Death

When Sophie was younger and living in Haiti with her aunt she had a more care-free attitude. This may be due to the fact that her mother was not physically present in her life in Haiti. She knew of her mother through her aunt, but was not aware of her ways and traditions that would later on influence her life. Once moving to New York with her mother Sophie did not like all of the values that her mother mentally and physically instilled in her. She associates her mothers impositions to a sort of bondage. Her mother's does not just advise her how to carry herself, but physically makes sure she is following her rules. We see this when she starts the testing. Sophie is totally violated when this is done to her. Even though Sophie hurts herself in order to stop the testing she is still not "free" from the bondage in which came from her mother. It seems like it is not until her third trip, to Haiti, that is her mother's death that makes a difference in her life. Her mothers death may have truely signified the separation from her mother. It may not have only been the literally death of her mother, but the death of the old things that happened to not only her mother, but Sophie as well.