Krik? Krat! the Sea
Demetrius Griggs
Prof. McGarrity
English 13 002
November 14, 2012 THE SEA
Symbols are used in writing to communicate meaning, and represent and idea that the author may want to share with its readers. Danticat’s Krik? Krak! had many symbols presented throughout the book. The symbol that held the most meaning to me while reading this book is, The Sea. The book starts at sea, with the story ‘Children of the Sea’, and the Sea proves to be very important to the people of Haiti in their struggle to escape a difficult situation. The sea is how the Haitian immigrants will travel in their attempt to escape a corrupted government. The sea becomes life and death, survival.
In the story of “Children of the Sea” the sea holds lots of meaning, and the meaning is very different for each person who is out at sea. For the young man escaping after police raid his radio station, he sees the sea as opportunity. The opportunity to escape a corrupt country and continue his life, but the sea also provides heartache, as this is what separates him from the love of his life. Being at sea also gives the young man hope that one day he can make a better life for himself, as most immigrants flee to America in the hope to live a more promising life. The only way he is able to have some peace with his time at sea, is the notebook he has, where he writes to his love back at home. He tells her of the women on the boat who tell stories and sing, in an attempt to control the seasickness most of them are experiencing. He describes being at sea as lost time, stating in one of his many letters, “sometimes it feels like we have been at sea longer than the many years that I have been on this earth” (14). He is only aware that a day has passed by the raising and setting of the sun. I have always thought of the sea as something beautiful, mysterious even. The sea to me has always provided me with opportunity, the opportunity to experience something new, to explore. But this does not prove
Prof. McGarrity
English 13 002
November 14, 2012 THE SEA
Symbols are used in writing to communicate meaning, and represent and idea that the author may want to share with its readers. Danticat’s Krik? Krak! had many symbols presented throughout the book. The symbol that held the most meaning to me while reading this book is, The Sea. The book starts at sea, with the story ‘Children of the Sea’, and the Sea proves to be very important to the people of Haiti in their struggle to escape a difficult situation. The sea is how the Haitian immigrants will travel in their attempt to escape a corrupted government. The sea becomes life and death, survival.
In the story of “Children of the Sea” the sea holds lots of meaning, and the meaning is very different for each person who is out at sea. For the young man escaping after police raid his radio station, he sees the sea as opportunity. The opportunity to escape a corrupt country and continue his life, but the sea also provides heartache, as this is what separates him from the love of his life. Being at sea also gives the young man hope that one day he can make a better life for himself, as most immigrants flee to America in the hope to live a more promising life. The only way he is able to have some peace with his time at sea, is the notebook he has, where he writes to his love back at home. He tells her of the women on the boat who tell stories and sing, in an attempt to control the seasickness most of them are experiencing. He describes being at sea as lost time, stating in one of his many letters, “sometimes it feels like we have been at sea longer than the many years that I have been on this earth” (14). He is only aware that a day has passed by the raising and setting of the sun. I have always thought of the sea as something beautiful, mysterious even. The sea to me has always provided me with opportunity, the opportunity to experience something new, to explore. But this does not prove