Danticat, Edwidge: * 1969

Breath, Eyes, Memory, 1994 - Information about the Book

  • General Information
    • The novel is about a young Haitian girl named Sophia, whose mother leaves her with an aunt in Haiti as a baby and moves to New York to escape bad memories and get a better life for herself.
    • Information from Wikipedia
    • Information from Symbolism

    • Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in 1969, Danticat was separated from her parents at a young age when they emigrated to the United States. She was raised by her aunt and uncle in Haiti until she joined her parents in New York at the age of twelve. This personal history mirrors that of Sophie, the novel’s protagonist, who also experiences a childhood in Haiti before moving to the U.S. to reunite with her mother.

      The story explores the complexities of identity, family relationships, and generational trauma, reflecting Danticat’s own struggles with assimilation and cultural preservation.

      Writing the novel was a way for Danticat to process her own memories and familial bonds, making it an intimate exploration of identity and healing.

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  • Facts

    • Some of the most notable awards are:

      American Book Award: In 1999, Danticat received the American Book Award for "Breath, Eyes, Memory." This award recognizes outstanding literary achievement by diverse authors.

      Oprah's Book Club Selection: The novel was selected for Oprah Winfrey's book club in 1998, which significantly boosted its popularity and readership.

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    • Sophie Caco - The protagonist, Sophie grows from a young girl in Haiti to a mother in her early 20s in New York. Born to Martine after she was raped, Sophie is raised by her aunt Tante Atie until age 12 when she joins her mother in New York. She struggles with the trauma passed down from her mother's sexual abuse and testing.

      Martine Caco - Sophie's mother, who leaves Haiti for New York when Sophie is young, promising to send for her later. Martine was raped as a young woman and passes on her trauma to Sophie through testing her virginity, a practice from her own upbringing.

      Tante Atie - Sophie's aunt and primary caregiver in Haiti until age 12. Atie is kind but also traumatized, stoked by her mother Granmè Ifé's testing. She teaches Sophie the importance of daffodils as a symbol of resilience.

      Granmè Ifé - Martine and Atie's mother who insists on testing her daughters' virginity, passing down generational trauma. An old widow obsessed with death.

      Joseph - A kind, patient musician from Louisiana who becomes Sophie's husband and the father of her daughter Brigitte. He supports Sophie through her trauma.

      Marc - Martine's long-term Haitian lawyer boyfriend in New York who does not fully understand her pain.

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    • Trauma and Sexual Violence
      The novel delves into the intergenerational trauma caused by sexual violence, as Sophie's mother Martine was raped at a young age, leading her to impose harmful "testing" rituals on Sophie to ensure her virginity. This cycle of abuse and its lasting psychological impacts on women is a central focus.

      Mother-Daughter Relationships
      The complex, fraught relationship between Sophie and her mother Martine is explored, shaped by Martine's own trauma, cultural expectations, and her attempts to instill certain values in Sophie. Their bond evolves as Sophie comes to understand her mother's past.

      Haitian Culture and Identity
      Danticat vividly portrays Haitian culture, traditions, folklore, and the challenges of navigating identity for Haitian immigrants like Sophie who move to the United States. The novel highlights the difficulties of assimilation and maintaining cultural ties.

      Memory and the Past
      Memory plays a crucial role, as the characters grapple with haunting memories of trauma, loss, and their connection to their personal histories and Haitian heritage. The novel suggests confronting and reframing memories is necessary for healing.

      Gender Roles and Patriarchy
      The novel critiques patriarchal structures and expectations placed on women in Haitian society, exploring how practices like virginity testing and gender-based violence stem from female oppression.

      In summary, "Breath, Eyes, Memory" is a poignant exploration of trauma, cultural identity, gender dynamics, and the powerful bonds and struggles within families and communities

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    • Key Facts
    • Symbols
    • Characters and symbols
    • How to analyze the themes
    • Daffodils symbolize strength and resilience. When Sophie leaves for New York, she is wearing a yellow dress embroidered with daffodils. She also describes the daffodil as a flower that was not supposed to grow in Haiti but was brought there anyway and was forced to adapt to survive in the heat.

    • The novel was praised for its lyrical prose and poignant storytelling. Danticat's narrative style, which weaves together the personal and the political, resonated with many critics.

      Readers have generally responded positively to the novel, appreciating its emotional depth and the strength of its characters. Many readers find the book's exploration of generational trauma and resilience both heartbreaking and inspiring.

      "Breath, Eyes, Memory" is often included in discussions of important works in feminist literature, immigrant narratives, and books that tackle the themes of trauma and healing.

      Overall, "Breath, Eyes, Memory" is regarded as a powerful and moving debut that introduced Edwidge Danticat's compelling voice to a wide audience, receiving both critical and popular acclaim.

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    • Structure, Narrative devices and conflict
    • Reader Rating:
  • Author
    • Edwidge Danticat on writing her first novel "Breath, Eyes, Memory." Minnesota Public Radio; Sept. 25, 2013
    • Edwidge Danticat reads and talks about the novel. Introduction by Amber Edwards, host of State of the Arts, New Jersey PublicTelevision; 1994
  • Commentary
    • This novel weaves together issues of sexual development, sexuality, and body-image as well as the relationship of political violence to sexual violence. It also looks at family relationships and the possibility of healing even within ravaged histories. The book is beautifully evocative of Haiti and of the experience of immigration. (Sophie recalls the hell of going to school with non-Haitians where "HBO" –-Haitian Body Odor-–was a common complaint and where one was immediately suspected of having HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). She also remembers the ways a trans-national Haitian community was forged in New York.) The brief section that deals with Sophie's therapy experience barely escapes trendy cliché, but usefully looks at the issue of cross-cultural, multicultural therapeutic methods. Danticat links the political reality of Sophie's mother's rape by one of Haiti's highly feared Tonton Macoute (government death squad members) with Sophie's own troubles, but insists that healing must go beyond political analysis to include personal growth and change, a growth that includes coming to terms with the secrets and trauma of one's own individual and familial history.
      Stanford, Ann Folwell, DePaul University
      Excerpted, with permission, from the Literature, Arts, and Medicine Database at New York University School of Medicine, © New York University.

      The novel, though uneven, especially in the later chapters, and rather too full of incident, offers much insight into lives shaped by poverty, sexual violence, cultural displacement, and broken relationships. Despite the many hard experiences depicted, the depiction of female bonds, the ways women sustain community even in situations of abandonment and sorrow, conveys hope. Sophie, her aunt, and her mother are all memorable characters--women who have survived and borne much, who carry pain and sometimes inflict pain as a result, but whose resourcefulness and capacity to choose life on compromised terms testifies to the depths of resilience many find even after deep trauma. The mother's eventual suicide is tragic, but the fury it evokes in Sophie seems yet another reassertion of life force in the midst of violence and loss.
      Marilyn Chandler McEntyre, UC Berkeley
      Excerpted, with permission, from the Literature, Arts, and Medicine Database at New York University School of Medicine, © New York University.
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