensues, Yves states that he plans on staying. Kongo says he is too as he is too old to take on any journey. He wishes them on their path with a ritual that his grandfather did for him, but placing a V of flour on the ground. Amabelle says goodbye and Sebastian tells her that he will get Mimi and head to the church where they will all meet. Amabelle goes back to Senora Valencia’s and they are still searching for Papi. Beatriz comes up from her mother’s home, and speaks to Senora Valencia about the rumors. They have other bouts of small talk, about how Valencia wants to paint her son and Beatriz speaks of how she stole Senor Pico from her. How she will never find another man like him. After this they go down the road to look for Papi, during this time a truck speeds by and dust whirls up into Senora’s face and she has to be rushed back to the house. Blood appears on the back of her dress and at this time Papi returns, with a cross bearing Joel’s full name on it. The story continues to move quickly, 2 army trucks stop and a wall of soilders form against Unel’s brigade. Beatriz, Amabelle and Juana watch nearby as Senor Pico gets out and orders Unel’s men to kneel, put their weapons down, then to be taken away to the border. They refuse. Dona Eva runs down to Senor Pico to tell him news but he refuses to hear it, and orders her to go back into the house. She instead runs to Beatriz to tell her that Doctor Javier, Father Romain and Father Vargas have been arrested and taken. Then a man is run over by the truck from Don Carlo’s mill. Amabelle runs down to the road but is ordered away by Senor Pico. Chaos then ensues, fighting begins, and Unel is taken away. The chaos disperses and prisoners are taken. Senor Pico gathers some men and heads up to the house. Amabelle then runs away, visits the church to find no one there, and continues on to Kongo’s abode. She runs through the cane field during this time and comes out all scratched up, covered in bugs. Kongo tells her that he heard that Sebastian and Mimi have been taken and that they were probably taken to prison if not killed first. She leaves to find Yves at Dona Sabine’s house before she heads off on the journey to find her love and his sister. At Dona Sabine's house an old women talks of how the priests were separated from the people and taken away in a different truck at the same time. Amabelle finds Yves, they try to take Felice with them but she refuses. Instead they trade wood for a machete and head off for the journey to find Sebastian and Mimi.
Amabelle dreams of the sugar women again. She is described as dancing in a skirt, with jewelry on and a mask covering her face. Amabelle in her “orphan child voice” that she recalls from the day her parents drowned, asks the women about her face. She replies by saying she was made to put on the mask so she would not eat the sugar cane. Amabelle wakes up next to Sebastian asking her about her dream.
Chapter 24
Dona Sabine’s house is described as an opening to this chapter, surrounded by cement and watchmen. Amabelle walks by the house on her way to Senora’s, she sees Luis outside and he informs her that the Patron is leaving today and that he doesn’t know where he is actually going. As Amabelle heads into the house she is almost shot by Senora Valencia as she is practicing to shoot with her husband, she is shocked but Amabelle assures her that she is okay. Later, a Guardia truck comes to pick up Senor Pico and instead of saying goodbye to his daughter he chooses to just say goodbye to his wife. Lidia, a visiting distant cousin of the family holds her as this scene unfolds. At the end of the chapter Papi decides to go on a walk by himself.
Chapter 25
Amabelle dreams again in this chapter. She speaks of dust storms, and personifies it as a sheet coming undone from a clothes line. She sees her mother, her father and her child self amidst the chaos. When the storm ends she sees only herself, standing there with her arms raised up “in motionless prayer”.
Chapter 26
This chapter starts off with Doctor Javier examining Rosalinda. He also approaches Amabelle about fleeing as a mass killing of Haitians is about to unfold. He tells her of the plan, with other priests and people to cross the border. Amabelle thinks it over, and just in case she decides to go. She hand makes a sack and throws some belongings in it, one of those things being the mask made of Joel. Papi has still not returned and everyone is worrying so Luis goes out to look for him, at this time Amabelle goes searching for Sebastian. She tells him of what the doctor told her and offers them plus Mimi to cross the border tonight. Sebastian seems to get angry, then decides that they should go see Kongo. When they get there and talking ensues, Yves states that he plans on staying. Kongo says he is too as he is too old to take on any journey. He wishes them on their path with a ritual that his grandfather did for him, but placing a V of flour on the ground. Amabelle says goodbye and Sebastian tells her that he will get Mimi and head to the church where they will all meet. Amabelle goes back to Senora Valencia’s and they are still searching for Papi. Beatriz comes up from her mother’s home, and speaks to Senora Valencia about the rumors. They have other bouts of small talk, about how Valencia wants to paint her son and Beatriz speaks of how she stole Senor Pico from her. How she will never find another man like him. After this they go down the road to look for Papi, during this time a truck speeds by and dust whirls up into Senora’s face and she has to be rushed back to the house. Blood appears on the back of her dress and at this time Papi returns, with a cross bearing Joel’s full name on it. The story continues to move quickly, 2 army trucks stop and a wall of soilders form against Unel’s brigade. Beatriz, Amabelle and Juana watch nearby as Senor Pico gets out and orders Unel’s men to kneel, put their weapons down, then to be taken away to the border. They refuse. Dona Eva runs down to Senor Pico to tell him news but he refuses to hear it, and orders her to go back into the house. She instead runs to Beatriz to tell her that Doctor Javier, Father Romain and Father Vargas have been arrested and taken. Then a man is run over by the truck from Don Carlo’s mill. Amabelle runs down to the road but is ordered away by Senor Pico. Chaos then ensues, fighting begins, and Unel is taken away. The chaos disperses and prisoners are taken. Senor Pico gathers some men and heads up to the house. Amabelle then runs away, visits the church to find no one there, and continues on to Kongo’s abode. She runs through the cane field during this time and comes out all scratched up, covered in bugs. Kongo tells her that he heard that Sebastian and Mimi have been taken and that they were probably taken to prison if not killed first. She leaves to find Yves at Dona Sabine’s house before she heads off on the journey to find her love and his sister. At Dona Sabine's house an old women talks of how the priests were separated from the people and taken away in a different truck at the same time. Amabelle finds Yves, they try to take Felice with them but she refuses. Instead they trade wood for a machete and head off for the journey to find Sebastian and Mimi.
Discussion Questions:
“I see my mother and father myself. I am with them, a child who still must hold a hand to walk, a child who must look up to talk, to see all the faces. After the storm has cleared, I find myself with my hands raised up, in motionless prayer, as though some invisible giants were guiding me forward, my face tipped up towards the trees covered with a veil of white foam” (pg. 139, Chapter 25)
What role do you think dreams play in this book, especially with Amabelle’s relation to not only herself but her relationship with Sebastian. Why do you feel as if she normally either dreams about the Sugar woman or her parents? Do you think that these dreams foreshadow anything that will follow?
“Senor Pico forced his way past the crowd spilling over outside as his wife carried their daughter to the front row, which was reserved for the more privileged families. Senora Valencia wore a pale cream dress with a mantilla bordered with the same Valenciennes lace as the table cloth that had been buried with her son” (pg. 118, Chapter 22)
These scenes of the baptism are very tense. Do you see a connection between Senora Valencia wearing a dress bordered with the same lace that her son was buried with? Why do you think she wore a symbol of her son’s death during a celebration of baptism and her daughter’s new life as a Christian?
“The high cement walls around Dona Sabine’s house were dotted with watchmen with deep brown peasant faces. Some looked too old, others too young to carry to ancient rusting rifles slumped over their shoulders, the holding straps digging flesh marks into their backs. As I walked by, I looked up at the high patio doors, where a small cloister of men and women crouched behind fragile curtains while watching passerby on the roads” (pg. 134, Chapter 24)
What does this quote say about the political tension occurring within the period of this book? How do you think this image of the watchmen on the high cemented walls of this house portrays the conflict that this country is experiencing? How do you think the image of the women and men crouching behind the windows relates to this idea of political tension?
“Finally she said, “You should bury his clothes before we bury him. This is something I would like you to do for me.” If he thought this strange, he raised no question at all. He got up abruptly and stretched” (pg. 98-99, Chapter 18).
What do you think the burying of their son’s clothing represents? Can you think of any other cultures that perform a ritual such as this when their offspring die? How does this relate to the body? As clothes are what we cover ourselves in.
“It was ceremonious the way I buried him, I know. No clothes, no coffin, nothing between him and the dry ground. I wanted to give him back to the soil the way his mother passed him to me on the first day of his life” (pg. 108, chapter 20)
What do you think of this in connection to our bodies and our place on this earth as a human race? How does this ritual of burying Joel correlate to our societies way of burying our dead (normally in a coffin) & what do you think about our rituals of burying the dead in this country?
“I see my mother and father myself. I am with them, a child who still must hold a hand to walk, a child who must look up to talk, to see all the faces. After the storm has cleared, I find myself with my hands raised up, in motionless prayer, as though some invisible giants were guiding me forward, my face tipped up towards the trees covered with a veil of white foam” (pg. 139, Chapter 25)
What role do you think dreams play in this book, especially with Amabelle’s relation to not only herself but her relationship with Sebastian. Why do you feel as if she normally either dreams about the Sugar woman or her parents? Do you think that these dreams foreshadow anything that will follow?
“Senor Pico forced his way past the crowd spilling over outside as his wife carried their daughter to the front row, which was reserved for the more privileged families. Senora Valencia wore a pale cream dress with a mantilla bordered with the same Valenciennes lace as the table cloth that had been buried with her son” (pg. 118, Chapter 22)
These scenes of the baptism are very tense. Do you see a connection between Senora Valencia wearing a dress bordered with the same lace that her son was buried with? Why do you think she wore a symbol of her son’s death during a celebration of baptism and her daughter’s new life as a Christian?
“The high cement walls around Dona Sabine’s house were dotted with watchmen with deep brown peasant faces. Some looked too old, others too young to carry to ancient rusting rifles slumped over their shoulders, the holding straps digging flesh marks into their backs. As I walked by, I looked up at the high patio doors, where a small cloister of men and women crouched behind fragile curtains while watching passerby on the roads” (pg. 134, Chapter 24)
What does this quote say about the political tension occurring within the period of this book? How do you think this image of the watchmen on the high cemented walls of this house portrays the conflict that this country is experiencing? How do you think the image of the women and men crouching behind the windows relates to this idea of political tension?
“Finally she said, “You should bury his clothes before we bury him. This is something I would like you to do for me.” If he thought this strange, he raised no question at all. He got up abruptly and stretched” (pg. 98-99, Chapter 18).
What do you think the burying of their son’s clothing represents? Can you think of any other cultures that perform a ritual such as this when their offspring die? How does this relate to the body? As clothes are what we cover ourselves in.
“It was ceremonious the way I buried him, I know. No clothes, no coffin, nothing between him and the dry ground. I wanted to give him back to the soil the way his mother passed him to me on the first day of his life” (pg. 108, chapter 20)
What do you think of this in connection to our bodies and our place on this earth as a human race? How does this ritual of burying Joel correlate to our societies way of burying our dead (normally in a coffin) & what do you think about our rituals of burying the dead in this country?
Contextual material:
Postpartum depression:
http://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/postpartum-depression.aspx#
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/local/2015/02/27/doctor-postpartum-depression-occurs/24138763/
Dreams:
http://www2.ucsc.edu/dreams/FAQ/
http://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-news/your-dreams
I think that the dream chapters in the novel provide a way for the reader to understand the deepest thoughts of Amabelle and Sebastian. The interactions between the two also allows their relationship to develop further because when they talk to each other about their dreams, they understand each other's past and how they view the world because of that. Since the other chapters do not get into as much detail about these characters personally, the dream chapters allow Amabelle and Sebastian to be understood.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Allison. I think that without shorter chapters, this would be an ordinary novel, but with them, you are understanding Amabelle's and Sebastien's thoughts throughout the novel, along with the basics of their relationship in the other chapters. I think that a possible reason of why Senora Valencia wore the same lace that her son was buried with to her daughter's baptism, was to represent her son in some way. Obviously she wishes he could be there, and he would be, so I think that this is her way of having some presence of him there for his sister's baptism. The way in which Joel was buried is definitely not custom anymore, if it once was, because now most people are buried in some sort of coffin. Joel said that his son "was one of those children that grew like weeds in the field" and that his son didn't need anyone or anything and perhaps this is his reasoning in burying him without clothes or a coffin. And to give him back to his mother in the proper way, since we come into this world naked/without clothing he wanted him to leave the world in the same way.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to the final quote and talking about the significance of our bodies and how it relates to the burial of the son, I think it hit homes on a theme of loss and death. The way the son is buried (with no clothes and coffin), I feel as though the author is trying to get us--the reader, to examine the role of death, and how it plays a fundamental role in not just that specific character, but as a whole. The way the son is buried signifies almost a sense of loss of identity, dying without anything and being put into the ground--just as he was once born. I felt as though the way Joel is buried definitely contrasts greatly. From our own funerals, we usually bury the dead in a coffin, dressed accordingly, but with the son, he is merely buried naked and free from humanistic clothing and ideas--rather buried and left to remembrance, which strikes a similarity to that of our own funerals and in helping us cope with death.
ReplyDeleteI keep seeing a connection between life and death throughout this story. Every time a baby is born and it is time to celebrate, someone dies and it seems more like a bittersweet moment rather than a happy moment. I've only ever seen a birth or rebirth while a death took place in this book.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to give my thoughts about death and the ritual of the buried bodies that you talk about in the blog post.
ReplyDeleteI think Edwidge Danticat’s story in many ways is a story about different social classes and the power distance in between. In the book, people know their places in the society and cannot do much to change these. They spend time with their equals, and the characters in the book often seem to refer to the situation as “us versus them.” One concrete example is when upper class Señora Valencia invites the lower class workers for coffee – there is a big clash.
I can see the power distance that is presented throughout the book extra clear when it comes to the funerals. Danticat proves by example the differences in social class; she proves the differences between what people are worth, one could say. The system really rates importance of human lives. The lower class worker Joël is put down in the dirt, united with the earth, nothing more and nothing less. The other son who passed away – Rafí – gets an elegant funeral.
The grief for the closest people to Joël and Rafí is the same, but different social classes divide people. I think the way the bodies are buried really show that power distance.
I thought the burying of her sons clothes was her trying to move on by removing all signs of him ever being there. May be her dressing in the same material symbolized part of herself dying with the child.
ReplyDeleteI found your last quote interesting and I'm not sure of the answer to your question. But, I did find the comparison between Joel's burial and the babies. They had very different burials but each really appealed to Joels father/Senora Valencia in different ways.
Refering to the fourth quote, I think that she wanted to bury the clothes because they were the only thing left of her son. Since her son did not have a chance to really make a mark on the world or have anything to be rememered for, his clothes are basically the only thing he did have. This could also been seen as a coping mechanism for Senora Valencia to grieve the death of her son.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Taylor. I have felt the same way reading this novel. In the beginning of the story two babies are born, but then right after they are born Sebastien's friend dies. Also, in today's class we talked about how Amabelle helped bring in new life, and how she killed Odette. Death is a prominent theme within the text, and with the massacre going on I am sure there will be more deaths and lives taken because of the this.
ReplyDeleteI, too, would like to talk about the dreams. I agree with what Allison said. I think dreams give us more ways/clues as to what is happening in Amabelle's head. I've always had this thought that dreams aren't just random. I think that our dreams tell us something and maybe we don't know it yet, but I think that eventually we will find out that reason for that dream. We may find that reason consciously or not. Something in the back of our mind is causing us to dream a dream. It may not even be the back of our mind, it may be something that we have been thinking about for awhile. What do these dreams mean? We don't always know, and I think that maybe some of Amabelle's dreams are foreshadowing things, or not letting her forget her past. I think that she looks to her dreams for comfort, just like she does with Sebastien. Not to mention, the dreams do make Sebastien and Amabelle's relationship stronger because they connect when they share them and are deeply interested in what goes on in the other's mind while they are asleep.
ReplyDelete