Liam Leavitt
Nicholas Helms
Currents in Global Literature
29 October 2023
In her collection of short stories, The Dew Breaker, Edwidge Danticat shows a rounded understanding of effective storytelling and narrative craft. She uses aspects such as multiple perspectives, non-linear time structures, and symbolic elements that all contribute to a rich exploration of themes such as identity, purposeful word choice, character reinvention, redemption, and the lingering effects on Haitian families from the Duvalier regime through the perspectives of separate characters and separate storylines.
Danticat also displays an immense understanding of narrative craft with several techniques such as complex characters and recurring themes throughout the stories. As we delve into the complex web of narratives and explore the intricacies of these themes, we can also explore how her storytelling techniques bear resemblance to the personal journey and narrative choices in Matthew McConaughey’s memoir Greenlights. Through an examination of these two works, we can uncover the common threads of personal transformation, resilience, and the impact of one’s past experiences with the power of storytelling.
Danticat’s expert narrative craft invites readers into the interconnected lives, worlds, and experiences the characters face. Each story mentions another aspect or character from a different piece, letting us get a glimpse into the connecting timelines. This form of writing is a very original concept, and creates a much more engaging narrative. In an interview with The Atlantic, she discussed how she ended up writing a series of interconnected stories, rather than a linear novel:
I started writing “The Book of the Dead,” the first story in The Dew Breaker, as a short story, and everything in the rest of the book sprang from that. I meant to write a story about a girl and her father who go on a trip where he reveals that he’s not a victim of torture as she thought he was, but actually a torturer. From there, I wanted to find out more about him, so I started writing the last story, “The Dew Breaker,” about his past, and then the middle story, “The Book of Miracles.” Then I found myself writing other stories that were connected to him in the perimeters. So one story led to another. When it came together it just seemed like the structure it was meant to have. If I were writing a novel, I would have had a different approach. (“Grappling With Haiti’s Beasts”)
For Danticat, writing the story as a novel was out of the equation, so taking this original approach to create a set of connected events was effective in grasping the attention of her readers. The unique structure not only adds a good amount of depth to the story, but it actually highlights her ability to display the complexities of each character’s lives from different angles.
The way Danticat uses multiple perspectives is creative, as well. She introduces characters briefly in order to add more layers of the story, and to engage with a multiplicity of viewpoints. For example, rather than solely portraying each character’s viewpoint within their respective stories, Danticat intertwines their lives. In the story Seven, she introduces Dany as the roommate of Eric, only to delve into Eric’s perspective later in Night Talkers, despite his absence from the initial text.
If Danticat were to write these stories with the intention of writing in typical “novel-fashion”, this approach would be less effective, and lost on the reader. The fact that she chose to write The Dew Breaker as a collection of short stories, rather than a novel was definitely the harder approach, but it made the narrative stand out from others of its kind. The book is effective in telling the stories of people, and also giving a glimpse into the history of the autocratic dictatorship in Haiti, and allows readers to delve into individual experiences. These stories bring an array of human emotions and relationships in the face following the historical upheaval in Haiti. Simultaneously, it permits a nuanced glimpse into Haiti’s history, and the lasting repercussions the dictatorship has had on the lives of those who lived through it, and the way it has affected generations following.
Another way that Danticat shows her skills in narrative craft is through the use of symbols that range throughout her interwoven stories, one of the prominent symbols being water. On a literal level, especially in Night Talkers, she uses water to describe the beautiful scenery in Haiti. Water isn’t just a backdrop, but it works as a character itself, playing a strong role in the narrative. Dany’s description of the constant sound of the waterfall near his aunt’s house shows the natural beauty of the land. Water serves as the vibrant and refreshing contrast to the harrowing experiences and the historical turmoil that many of the people in Haiti have endured.
The symbol of water in The Dew Breaker also goes beyond its literal representation to take on a more symbolic significance throughout the narrative. It often symbolizes rebirth, renewal, or purification. Just as water has the power to cleanse, Danticat’s characters also grapple with their pasts, seeking redemption, forgiveness, or a fresh start. The recurring symbol of water is used to remind readers of the potential for a rebirth of a person overtime. With new experiences, somebody can change. This is shown in The Book of the Dead, when Papa throws the sculpture of himself into a lake. When he does this, the symbol of water represents a redemption or new beginning. Papa is seeking forgiveness, and wants the world to forget the pain he contributed in the past. But although it erases what the world sees, it opens the conversation with his daughter to tell her of his evil past.
Another way Danticat’s work can be analyzed critically is by comparing her storytelling to that of a memoir. Danticat explores several short pieces of people’s lives, reflecting on the personal transformation, resilience, and the impact of one’s experiences. These themes show the enduring effects of historical trauma. In a similar method, writer and actor Matthew McConaughey’s memoir from 2020, Greenlights, offers a personal journey with bits and pieces of his own personal life,reflecting on his own experiences and struggles, as well as his pivotal ‘greenlight’ moments that have shaped his life.
While the format of a memoir is significantly different from a collection of short stories, both Danticat and McConaughey delve deep into the little moments in life, examining the resilience required to navigate life’s challenges and the profound impact of a person’s past. When exploring the parallels between Danticat’s short stories and McConaughey’s memoir, compelling connections can be drawn between the two, shedding light on the universal themes of working through life.
As an actor and writer, McConaughey likes to focus on finding himself in characters. Whether it is in his writing, or on camera, he likes to express every human trait that he can. In an interview with Matthew Odam about his book and career, McConaughey talks about finding himself in characters. He says “We’ve all got everybody in us. We’ve all got every trait in us. My job is to represent humanity through my characters. Not to judge them, but represent humanity.” (McCaughnehey, 2020) This idea can be applied across all stories, but in order to tell a realistic and intentional story, this concept is crucial.
In The Dew Breaker, Danticat approaches this idea similarly. Her characters set a realistic example of the complexities and intricacies of human existence and emotion. Danticat, like McConaughey, doesn’t want her characters to be judged, but instead seeks to illuminate their humanity, even when one’s intentions are faulty. Humanity and realism are artfully interwoven in Danticat’s character portrayals. In Seven, when we learn of the wife’s adultery in Haiti, the initial impulse of the reader may be to cast judgment. However, in Water Child, we discover that Nadine, the wife, was previously the lover of the man in Seven. While these types of things might not typically be found in a story, they are realistic, and they are true to the complex nature of human relationships.
Some say that Edwidge Danticat is literally putting the human aspect of history into her narrative. Roby Cope, an author from Binghamton University, wrote about Danticat in her Journal of Haitian Studies piece, ‘”We Are Your Neighbors”:Edwidge Danticat’s New Narrative for Haiti’. Cope writes of Danticat as a saving grace for preserving the history of Haiti by creating characters that represent, and shed light, on decades of political conflict.. However, Cope cites a 2001 interview with Danticat that refutes the claim that she humanizes her characters, but rather humanizes her audience by bringing them to a level of understanding with Haitians. Cope cites Danticat’s quote from the interview saying:
“I am uncomfortable with that idea, mostly because I think if people looked around them honestly, they wouldn’t really need anything to “humanize” a group of people. We are your neighbors – both when we live here in the United States and when we are still living in Haiti. . . . On the other hand, I guess that’s what is great about fiction. You get to understand the people you read about in a novel sometimes, more than you do your friends. You get their deepest thoughts, their aspirations, their pasts, their futures, so when you read you’re getting into a very intimate relationship with a book and its characters.’”
Danticat’s notion brings out a truth about a preconceived notion of modern literature when it comes to telling history. While she does not explicitly aim to “humanize” her characters in the sense of making them seem more human, she recognizes that through literature, readers can gain a profound understanding of people from different backgrounds, their experiences, and their complex inner worlds. This shows that Danticat has a true, and rounded understanding of the aspects of narrative craft.
In a world where borders and historical events can sometimes hinder people from seeing the shared humanity in our global neighbors, literature and fiction play a crucial role in breaking down these barriers. Danticat’s work in The Dew Breaker is definitely a testament to this idea. By delving into the lives of fictional characters, readers can transcend the surface-level differences and develop a more profound connection with people from all walks of life. It encourages her audience to view one another as neighbors sharing a common human experience, regardless of geographical or cultural differences.
Edwidge Danticat’s The Dew Breaker is a remarkable testament to the art of storytelling and the power of narrative craft. With her creative use of multiple perspectives, non-linear structures, and repeating symbolism, she shows the complexities of human experiences and makes a definitive nod to the historical traumas of Haiti. By choosing the form of interconnected short stories, she provides readers with a unique and engaging journey into the lives of her characters and the history of Haiti. Danticat’s work, like the memoir “Greenlights” by Matthew McConaughey, exemplifies the resilience, transformation, and enduring impact of personal experiences. Showing her deep understanding of narrative craft, Danticat not only humanizes her characters, but also her readers, and offers a profound truth in how literature can actually bridge gaps and unite people from diverse backgrounds. In closing, Danticat definitely reminds us that, “we are all neighbors”.
Works Cited
Cope, Robyn. “‘We Are Your Neighbors’: Edwidge Danticat’s New Narrative for Haiti.” Journal of Haitian Studies, vol. 23, no. 1, 2017, pp. 98–118. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/44478374. Accessed 26 Oct. 2023.
Danticat, Edwidge. The Dew Breaker. Random House, 2005.
Full interview: “Matthew McConaughey on his new book, the soul of Austin and what’s next.” YouTube, uploaded by Austin American-Statesman, Nov. 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4glAbg-78M
McConaughey, Matthew. Greenlights. First edition. New York, Crown, 2020.
Rousmaniere, Dana. “Grappling With Haiti’s Beasts.” Culture, June 2004. The Atlantic, http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2004/06/grappling-with-haiti-s-beasts/303391/. Accessed 22 Oct. 2023.
Sprockets and Springes 