The Theme Of Water In The Farming Of Bones

In the book, The Farming of Bones, the author, Edwidge Danticat, uses the motif of water throughout the novel to represent the theme that in order to find prosperity, you must first find your roots. This novel takes place in the early 1800s when the people of the Dominican Republic or Dominicans feel empowered and superior to the people of Haiti or Haitians since they have lighter skin. They want to exile or kill all Haitians on their land in an attempt to purify their country. The protagonist in this story is a Haitian girl named Amabelle Desir who has found love with a Haitian, cane-worker named Sebastien Onius. Although Amabelle lost her parents due to their drowning in the Massacre River, she has been able to find comfort and love with

When Senora Valencia’s twin boy and girl were born she had them examined by a doctor in the Dominican Republic. As the darker-skin daughter was cleaned and bathed by the doctor, the doctor observes; “‘She has a little charcoal behind the ears, that one,’ Doctor Javier boldly told Senora Valencia as he lifted her daughter from the water”(17). The daughter has darker skin which scares the Dominican parents because people in their society are looked down upon if they have darker skin or are Haitian. So when the Doctor attempted to purify the daughter because she appeared slightly darker, it was not appreciated that her dark skin remained present. The water used to bathe her is used discretely to purify the daughter from her color of skin and to a life with lighter skin in order to find happiness for herself and be successful. Even after this cleansing for the daughter, a more proper bathing occurs later in the book. In this case, the priest at the church christians the baby and afterwards, the parents are very cautious of their “new” and “purified” baby girl; “I leaned forward and grazed Rosalinda’s cheeks with my lips. Her forehead was still wet where the priest had doused it with holy water. Senor Pico yanked his wife’s arm and pulled her away, almost making the Senora drop the child” (119). Senor

This is when Amabelle was dropped off by the young man who drove her to Algeria and back. Amablee is now along the river with just her thoughts; “I also thought that if I came to the river on the right day, at the right hour, the surface of the water might provide the answer: a clearer sense of moment, a stronger memory. But nature has no memory. And soon, perhaps, neither will I” (309). When Amabelle is alone she reminisces on past memories. Through her thoughts by the water, she finds a strong perception of the past and a stronger sense for happiness in the future. In these moments, Amabelle finds true prosperity and is able to focus on the positives rather than the negatives as her mind clears and she gathers happiness. Soon after this scene in the book, the symbol appears again when Amabelle is now in the river with just her thoughts; “I looked to my dreams for softness, for a gentle embrace, for relief from the fear of mudslides and blood bubbling out of the riverbed, where it is said the dead add their tears to the river flow”(310). While Amabelle is submerged in the river, she truly discovers herself and what her life has been. Because of the water, her mind clears which allows her to realize that she was meant to be in