"Children of the Sea" Through New criticism lens by Jamie Gleason https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc en-us 2018-09-17 16:50:20 UTC 2026-03-21 22:01:04 UTC hello@padlet.com jamieag8 https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/282459843 "Children of the Sea" is a short story written by Edwidge Danticat. The two characters are lovers writing to each other. One is on a boat heading towards the United States, and the other is in Haiti in the process of fleeing with her family. The story is set during the rule of Duvalier, who led a corrupt government in Haiti (Duvalier).

“François Duvalier.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 2 Apr. 2014, www.biography.com/people/fran%C3%A7ois-duvalier-38866#awesm=~oIKFSxr3i2k0xL]]> 2018-09-17 16:52:40 UTC https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/282459843 New Criticism lens jamieag8 https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/282461181 The new criticism lens analyzes both and goes further into the meaning behind the overall message in the text. Danticat includes lots of symbolism and themes in her stories. The new criticism lens analyzes both and goes further into the meaning behind the overall message in the text. The text from a new criticism lens has all the already has needed information in the text(criticism).
“New Criticism.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/new-criticism.

]]> 2018-09-17 16:54:30 UTC https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/282461181 jamieag8 https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/282462629 One of the biggest symbols in “Children of the Sea” is the sea itself. While on the sea, the male writer refers back to a dream he had, where he goes to heaven, but it is at the bottom of the sea, “This heaven was nothing like I expected. There were starfish and mermaids all around me… You were there with me too, at the bottom of the sea. You were with your family, off to the side”(12).  Many Haitians lost their lives trying to reach The United States by boat, so the sea where they lost their lives is a symbol of heaven.

“Perhaps I was chosen from the beginning of time to live there with Agwe at the bottom of the Sea… as I too become a child of the sea” He knows that he doesn’t have long to live and that his version of the afterlife is waiting for him at the bottom of the sea. In the previous quote, he also mentions seeing his lover and her family at the bottom of the sea, which may foreshadow that someday they will see each other again in heaven.


]]> 2018-09-17 16:56:34 UTC https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/282462629 The Banyan tree jamieag8 https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/282464440 The female writer writes her letter from under the Banyan tree. To me, the symbolism safety. It the middle of all the chaos in Haiti, she feels safe writing under the tree. She believes that “ If we call the gods from beneath them, they will hear our voices clearer”(28). She hopes that these trees will protect her from the bad around her, and keep her gods close.]]> 2018-09-17 16:59:06 UTC https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/282464440 Butterflies jamieag8 https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/282466024 A reoccurring theme in Danticat's stories is butterflies. In "Children of the Sea," Manman believes that they carry news with them. bright colored butterflies bring happy news, and the dark colored ones bring bad news. The female writer in this story avoids the dark butterflies as much as she can because she fears that her lover did not survive his trip on the boat.]]> 2018-09-17 17:01:25 UTC https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/282466024 Importance of Family jamieag8 https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/282472575 The female character stuck in Haiti struggles with her father in the beginning because he doesn't want her keeping the tapes of her boyfriend, who is wanted by the police.

Throughout the story, we can see her trying to get along with her father since their family is all they have while shut up in their homes to avoid the army. 

Near the end of the story, she finds out he sold and risked everything he had to save her since the military is out to find her. If it weren't for her father, she wouldn't make it out. 


]]> 2018-09-17 17:10:39 UTC https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/282472575 Family is All You Have jamieag8 https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/282481673 Celianne is a character who shows this theme. She gives birth to her child on the boat, and refuses to let go of it, even when it dies. I think this is because the baby was her only family, and sometimes when things get hard, they're all you have.]]> 2018-09-17 17:23:12 UTC https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/282481673 jamieag8 https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/282482177 What stuck out to me while reading is the strong themes surrounding family in "Children of the Sea."]]> 2018-09-17 17:23:40 UTC https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/282482177 jamieag8 https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/282484204 2018-09-17 17:25:58 UTC https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/282484204 jamieag8 https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/284025268 The plot is very realistic. It is made, to be honest about what has happened in Haiti. "Children of the Sea" is written to tell the story of the people who did not make it to The United States, and for those who risked all they have to save themselves or their family.

For example- it tells what happen to those who spoke out against the army.  This can be seen when they visit Madam Roger's home, "He hated you like I hate you criminals. You killed him. They started to pound at her. You can hear it. You can hear the guns coming down on her head" (14).]]> 2018-09-20 16:42:55 UTC https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/284025268 The ending jamieag8 https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/284032060 As mentioned in the previous column, Danticat is honest with how things are. The man on the boat ends up not making it to Florida, where the boat was heading towards.

With the girl in the story, the risk her family takes ends up paying off, at least when the story ends. Beyond that, it is hard to tell what will occur.

I think this ending shows both the positive and negative ends of taking a risk that can better or worsen your life. This fits in with "The goal then is not the pursuit of sincerity or authenticity, but subtlety, unity, and integrity--and these are properties of the text"(Delshoyde).

Delahoyde, Michael. “New Criticism.” Brief Timeline of American Literature and Events:1850s, public.wsu.edu/~delahoyd/new.crit.html.]]> 2018-09-20 16:54:12 UTC https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/284032060 jamieag8 https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/284035026 I have mentioned honesty before, but it is the strongest trait in all of "Krik? Krak!". 

]]> 2018-09-20 16:58:45 UTC https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/284035026 jamieag8 https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/284035981 Madam Rogers goes to the morgue to find her son's body, but they only returned the head, "She had been carrying the head all over port-au-prince... the macoutes by the house were laughing at her" (7). This passage shows the way the ordinary people in Haiti were treated. They laughed at a woman who felt dead inside because she lost her son. ]]> 2018-09-20 17:00:18 UTC https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/284035981 jamieag8 https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/284039031 Another part of this story that portrays the honesty is when Celianne explains how she got pregnant. Starting with the son and mother getting intimate out of fear for him losing his life. Then it gets to her "Afterwards, the soldiers tied up Lionel and their mother, then they each took turns raping Celianne" (20). This was a sad, but common occurrence under the rule of Papa Doc Duvalier.]]> 2018-09-20 17:05:14 UTC https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/284039031 jamieag8 https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/284193237 2018-09-21 01:30:32 UTC https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/284193237 jamieag8 https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/284196126 2018-09-21 01:49:32 UTC https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/284196126 jamieag8 https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/284196293 2018-09-21 01:50:36 UTC https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/284196293 Citation for images jamieag8 https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/284196548 Nebhrajani, Roshan. “Edwidge Danticat on Immigrant Guilt, Separation, and Art.” The New Tropic, The New Tropic, 23 Mar. 2016, thenewtropic.com/edwidge-danticat/]]> 2018-09-21 01:52:10 UTC https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/284196548 jamieag8 https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/284196678 Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “François Duvalier.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 14 Apr. 2018, www.britannica.com/biography/Francois-Duvalier.]]> 2018-09-21 01:53:06 UTC https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/284196678 jamieag8 https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/284202041 2018-09-21 02:28:15 UTC https://padlet.com/jamieag8/15de5g29rnqc/wish/284202041