“The Book of the Dead” explores the complex relationship between child and parent. The relationship that Gabrielle and her father had was different to the one Ka and her father shared. Gabrielle and her father had confidence and communication with one another; which both Ka and her father lacked. Once Ka’s father told her how he received the scar, everything went downhill from there. This story accurately portrays parent-child relationships by showing how once trust is lost, it cannot be easily recovered. How an expressive, open-minded father can have a positive impact on his daughter’s life. How a father should be someone you can rely on for encouragement. Ka’s minimalist sculpture was of how she depicted her father to be like when he was
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She did not specify to her father how outraged she was that the sculpture she was going to sell to Gabrielle Fonteneau, a famous Haitian actress, was gone. How the reason for the whole trip was based on that statue. Her father did try to speak to the daughter and tell her the truth. Once her father did tell her the truth; why he never visits Haiti and where the scar came from, the relationship between them worsened. Ka seemed to have felt betrayed. For the longest she was told her father was the prey, however, her father was the predator. He confesses that his scar was from one of his victims who he shot and killed, like how he killed many others. As well, he told her how the nightmares were of memories he had of “hunting”. (Danticat, 22-24) From then on, Ka did not feel normal around her father. She stated how “confessions do not lighten living hearts”. (Danticat, 33) For her the truth was better left unknown- as If she did not want to be part of the mess-She is so mad at her father she refuses to hear any explanations her mother gives. To the reader, it seemed Ka was mad knowing the damage her father has done. Why they never visited Haiti, was because the father did not want to be reminded of the horrible things he has done in the past. Ka and her father did not have a communicative relationship, nor did Ka seem to have trust in him after what he had told her. (students, 2009) Families have their difficulties, but sometimes the problem is so grave it never truly resolves
She did not specify to her father how outraged she was that the sculpture she was going to sell to Gabrielle Fonteneau, a famous Haitian actress, was gone. How the reason for the whole trip was based on that statue. Her father did try to speak to the daughter and tell her the truth. Once her father did tell her the truth; why he never visits Haiti and where the scar came from, the relationship between them worsened. Ka seemed to have felt betrayed. For the longest she was told her father was the prey, however, her father was the predator. He confesses that his scar was from one of his victims who he shot and killed, like how he killed many others. As well, he told her how the nightmares were of memories he had of “hunting”. (Danticat, 22-24) From then on, Ka did not feel normal around her father. She stated how “confessions do not lighten living hearts”. (Danticat, 33) For her the truth was better left unknown- as If she did not want to be part of the mess-She is so mad at her father she refuses to hear any explanations her mother gives. To the reader, it seemed Ka was mad knowing the damage her father has done. Why they never visited Haiti, was because the father did not want to be reminded of the horrible things he has done in the past. Ka and her father did not have a communicative relationship, nor did Ka seem to have trust in him after what he had told her. (students, 2009) Families have their difficulties, but sometimes the problem is so grave it never truly resolves