In the world, there are living situations that are devastating and horrific. Haiti is one of the many places containing these circumstances. In the novel, Krik? Krak!, Danticat explores the idea that hope can be found in devastating situations. She uses the motif of flight to express how desperate people are to discover hope in Haiti; they’d rather gamble with death than to live an unfulfilled life in a poor, corrupt country.
Throughout the novel, butterflies are used as a mechanism for flight and a symbolism for hope. Butterflies are first seen in the the introductory story which is named, “Children of the Sea”. It tells of two lovers: a woman living with her strict father and mother in disastrous Haiti, and a man who is floating upon …show more content…
One of the stories being, “Between the Pool and the Gardenias”. A lonesome woman is a maid in Haiti and has suffered many pregnancy miscarriages yet desires to have a child. One day, on the streets, she comes across a baby girl, stranded. At first she is cautious to approach but then feels a longing mother and daughter relationship reaching out. The baby is described to be wearing a tiny blue dress with a butterfly collar, (Danticat, 80). The detail of the collar being decorated with butterflies can infer she carries hope within her or in other words a dream come true, (for the woman to be a mother). The maid adopts the child and takes care of her for a few days but soon recognizes the baby girl is deceased. She goes to bury the body beneath a tree and as she is doing so, a witness informs her that she committed a crime of killing the baby and keeping her hostage. Even with her attempt to refuse the absurd accusation, the law is on its way to punish her with a death sentence, (Danticat, 85). This entire story seems to explain that even with severe consequences, finding hope and following its calling is a better option than to an unsatisfying
Throughout the novel, butterflies are used as a mechanism for flight and a symbolism for hope. Butterflies are first seen in the the introductory story which is named, “Children of the Sea”. It tells of two lovers: a woman living with her strict father and mother in disastrous Haiti, and a man who is floating upon …show more content…
One of the stories being, “Between the Pool and the Gardenias”. A lonesome woman is a maid in Haiti and has suffered many pregnancy miscarriages yet desires to have a child. One day, on the streets, she comes across a baby girl, stranded. At first she is cautious to approach but then feels a longing mother and daughter relationship reaching out. The baby is described to be wearing a tiny blue dress with a butterfly collar, (Danticat, 80). The detail of the collar being decorated with butterflies can infer she carries hope within her or in other words a dream come true, (for the woman to be a mother). The maid adopts the child and takes care of her for a few days but soon recognizes the baby girl is deceased. She goes to bury the body beneath a tree and as she is doing so, a witness informs her that she committed a crime of killing the baby and keeping her hostage. Even with her attempt to refuse the absurd accusation, the law is on its way to punish her with a death sentence, (Danticat, 85). This entire story seems to explain that even with severe consequences, finding hope and following its calling is a better option than to an unsatisfying