Cross-Generational and Cross-Cultural Conflicts
In the narrative of “Caroline’s Wedding,” the Azile family, hailing from Haiti yet now settled in America, grapples with internal discord when Caroline, one of the daughters, chooses to wed a man outside of her cultural heritage. The Aziles' experiences mirror a common narrative among immigrant families in the United States during the era the story unfolds. The parents, Ma and Papa, hold steadfastly to their Haitian traditions, viewing American customs as foreign and perplexing. Meanwhile, Caroline, the younger daughter who is a native-born American, embraces the ethos of her birth country entirely. In contrast, Grace, the elder sister born in Haiti but long-resident in the U.S., finds herself straddling the line between two worlds, bridging the cultural divide between her mother and sister.
Diaspora and Discontinuity
Haiti has long been ravaged by political turmoil and chaos, casting countless individuals into a desperate search for sanctuary across borders, often finding themselves on the shores of the United States. "Caroline’s Wedding," like many tales within the Krik? Krak! collection, delves into this heartbreaking saga. Grace finds herself accompanying her Ma to a solemn memorial service, honoring a Haitian woman and her infant who perished while bravely navigating the perilous waters toward America. Grace's own journey is intertwined with a similar narrative, having fled the grips of poverty to seek a new life in the United States.
Yet, the pursuit of security and liberty carries a heavy toll, a theme starkly portrayed by the harrowing consequences of diaspora—the dispersal of people from their homeland to distant lands. Grace's father entered into a sham marriage to secure his foothold in the U.S., while her mother languished in Haiti, separated and heartbroken, as she watched his affections drift away. Upon her eventual arrival, the harsh realities continued: a sweatshop raid led to her imprisonment and an injection she believed responsible for Caroline's missing forearm at birth.
When Grace finally clutches her U.S. citizenship certificate, she's acutely aware of its steep cost. "We’ve paid dearly for this piece of paper," she reflects, lamenting that it demanded the sacrifice of her parents’ union, her mother’s resilience, and her sister’s arm. These words echo the profound and painful journey her family endured for the promise of a new beginning.
Traditional Stories, Games, and Rituals
Storytelling in Haitian Culture
Krik? Krak! draws its evocative name from a cherished Haitian storytelling ritual. In a land where books are often scarce and literacy rates struggle, the oral tradition reigns supreme, infusing life with tales spun from the heart. When a storyteller is ready to weave their narrative, they beckon: “Krik?” Those eager to be entranced reply in chorus, “Krak!” And thus, the tale unfolds. This anthology, Krik? Krak!, invites readers into this age-old exchange, echoing the call-and-response that binds teller to listener.
Tradition and Identity in "Caroline’s Wedding"
Within the tapestry of “Caroline’s Wedding,” a profound theme emerges: the severed ties of the Haitian diaspora are mended by the threads of time-honored stories, games, beliefs, and rituals. These narratives weave a rich cultural identity and foster a sense of community across generations. For those who have lost loved ones, memories endure through these shared stories. Danticat highlights this enduring legacy, particularly through the pivotal role women play in passing traditions from mother to daughter.
Conflict arises between Ma, who clings to the past and its customs, and Caroline, who appears to drift away, embracing new horizons as she prepares to wed someone outside their cultural roots. This tension underscores the struggle between holding onto the familiar and the yearning to forge new paths.
Memory and Loss
The Theme of Loss
(This entire section contains 294 words.)
Unlock this Study Guide Now
Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
The Theme of Loss
In weaving together the intricate tapestry of diaspora and displacement, the narrative continually underscores the notion of loss. This poignant theme is vividly brought to life through a traditional free-association game that Caroline and Grace engage in, where the word “lost” becomes the focal point. Within this game, Grace hauntingly describes herself as "the lost child of the night," capturing the essence of a family adrift, with both her parents also ensnared in this sense of being lost.
Characters and Their Losses
The story's characters are shadowed by remnants of what they've lost—be it people, places, or cherished things. Ma, for instance, mourns the loss of her homeland and has had to endure the disappearance of her husband, first to a marriage forged out of necessity, and later to the finality of death. She is gripped by the fear that Caroline, too, will slip away from her through marriage to someone outside their Haitian roots. Caroline and Grace bear the weight of losing their father, while Papa carries the sorrow of his mother succumbing to typhoid fever.
In the congregation gathered for a mass honoring drowned Haitian souls, the stark realization of friends and relatives lost becomes painfully tangible as each name of the deceased is solemnly read aloud. Among this assembly, the Cuban Mrs. Ruiz laments her son, and the Bahamian Eric aches for his vanished family. Grace's dreams are suffused with her father's presence, yet they are laden with futility—her relentless attempts to reach him, be saved by him, or simply remain near him. It is only within the closure of her final dream that she manages a fleeting interaction with her father, only to be chastised for her forgetfulness—her loss—of cherished Haitian traditions.
Violence and Suffering
Unseen Struggles
The tumultuous history of Haiti echoes silently beneath the everyday lives of its people, ever lingering like an unspoken shadow. This hidden turmoil is mirrored in Caroline’s throbbing vein, pulsating beneath her skin. Her words resonate with the gravity of a slice's potential fatality, "a slice through the vein would make her bleed to death." Grace, dubbed Ma and Papa's "misery baby," epitomizes the dire poverty her family endures within the confines of their Haitian shantytown. The sweatshop raid, ensnaring Ma and leading to her imprisonment, serves as Grace's harrowing introduction to life in America. The intrusive injection that may have harmed the unborn Caroline is a violation of her body, echoing the horror of an assault. Yet, the plight of Haitians is not solitary. Echoes of suffering ripple beyond borders, as seen in the tragic fate of Mrs. Ruiz's Cuban son, gunned down in his desperate bid to hijack a plane for freedom from Cuba to Miami.
Shared Suffering, Shared Stories
Ironically, the diaspora's violence and anguish forge a unique bond among the Haitian community, uniting them through their shared narratives. During the mass for a drowned Haitian woman and her child, the congregation's cries pierce the air as they recognize familiar names among the week's list of lost refugees. This poignant moment vividly underscores Ma’s belief that “all Haitians know each other.” It illustrates how their community is knitted tightly together, not only by love but also through shared sorrow and enduring resilience.
