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Issues In Haiti

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Exploring Historical Issues in Haiti Haiti is a country in the Caribbean that has experienced internal and external problems that have contributed to its reputation and culture. In A Wall of Fire Rising, Edwidge Danticat illustrates the historical issues in Haiti. Throughout the story, Danticat refers to the difficulties and struggles the Haitian people have to overcome. The main character, Guy, is living in poverty and struggling to provide for his family. Guy is extremely unhappy with his life and dreams of escaping his hardships and responsibilities. Eventually, Guy decides that he can no longer live his life of poverty and uses suicide as his way of escape. The descriptions of the character’s daily routines and responsibilities used throughout …show more content…

In A Wall of Fire Rising, Little Guy attends the “Lycée Jean-Jacques”, which is a French speaking school (Danticat 367). He is also given a speech in his school play “written by a European man” rather than the character, Boukman, himself (Danticat 368). Located in the Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life the article, “Haitians”, describes how the French have impacted the culture and education in Haiti. This article describes that in Haiti Creole is the “informal everyday language” and French is taught in “formal situations”, such as in schools and newspapers (“Haitians”). Before Haiti gained its independence in 1804, the country mainly belonged under the control of France. The wealthy elite in Haiti favored the French lifestyle over its own so that the rest of the world would view them as intelligent. The poor, rural Haitians favor their own culture and Creole language, rather than the French language. However, French was chosen for educational purposes, in order to please the upper class and also to remain a symbol of the French influence that was once over …show more content…

In the story Guy’s life brings him sorrow and grief, resulting in his need to escape. Eventually, his feelings lead him to commit suicide, allowing readers to understand the hardships Haitian in poverty have to face. The country originally known as Saint Domingue faced many obstacles including the Haitian revolution, the diverse racial backgrounds, and the French imperialism that took place. However, the challenges that were encountered and the results that followed each trial helped contribute to the countries reputations and culture.

Works Cited
Danticat, Edwidge. "A Wall of Fire Rising." The Norton Introduction to Literature. By Kelly J. Mays. 12th ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 2017. 366-78. Print.
Dash, J. Michael. Culture & Customs of Haiti. Westport, US: Greenwood Press, 2000. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 8 March 2017.
"Haitians." Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life. Ed. Timothy L. Gall and Jeneen Hobby. 2nd ed. Vol. 2: Americas. Detroit: Gale, 2009. 262-270. World History in Context. Web. 8 Mar. 2017.
Michel, C., and Bellegarde-Smith, P., eds. Vodou in Haitian Life and Culture: Invisible Powers. New York, US: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 8 March 2017.
Popkin, Jeremy D. Viewpoints / Puntos de Vista: Concise History of the Haitian Revolution (1). Hoboken, GB: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 8 March

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