Symbolism in The Farming of Bones by Edwidge Danticat Essay

Symbolism in The Farming of Bones by Edwidge Danticat Edwidge Danticats novel, The Farming of Bones is an epic portrayal of the relationship between Haitians and Dominicans under the rule of Generalissimo Rafael Trujillo leading up to the Slaughter of 1937. The novel revolves around a few main concepts, these being birth, death, identity, and place and displacement. Each of the aspects is represented by an inanimate object. Water, dreams, twins, and masks make up these representations. Symbolism is consistent throughout the novel and gives the clearly stated and unsophisticated language a deeper more complex meaning. While on the surface the novel is an easy read, the symbolism which is prominent throughout the novel†¦show more content†¦Within the first four chapters the Senora is in labor and much to her surprise, and the surprise of the readers, the Senora gives birth to a set of twins. Upon the arrival of the twins it is said that most babies begin as twins but one usually kills the other as a result of having to share the same womb. Many of us start out as twins in the belly and do away with the other, says Doctor Javier (p. 19). This is an exact parallel to Haitians and Dominicans. The womb is the island that the two nations share, and they are the twins, one of which will most likely kill the other. It becomes abundantly clear throughout the novel the amount of hatred and disgust the two nations have for one another and when one of the twins dies unexpectedly, readers are left wondering which nation will be the first to fall. There was quite a difference between the twins as one was lighter skinned, and the other, much to the familys dismay, had much darker skin. The Dominican Republic was represented by the stronger, lighter skinned, male baby, and Haiti was portrayed by the weak, dark skinned, female child. When, much to the readers surprise, the male child is the one that dies, it implies a sort of uncertain future for the Dominicans. The use of twins is an important aspect of the novel as it al lows the author to inform her readers through symbolism as opposed to literally disturbing the story line. After Kongo loses his son, Joel, heShow MoreRelated Massacre in Edwidge Danticats The Farming of Bones Essay1760 Words   |  8 PagesMassacre in Edwidge Danticats The Farming of Bones The massacre that Edwidge Danticat describes in The Farming of Bones is a historical event. In 1937, the Dominican Republic’s dictator, Rafael Trujillo, ordered the slaughter of Haitians on the border of the two countries. Twelve thousand Haitians died during the massacre (Roorda 301). The Massacre River, which forms the northern portion of the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, was named for a separate massacre in the nineteenth-centuryRead MoreThe Farming of Bones: the Symbolic Portrayal of Waters Relation to Death vs. Life1590 Words   |  7 Pagesthrough water in her journey and Danticat shows us how it affects her in the novel. In a time where there was much death and tragedy, Danticat’s depictions gives us insight into just how horrific the events were that took place during the period of the novel. In Edwidge Danticat’s The Farming of Bones, water is viewed upon as a symbol of death vs. life and is a common theme in the novel especially in r eference to the Massacre River. The Farming of Bones by Edwidge Danticat revolves around the true eventsRead MoreSymbolism in The Farming of Bones2123 Words   |  9 PagesJustin Peterkin Eng150-014 Prof. N. Essey 11/15/11 Research Essay Symbolism in The Farming Of Bones In The Farming of Bones, a story based on tragic real life events written by Edwidge Danticat, a Haitian girl named Amabelle attempts to establish a new life for herself in the neighboring Dominican Republic after the tragic deaths of both her parents. After establishing herself in the Dominican town of Alegria as a servant for a Dominican family, Amabelles whole way of life is once again turnedRead MoreThe Farming of Bones Summary1688 Words   |  7 Pages02.29.08 Component B â€Å"The Farming of Bones† By: ~Edwidge Danticat~ Talking about the culture brought throughout this book, your looking at a Latin American culture, specifically the Dominican/Haitian cultures. As I read this book, beyond the many numerous ways she worded her sentences and how the characters spoke, they often spoke with a definant difference than you would hear here in common U.S. language. They would constantly use inferences to what they were