Children of the Sea

Student’s name
Dr. Baksh
ENG 295
Institutional affiliation
Date
Assignment
Children’s of the sea
The “children of the sea” is a story that centers majorly on the theme of loss and an enduring power of love. It is the first story in the “krik Krak!” Authored by Edwidge Danticat, the tale has no particular, definite period in which the setting takes place but it can be deduced through the plethora of details, and with historical knowledge, it occurred in the year 1959. The Tonton macoutes in the 1959s helped Francois Duvalier in rising to power, elections and his dictatorship regime (Catherine N.p). They are mostly present in this setting and are set to facilitate the actions and decisions made by Duvalier. “The children of the sea” establishes violent and dehumanizing instances which help in creating a clear context of the effects of war on the individuals, family, and nation as a whole. (Danticat 1-29). The paper, therefore, addresses the theme of war with its effects on families, individuals, and the country as Danticat demonstrates in the children of the sea. Further, it highlights the issue of black lives present in the current world.
The Duvalier regime is violent and dehumanizing as it results into horrific treatments to its people. The administration helps to highlight adverse results associated with war. The female letter writer together with her parents is in the process of hiding and destroying materials that supported the old regime such as posters and buttons.

Upon resuming office, President Duvalier ousted and fled the former president to Haiti in a bid to destroy the old system. More to that, individuals in support of this old regime were forced to abandon any materials, and those who rebelled were prosecuted and arrested. The story establishes instances of senseless violence and horror in the society. Such cases and occurrences depict the adverse effects of war and brutal regimes. In a nutshell, the main storyline of the children of the sea is brought about by the decisions of Haitian people influenced by the absence of political and intellectual freedom in their country. As a result, many Haitians abandon their homeland and flee to their safety following the various mistreatments arising out of war.
Wars that are facilitated by the struggle for power have the central theme of brutality. In the children of the sea, the macoutes militia in support of the Duvalier performs cruel, senseless and unconscionable acts to the people (Catherine N.p). Their actions have aims of maintaining order and power through the installation of fear and terror among the people of Haiti. A refugee in Kartz article says “Every time there is a deportation, there is a massacre” (Katz N.p). The brutal activities were administered to every citizen regardless of their age, gender or physical orientation. Children were forced to sexual activities with their parents; people were mushroomed to death by the soldiers with guns, women walked in the streets with heads of their dismembered children among many other ruthless mistreatments.
In a time of war, people have different expectations and hopes of change in the current situations. They have hopes, beliefs and a state of hope that things will change for their good. Some people may choose to flee the country while other persevere the situations. Many Haitians had to withstand the atrocity while other such as the male letter writer had means of fleeing the country. Those who remain had hopes of change, improvement and an end to the violence. Unfortunately, the events that follow suggest that their hope is ill-founded. In the story, the male letter writer escapes in a boat which late begins to sink upon departure. Also, the passengers are hopeful of finding a coast guard who will help them despite the low levels of probability.
Wars hinder the expression of love in families, couples and the society as a whole. Its occurrence separates people from seeing each other despite the many expectations they might have. The story starts with a man writing a letter to his fiancé in a boat together with 36 other people. The sky appearance relieves him of childhood memories and the presence of white bed sheets that had blood stains reminds him of her fiancé who declined to have sex with him. In the letter, he begs him not to marry war warriors as they don’t make right families. The two lovebirds constantly write letters to each other, but they never get to deliver the messages as a result of the war. Also, a hindered true love is portrayed between parents and their children such as the love between Celianne and her unborn baby and also female letter writer and his father.
The themes represented by Danticat in the “children of the sea” indicate that some social issues in the society exist despite the condition of occurrence of war. For instance, people always hold the attributes of national identity, race, and discrimination despite being trapped in similar problems”. The works of the Danticat can be used to highlight the condition of racism, oppression of minority groups and black people in the United States. Kartz in his article indicates discrimination instances by racism and originality, “Juliana Deguis claimed the bureaucrats discriminated against her because she had dark skin and a Francophone name – markers of Haitian identity” (Katz N.p). In the short story, the conversation of Bahamas and Cuba underline the importance placed in the national identity and difference between the communities. The geographical location of Haiti and its culture is so close to both Bahamas and Cuba however; they all see themselves as entirely different people from each other. Danticat, therefore, helps in the knowledge of the differences placed among states, cities, and locations in the current world. For instance, citizens of the United States put a wide gap between people based on the state or city they originate.
In the short story, the two letter writers express their feeling and exchange ideas using writing. It is a symbolization of political oppression since their current situation in Haiti bars them from exchanging ideas freely and through speaking. They chose to use secretive means to exchange ideas. However, in extreme cases of oppression the parties affected decided to break their code in a way purportedly intended to effect change in the society. It is depicted in the words of a mother to her daughter, “sometimes you have to choose between your father and the man you love after the young man has gone to exile.” Similarly, in the United States, the minority groups who had been oppressed for decades later comes out boldly to express their feelings and their demands to the government. It facilitated the establishment of the black lives matter movement (Tharoor N.p). Danticat reveals this bold move in the short story through “the Radio Six” forum where “we could talk about what we wanted from the government, what we wanted for the future of our country.” The boldness adopted by individuals further facilitates arrest, fleeing, and loss of lives in extreme circumstances in our current society. (Danticat 21-23).
The Danticat’s tale, “Children of the Sea,” illustrate the various instances that happen as a result of the war, excessive power and dictatorship regime. The characters in the book present different themes across the story that help in understanding the impacts war might have on individuals, families, and nations. It further highlights issues that are a clear depiction of similar instances in today’s world and with similar associations. His works, therefore, adopts the tradition of minority groups who champion for a better life through expression of their sorrows and joyful life experiences.
Works cited
Catherine, Roth. “Tonton Macoutes (Milice Volontaires De La Securite Nationale – MSVN) | The Black Past: Remembered And Reclaimed”. Blackpast.org. N.p., 2016. Web. 17 Dec. 2016.
Danticat, Edwidge. Krik? Krak!. 1st ed. New York: Vintage Books, 1996. Print.
Katz, Jonathan. “In Exile”. Nytimes.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 13 Dec. 2016.
Tharoor, Ishaan. “Black Lives Matter Is a Global Cause”. Washington Post. N.p., 2016. Web. 16 Dec. 2016.