The Anonymous Rosalie Sparknotes

The Infamous Rosalie is a compelling novel which investigates the matriarchal power that existed in slavery. It follows Lisette, her obstacles and those of her family members. Glissant discussed that [h]istory can be told through folktales and novels to express a different perspective than [H]istory. Trouillot in The Infamous Rosalie contradicts the typical version of [H]istory by providing the stories of the people who are often unheard. Trouillot focuses on making the characters more than slaves, no longer dehumanized but real humans with flaws, struggles and resilience. Specifically, Trouillot discusses the stories of Gracieuse and Brigitte to illustrate the powerful acts of defiance that defined them as more than slaves and women.
Gracieuse provides one of the main acts of
The passage uses strong action words such as “chose,” “made” and “refused” to illustrate the power that Gracieuse held and her personal autonomy (pg 93). It proves she not only was asserting her power over her right to choose but also her master. She defies the traditional slave role by not allowing her master to control her and her decisions. She “refused” to be pregnant and birth a child into the oppressive system of slavery. “Seven” recurs frequently to demonstrate to the reader and Lisette that Gracieuse knew the power of her decision each time she made it. She was so confident in her decision that she could continuously decide again and again without regret. The passage also comprises varying sickly images, “her legs weak,” “face pale,” and discussions of her “bleeding so profusely.” The bodily harm caused by her abortions proves she will put up with the pain of all