Blog 8

    Krik? Krak! meaning a way of story telling fits well as the topic of the novel because it brought all the stories together and symbolizes that these stories are connected to the same topic. In the speech Danticat gave during MLK day, she told us that when facing terrible situations, for example death that is coming soon, people choose to tell their personal stories and feelings even towards people that they are not familiar with. However, this brought the community and people who have shared their experiences closer. All of the stories in Krik Krak is being told in the character's own perspective, which I believe shows the reader more of their inner thoughts and feelings that corresponds to the idea Danticat told us about storytelling in her speech, how it brings connection between people that are not originally close to each other.
    The role of storytelling is important, especially in a nation like Haiti. Many people suffers from the lost of their beloved or from the society they are facing. Women are afraid to have power, additionally, to speak what they want and express what their feelings are. Therefore, it is a nice way to tell stories of their own experience to people they trust in order to receive a way of expressing. It is also likely that Haitians would have similar experiences with the storyteller, so could be helpful and are more understanding. Moreover, just as Danticat has mentioned, she considers her mother and her aunts as artists, because of how they told her about stories while braiding her hair. Even though Danticat's mother rejects her dream as a writer at first because of it being dangerous in the place they was living, Haiti; Danticat thought that it is necessary and great to tell storties to more people which motivated her as a writer that wrote this book Krik Krak with a series of short stories about her homeland and the people back in Haiti. Last but not least, Story telling is a way to continue history that should be remembered between a family, between Haitian and even to be remembered for the people.
      As in the novel Krik Krak, story like the Night Women is an example of storytelling. The mother tells her son a phantasy world and dreamy story to cover the ugly reality she is facing on her own, because of her love and protective thoughts toward her son. It is another application of storytelling, like a lie originating from a good intention to protect people they love. Another example from the novel is the story of 1937 where the daughter is being told about her mother having magical powers and wings to fly. It is also an embellished story being told to prevent a love one knowing the crucial hardships that is depressing. Both of these stories being told to their younger generation might be later on unmask as they grow older, but it brought a more innocent and pure childhood for their children. In fact, story telling is a way of comforting people as like the author Danticat has mentioned  that is pull people's relationship better, creating a beloved community.

Dandicact's presentation respond

    It is amazing to have this opportunity to see an author of the book we read in class. It made me felt closer and more related to the book Krik Krak after listening to Danticat's speech yesterday during MLK day. The video she showed to the audience is not just about her book and lives in Haiti, instead, it expanded her speech to racism in society in the history until today's situation we are facing. The issue of immigrants is hot and debatable these days in the United States that connected to Ms. Danticat's own experience and her father's experience on trying hard to move to the states as a legal citizen. It is also connected to the story of Caroline's Wedding in the book Krik Krak, also New York Women as a successful immigrant story that is like Danticat herself as a successful writer in a country she moved in. However, talking about racism and how she felt incompatible when she first moved in, I belive that connects to our society even today on to immigrants coming to a new and different culture. Even as a overseas student, I felt inharmonious when living in a place where the language spoken wasn't familiar at first and the people, culture seemed so different. 

        Moreover, Ms. Danticat mentioned about how art can sometimes be a form of non violent protest, which I found interesting and reminded of something I read. It is a small country (I do not remember which) under the Soviet Union's control, knowing that they're weaker, they chooses music to be their weapon. The people gathered, played instruments and sang songs that shows their patriotism and shows their own culture differiante from the Soviet Union's forced culture on them. 

        Last but not least, I found that the stories in Krik Krak might in someway reflects or symbolizes Ms. Danticat's experience as a Haitian and the obstacles she have tried to subdue. 

Blog#7

Similiariy found in Differences

    In my opinion, Krik Krak is a stroy based on the lives of Haitian women and their stories. However, most stories we have read from the book, is about women that are not so fortunate in life. Only a few stands out not being so unlucky, for example the New York Day Women. In every Haitian-based stories, female characters were not being respected in the society with many evidences that occured in their life being told in the story. In 1937, the mother was being imprisoned as a criminal for killing the baby with her practiced religion without any prove of her doing this crime. Mostly women were kept in the prison and most of all they were being treated poorly. Not only few nutrients were being given as like normal prison, but these women suffered from the prison guards' violent actions like pouring down ice water to cool their thoughts of power and freedom every night. Also in the story Night Women, the women could not have a dignitary job that she could proudly tell her son, she has to be working in a way of sacrificing her body in night to support her living and her son's.  In the epilogue "Women Like Us", the author Danticat's mother told her that female writers were being rumored as "lying whores" in Haitian, which is really offensive. 

      On the other hand, the American-based stories sounded less harsh and terrible. Especially the "New York Day Women", the main female character in this story lives a normal life in New York with a office job and with her mother being able to afford what they wanted to eat without thinking while buying hotdogs. In the story "Caroline's wedding", even though the situation isn't as positive, bright comparing to the New York Day Women seeing so relaxed and airy. But Caroline's family is still living a better and completing life in contrast of those in Haitians suffering with extreme conditions mentally and physically. 

           Overall, these differences to say, are obvious to tell while reading. The tone and feeling of the story New York Day Women even seemed so incompatible to all the stories previously read in Krik Krak. But similarities of them suffering from what is happening and what have happend in Haiti---their home land, and their identity as a Haitian, still appears in their life. In the stroy " Caroline's wedding", she felt insecure and without a place she belongs before getting an American passport; the father having to pay and marry someone in order to come the United States also tells how hard their life have been just for a desire to settle in a more peaceful country. Also being sent to jail also made the girl and the family more desperate for the citizenship, this experience of being sent to jail for no serious crime reminded me of the stroy 1937 again. Also in New York Day Women where everything felt so peaceful, the mother still continues thinking of her homeland and the bad things that have been happening to the women and the poeple. It is like a brand and like a tattoo that will always be in the heart of a Haitian, especailly those who have seen or suffered because of being one of them, making all of their experiences similiar in some way.

Krik Krak Reading notes (starting from Night Women)

Kirk krak 

Night women 

-the mother is a prostitute but didn't want her son to know 

-Doctor (Emmanuel) comes every Tuesday and Saturday. 

-accordionist (Alexandre) Monday and Thursday. 

She is supporting a better life for her son on her own so this might be an only way for her to earn money for a living. And she as a mother wanted to keep her son from knowing the difficulties and the realistic parts of life.

New York Day Women

-in Manhattan 

-the narrator's mother told her and divulge some bad things in Haiti that would happen like being blamed even if you're hit by a car and how the mother is afraid of eating outside. 

-her mother babysits 

-Suzette works in a office 

-"shame is heavier than a hundred bags of salt"

This is in comparison a more positive story out of the others since they made it the U.S. But her mother is still missing or being empathy for what have happened in Haiti even though it's not a good condition to be living in. 

Caroline's Wedding (not done)

-Grace(narrator): recieves her American citizenship with her elder sister. 

Got arrested in sweatshop raid and put in prison for three days

-Caroline: born without left arm. (Hermine say she thinks of herself too American) born in America. Getting married. 

-Hermine (Grace's mother) from Ville Rose, part of the secret women society that Josephine in 1937 was in. Unhappy about her daughter Caroline's wedding with Eric. 

-They went to the refugee funeral which are the refugees from the Children of the Sea. 

-Ms. Ruiz's son was killed a month ago trying to hijack a plane because he wanted to go to Miami. 

-Their dead father originally became a us citizen by a fake marriage, after few years they devorced and brought the mother and Grace. 

-the reason why Hermine did not like Eric is thinking that Grace is having the idea that no other man will come along. 

-"Why is it that when you lose something, it is always in the very last place look?"

Epilogue "Women like us"

-she uses "you"

-where she is from, writers are being said lying and even rapped, throw into jail. Most writers are politicians. That's why the mother did not like her being a writer, instead being a nurse is what's more preferred ,

-"to the way that these women lived and died and lived again."Danticact. 

-999 unified women made Danticat felt her responsibility to continue writting. 

Hope in Krik Krak

        A flying hot-air balloon, consistently written letters to their love, and a mother who has wings to fly. All of these are a symbol representing each character's hope and dream within their harsh situation. The author--Danticat, might be trying to show the reader, even though these characters are facing poverty or facing danger, they did not choose to surrender. The theme of a hard life of the Haitians seems more obvious; but instead, hope, is what I think as another important theme and symbol of these three stories in Krik Krak.
      In Children of the Sea, the lovers are being seperated, the male character is facing his approaching death on the sea. But he choose to write down thse words to his lover even though he is not sure if she will get it. The female character on the other side also choose to continue writting her letters to her lover that is no where near to be found. Both of them did not choose to give up on their relationship;Moreover, they still have this small burning hope inside them beliveing that one day the letter might be given to each other.
      A Wall of Fire Rising, has the most obvious, physical symbol of hope in its story. The hot-air balloon represents the father---Guy's hope to escape from his life and from his unchangable reality. He said that he did not want to live his father, in proverty. Especially in the time period where men are expected to be pwerful and supportive for his family; Guy being the opposite, felt setback. He must have understood the consequences he will face if he goes on to the hot-air balloon. Therefore, he choose to die as soon as he reached his goal, his admiration of all time. He has a strong feeling and as his wife is worried, I believe that this hope isn't helpful nor practical to solve Guy's problem. This is another different kind of hope being showed in Krik Krak in comparison to 1937 and The Children of the Sea.
     In 1937, Josephine's mother is told that could fly and has wings. The wings and the symbol of flying also represents an escape to a more hopeful place. However, their situation was harsh during the Haitians Massacre in the Dominican Republic. Shootings made the river turn into red and her mother trying to save her daughter---Josephine, choose to jump into the other side of the river. It is brave what she've done but every women during that time were not expected to have power nor to show a stronger stregnth than men. Therefore, her imprisoned mother suffered through all the tortures and mistreatment from the prison guard and eventually die. This shows how women power and hope weren't accpeted and is dangerous during that time. However, in this story, another side of hope is considered dangerous and untouchable that causes trouble.
     These three stories from Krik Krak show different perspectives and consequnces hope during that time might bring. But also shows how hope often appears whenever the situation seems more difficult and stressing.

Relating quote to story

Quote 1

This quote about love directly reminded me of the first story we read—The children of the Sea. It is really a touching love story I have read so far recently, most love stories that made me felt touched and sad are mostly from movies that are more vivid. But Children of the Sea made me felt melancholy after reading. The word "drown" specifically connects to the theme of the story surrounding this main character floating around in the sea on the boat missing his lover. It also connects well with the ending of he being physically drowned. The quote shows how love can be losing control as you fall deeper for someone and for the relationship. It started like small drizzle rain that doesn't matter so much until it became so important and even dangerous to handle. 

Quote 3

This quote reminds me of not only one of the story since 1937, fire wall rising are both set in a character that is poor. The word "extraordinary dream" reminds me of a fire wall rising, the father —Guy, having his own fascination and yearn on the hot air balloon no matter how his economic situation does not allow. He believes in what he want and even though it might seem irresponsible to leave his family behind, he did not care about any obstacles that he might and are facing to get to the balloon representing a freedom and escape of his life presently. 

However, in 1937, the mother "flied" into the other side of the river in order to save her daughter—the narrator shows also how poor people or people in danger could have a unexpected strong strength that help them pass these "very amazing obstacles". 

Kirk Krak: (Notes) 1937 and A Wall of Fire Rising

1937

Josephine: narrator. Lives in Ville Rose, where many artistic people lives. 

Her mother: is in jail( the condition inside the jail isn't good since she said it smells bad.) put into prison because of dabbling. Accused for killing the baby as a witch. Wanting to break the cold between her mother, she said "manman, did you fly?" 

Beaten to death because they don't know how to cure her sickness. 

Josephine's grandmother: killed by Diminican repupiblican soldiers 

The guards: makes the prisoners pour ice on each other every night. Proving that they're treated badly and inhuman. Also how she saw many of them have bruises. 

Jacqueline: came visiting Josephine in a midnight, told her that her mother is dying. (Josephine did not trusted this lady at first because she was asking her questions, wanting her to prove that she is the one that went to the river with her mother before) 

This story tells a dark side of the life back in 1937 in Haiti society. Her mother might be a powerful lady because magic is being applied on her, but people did not like women acting powerful (?) during those days. 

Her mother's ability to fly might not be physically flying with wings but her braveness and a symbol of freedom from Dominican to Haiti. 

 A Wall of Fire Rising 

Lili: a mother, housewife. Worried about her husband obsession with the balloon. 

Little guy: goes to school. Reads the monologue about Haitian revolution. 

Guy: works in the Sugar mill but doesn not like his job at all. Fascinations about the hot air balloon. Did not want to live like his father, poorly for his whole life. 

The Assads: Rich Haitian family that help runs sugar mill in Shantytown. 

When Guy kept on telling Lili to take good care of little guy and saying how did not want to live like his father, it is suspending and foreshadowing to his death. 

The hot air balloon might be a symbol of hope for guy. 

His wife did not choose to close his eyes--> because he liked looking up at the sky.

What little guy have been reading and memorizing, the monologue, is reflecting to his father's thoughts and the Haitian society.