Ready Reference Treatise: Breath, Eyes, Memory

By Raja Sharma

“Breath, Eyes, Memory” was the first novel by Edwidge Danticat. At the time of the publication of this novel, she was only twenty five years old.

After the publication of the book, she mentioned during various interviews that she had actually started writing it as an essay of her childhood in Haiti and as a young girl her move to New York City.

There is first person narrative in the novel, and Sophie Caco, the narrator relates her own direct experiences and impressions from the time when she was around twelve years old to her twenties.

The novel basically deals very descriptively with the questions of racial, linguistic, and gender identity. They have been discussed in interconnected ways.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Raja Sharma
• Release date: Feb 18, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301346332

Raja Sharma

Raja Sharma is a retired college lecturer.He has taught English Literature to University students for more than two decades.His students are scattered all over the world, and it is noticeable that he is in contact with more than ninety thousand of his students.

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Ready Reference Treatise: Breath, Eyes, Memory

Raja Sharma

Copyright

Ready Reference Treatise: Breath, Eyes, Memory

Raja Sharma

Copyright@2013 Raja Sharma

Smashwords Edition

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Chapter One: Introduction

Breath, Eyes, Memory was the first novel by Edwidge Danticat. At the time of the publication of this novel, she was only twenty five years old.

After the publication of the book, she mentioned during various interviews that she had actually started writing it as an essay of her childhood in Haiti and as a young girl her move to New York City.

There is first person narrative in the novel, and Sophie Caco, the narrator relates her own direct experiences and impressions from the time when she was around twelve years old to her twenties.

The novel basically deals very descriptively with the questions of racial, linguistic, and gender identity. They have been discussed in interconnected ways.

The protagonist’s battle with her inner self happens to be the major conflict of the novel. He mother had been raped when the mother was only sixteen. She had been raped by an unknown man. The protagonist is a child of rape.

Seeing the daughter the mother is reminded of the wounds that had been caused to her. After the rape the mother happens to be wounded but very resilient.

The protagonist’s mother often has nightmares about the rape and she begins to resent her own self and her body.

With the progression of time, Sophie grows into the same type of woman as her mother. She is also involved in a battle with herself as a woman, wife, mother, and a daughter.

Though a grown up woman, she carries and fights the weight of her inheritance. She lives and struggles with her mother’s bitter experiences of the past.

Chapter Two: Plot Overview

Sophie Caco is a twelve year old girl who lives in Haiti with her beloved but illiterate aunt Atie. In the opening of the novel she comes back home from school in Croix-de-Rosets, Haiti.

Seeing that her aunt is sad, Sophie presents her a handmade Mother’s Day card. She had saved the card for this day. Aunt Atie does not accept the card and says that the card belongs to Martine, Sophie’s mother and Atie’s sister.

The same night there is potluck dinner at the konbit. Atie is compelled to disclose that her sister has sent a plane ticket and instructions. Atie’s sister wants her to send Sophie to New York. When the others hear about it they are happy, but Sophie does not like it, and she is almost devastated.

Atie begins to make preparations of Sophie’s journey. She takes Sophie along to La Nouvelle Dame Marie, Haiti. They go there to take the blessings of Sophie’s maternal Grandme Ife.

During that week, Sophie’s aunt works extra hours because she wants to buy a new dress for Sophie.

Finally, the day of departure arrives. While they happen to be in the middle of the breakfast, the taxi arrives.

Sophie and Atie reach Port-au-Prince, the airport. They find that people are in the midst of a riot over the airport’s name change.

Sophie is quickly sent to the plane along with a small by. The small boy is almost hysterical. The boy’s father was a corrupt government official. He has just been killed in that protest demonstration.

Finally, Sophie arrives