Summary Of Restavec: From Haitian Slave Child To Middle Class Americans?

This autobiography “Restavec: From Haitian Slave Child to Middle Class Americans” written by Jean-Robert Cadet gives a first hand experience into the child labor that takes place in Haiti from a primary source such as a former slave. This book reveals details from Cadets childhood slave labor experiences all the way to the day he enlisted himself into the United States Army and changed his life for the better. Cadet’s experience really demonstrates how much hard work and a focus of what you want to achieve can pay off. The restavec phenomenon dates back as long as history itself. Taking place in Haiti, restavecs are slave children who are not paid and do not attend school. This phenomenon is a reintroduced form of slavery that takes place to this day. Children are mistreated most of the time, sleeping in the kitchen on rags or receiving brutal beatings by those who they are “owned” by and also the police. Often timed the reason a child is given up to become a restavec is because the family of …show more content…
He then abandoned his son and rarely came to visit him. In the book Cadet states “perhaps he thought that Florence would give me a better life”. Never the less, Cadet was then forced into child labor becoming what is known as a Restavec. From Cadets perspective he may have resented his father for the choice he had made but Cadets relationship with his father was not entirely negative. Because of Cadet’s Relationship with his father he was able to receive a visa and immigrate to the United States. This opportunity allowed Cadet to make the biggest decision of his life and displayed courages agency by immigrating to the United States in hopes to better his life for the future. Not many Restavecs are lucky enough to have the opportunity to better their lives and although Cadets father abandoned him, he left Cadet with the gift and ability to get out of Haiti, escape child labor and start a new