Living in a “picture perfect” life and having expectations from family, culture and friends can be challenging, especially when it means putting aside beliefs, dreams and feelings to fulfil others. In the novel, Breath, Eyes, Memory, Edwidge Danticat is attempting to show how expectations can come from both internal and external aspects. She does it through different literary devices. such as, having an allusion to Erzulie or in a cultural reference from Haiti in hope that Sophie’s life and the expectations that she lives by is clear and can be connect to the world. When Sophie is commencing her journey, she has this picture of her mother in this pretty little picture frame. Martine is always smiling and enjoying herself even through time
