What’s the greatest length you would go to make sure your family survives? Would you join the life of prostitution to make sure your little boy stays alive? Would you sacrifice everything you have to keep your family in their home? Or would you leave all your family behind to find freedom in another country? In the book, Krik? Krak!, a series of short stories, the author Danticat utilizes juxtaposition to create “Do Whatever It Takes” characters that in return create an overall mood of appreciation throughout the book. The characters from the short stories Night Women, A Wall of Fire Rising and Children of the Sea all support the theme of “Do Whatever It Takes” to create a mood of appreciation.
One character that supports the mood is the mother …show more content…
“It was almost six months since the last time Guy had gotten work there. The jobs at the sugar mill were few and far apart” (Pg. 65). Guy can barely find a job but he takes whatever he can, even if it’s just cleaning toilets, to make sure he has enough money for him and his family to survive. “’Listen to what happened to me today!’ Guy’s seven-year-old son—Little Guy—dashed from a corner and grabbed his father’s hand” (Pg. 53). Guy’s son, Little Guy, is so excited that he got a part in his schools play. Guy knows that his son will do well with this play and he is proud of him. Guy has done all he can to make his sons life as good as possible so he doesn’t rob the joy of it from him. Even though guy is somewhat happy, he still longs for real freedom. “During the day, when the field was open, Guy would walk up to the basket, staring at it with the same kind of longing that most men display when they admire very pretty girls”(Pg. 61). Guy wants to take the balloon far away and fly it to freedom and that what makes him sad. If he takes the balloon; he will leave his family behind. “Within seconds, Guy was in the air hurtling down towards the crowd” (Pg. 77). Guy feels as though he will never be free and the way out is to commit suicide. This sets the mood of appreciation because the reader can …show more content…
This story is the first in the book, so it basically sets the mood for the entire book. “I don’t know how long we’ll be at sea. There are thirty-six other deserting souls on this little boat with me” (Pg. 3). The boy is on the boat, trying to escape Haiti, on his way to Miami for a better life. This is another example of the “do whatever it takes” attitude that the characters have. “Behind these mountains are more mountains and more black butterflies still and a sea that is endless like my love for you” (Pg. 29). He leaves his family behind, as well as his lover, to search for a better life in America. Towards the end of the story, he has to throw the notebook away because the boat was beginning to sink. “Last night on the radio, I heard that another boat sank off the coast of the Bahamas. I can’t think about you being in there in the waves” (Pg. 29). The boys boat sank in the ocean, but he still died doing “whatever it took” to reach freedom in America. The boy has to sacrifice all he has in Haiti, and also his safety to try and achieve a better life, this makes the reader appreciative of living in a better
One character that supports the mood is the mother …show more content…
“It was almost six months since the last time Guy had gotten work there. The jobs at the sugar mill were few and far apart” (Pg. 65). Guy can barely find a job but he takes whatever he can, even if it’s just cleaning toilets, to make sure he has enough money for him and his family to survive. “’Listen to what happened to me today!’ Guy’s seven-year-old son—Little Guy—dashed from a corner and grabbed his father’s hand” (Pg. 53). Guy’s son, Little Guy, is so excited that he got a part in his schools play. Guy knows that his son will do well with this play and he is proud of him. Guy has done all he can to make his sons life as good as possible so he doesn’t rob the joy of it from him. Even though guy is somewhat happy, he still longs for real freedom. “During the day, when the field was open, Guy would walk up to the basket, staring at it with the same kind of longing that most men display when they admire very pretty girls”(Pg. 61). Guy wants to take the balloon far away and fly it to freedom and that what makes him sad. If he takes the balloon; he will leave his family behind. “Within seconds, Guy was in the air hurtling down towards the crowd” (Pg. 77). Guy feels as though he will never be free and the way out is to commit suicide. This sets the mood of appreciation because the reader can …show more content…
This story is the first in the book, so it basically sets the mood for the entire book. “I don’t know how long we’ll be at sea. There are thirty-six other deserting souls on this little boat with me” (Pg. 3). The boy is on the boat, trying to escape Haiti, on his way to Miami for a better life. This is another example of the “do whatever it takes” attitude that the characters have. “Behind these mountains are more mountains and more black butterflies still and a sea that is endless like my love for you” (Pg. 29). He leaves his family behind, as well as his lover, to search for a better life in America. Towards the end of the story, he has to throw the notebook away because the boat was beginning to sink. “Last night on the radio, I heard that another boat sank off the coast of the Bahamas. I can’t think about you being in there in the waves” (Pg. 29). The boys boat sank in the ocean, but he still died doing “whatever it took” to reach freedom in America. The boy has to sacrifice all he has in Haiti, and also his safety to try and achieve a better life, this makes the reader appreciative of living in a better