https://padlet.com/jen_bouchard/criticallenssample An analysis of Edwidge Danticat's "Children of the Sea" en-us 2018-09-08 14:17:46 UTC 2020-10-27 18:06:26 UTC hello@padlet.com jen_bouchard https://padlet.com/jen_bouchard/criticallenssample/wish/279085673 A historical lens asks us to read a text for its contextual significance, including information about the author, his or her historical moment, and the systems of meaning available at the time of writing (Von Steuben). Systems of meaning can include the language the author chose to write in, the type of language used (grammar and vocabulary), and the genre of the text. I will consider all of these factors as I analyze "Children of the Sea," a short story from Krik? Krak!, a collection by Haitian-American author Edwidge Danticat, published in 1996.

"Eight Critical Lenses Through Which Readers Can View Texts," Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center, 2016.]]> 2018-09-08 14:48:00 UTC https://padlet.com/jen_bouchard/criticallenssample/wish/279085673 jen_bouchard https://padlet.com/jen_bouchard/criticallenssample/wish/279086089 Understanding Danticat's personal background is critical to reading her stories through a historical lens. Edwidge Danticat was born in Haiti in 1969 and came to the U.S. at the age of twelve (Jaggi). She did not speak English when she arrived in New York, and quickly had to learn the language to be able to function in the American school system. At the age of 25, she published her first novel, Breath, Eyes, Memory, in English. She made the choice to write and publish in English (vs. her native language of creole and the language she had learned in school in Haiti, French) in order to introduce an American audience to the horrors that Haitian people experienced in the 1960s-1990s (and continue to experience).  

Jaggi, Maya. "Island Memories," The Guardian, 2004. ]]> 2018-09-08 14:54:26 UTC https://padlet.com/jen_bouchard/criticallenssample/wish/279086089 jen_bouchard https://padlet.com/jen_bouchard/criticallenssample/wish/279088302 Both of the main characters in "Children of the Sea" mention the macoutes (also referred to as tonton macoutes), Haitian special military forces during the Duvalier regime (the dictatorships under François Duvalier and his son Jean-Claude Duvalier). "did he say, down with tonton macoutes? did he say, down with the army?" (Danticat 24). This indicates that the story is set between 1957-1971, a period of time in which Haitians fled the dictatorial regime in their country and attempted to come to the United States (most ended up in New York and Miami). The man on the boat represents one of the first groups of people to make this difficult journey. By 1960, there were 5,000 Haitians living in the U.S. This number grew during the 1970s and 1980s, as tens of thousands more people fled the country as a result of political instability (Schulz and Batalova).

Danticat, Edwidge. “Children of the Sea." Krik? Krak! New York: Vintage, 1996.

Schulz, Jennifer and Jeanne Batalova. "Haitian Immigrants in the United States." Migration Policy Institute, 2017.]]> 2018-09-08 15:24:28 UTC https://padlet.com/jen_bouchard/criticallenssample/wish/279088302 jen_bouchard https://padlet.com/jen_bouchard/criticallenssample/wish/279088744 It's important to note that the title of the collection of short stories, Krik? Krak! refers to a Haitian oral storytelling technique in which the storyteller says "krik?" to get the audience's attention, and the audience replies "krak!" to indicate that they are listening. The format of the short story, however, is epistolary (letters written back and forth between two people). Since the two main characters are separated by geography, this is the only choice they have for communicating with one another. However, the communication loop is never completed because there is no way for them to actually send the letters to each other until the man reaches the mainland (Miami). Moreover, he must throw the notebook where he has been keeping these letters into the sea. Danticat chooses not to assign a name to either one of these characters since they represent thousands of Haitians who experienced similar conditions during this time period.

The woman's writing, especially, bears the influence of orality (she writes as she would speak) and mixes French, Creole, and English: "haiti est comme tu l'as laissé. yes, just the way you left it. bullets day and night. same hole. same everything. i'm tired of the whole mess" (Danticat 11). Her prose also mirrors the cadence of traditional Haitian storytelling (short sentences to emphasize crucial content, linguistic mixing). The letters allow the reader to understand the parallel experiences and suffering of the woman who stayed behind and the man who attempted migration to the United States.

Below is a video of a Haitian woman telling a story in a traditional format. Listen for the Krik? Krak! at the beginning. Notice the short sentences and emphasis on certain words, as well as the influence of song.

Danticat, Edwidge. “Children of the Sea." Krik? Krak! New York: Vintage, 1996.]]> 2018-09-08 15:32:05 UTC https://padlet.com/jen_bouchard/criticallenssample/wish/279088744 naishaislam07 https://padlet.com/jen_bouchard/criticallenssample/wish/443852875 2020-02-11 17:41:26 UTC https://padlet.com/jen_bouchard/criticallenssample/wish/443852875 71062 https://padlet.com/jen_bouchard/criticallenssample/wish/445670736 2020-02-14 16:34:19 UTC https://padlet.com/jen_bouchard/criticallenssample/wish/445670736 71062 https://padlet.com/jen_bouchard/criticallenssample/wish/445670743 2020-02-14 16:34:20 UTC https://padlet.com/jen_bouchard/criticallenssample/wish/445670743