A Wall Of Fire Rising By Edwidge Danticat

Sometimes things have deeper meanings than what first meets the eye. This happens multiple times in the short story “A Wall of Fire Rising” by Edwidge Danticat. In this story, Guy, the father of a young boy, struggles to find work and support his family. Due to the fact that Guy is extremely miserable, he often notices symbols of freedom around him and daydreams of a better life. One of the first symbols in the story, is the hot air balloon Guy fantasizes about flying one day. The deeper meaning doesn't lie in the balloon itself, but in the man who owns the hot air balloon. “I have seen the man who owns it,” he said. “I’ve seen him get in it and put it in the sky and go up there like it was some kind of kite and he was the kite master. I see the men who run after it trying to figure out where it will land” (Danticat 233-234). What can be taken from this is that many men want the freedom of flying the hot air balloon, but only the owner has the ability to escape life's problems through the use of it. Therefore, giving the hot air balloon owner power over the men. …show more content…
This is where Guy is hoping to find work, but is currently allocated on a waiting list. This is the reality for so many men, henceforth the sugar mill represents poverty and hard work. “It was almost six months since the last time Guy had gotten work there. The jobs at the sugar mill were few and far between. The people who had them never left, or when they did they would pass the job on to another family member who was already waiting on line (Danticat 233). This shows the poverty of where they are living and how hard it is to find a job. From this, it’s easy to see the struggles Guy faces on a daily