Monday, June 22, 2009
Talking Letters
I find it amazing how Atie communicates over great distances with her sister Martine with the clever technique they have devised of recording their messages on cassettes and sending them via mail. This replaces writing letters which Atie maybe capable of, if she was willing to learn. Its is obvious Atie neither is movtavatived or willing to learn how to read and write, this is evident when Sophie asks Atie to go to the reading classes and she denies because she believes she is to old to learn. I find this way of communication ironic to the story line in that there are many missing voices in this novel. Sophie mother Martine wants Sophie to be a doctor when it is obvious that Sophie would prefer not to even insisting during there dinner with Marc. Another time was when Sophie was not able to truly disclose the characteristics or name of the guy she liked because her mother would disapprove of him. Even Martine voice is missing, it manifests inside of her and she has nightmares which haunt her everynight. A Cassette can be played in public without the voice having any hesitation, as opposed to one being able to communicate in a person where fear of taboo or shame is present.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Although Aunt Atie cant read, both her and Martine use the Haitian Express as a means of communication. I agree that she is not wiling to learn to a certain extent because she does not want to go to the reading classes. However, she does say she wants to be able to read her Bible, she just might be stubborn using age as an excuse so that she does not have to learn from someone younger than her. I don't think this is a permanent decision. I also agree with the voices because many people speak for others, especially speaking for Sophie and her life who she should be with, marry and or become in life .
ReplyDeleteI didn't even put two and two together that the reason they sent cassettes was because Atie would not be able to write back a letter or even read it. It makes sense now that they would listen to tapes and they could express emotions through the way they talk. As for the silence in the novel, I think that a lot of it rises from the unfamiliarity that each character feels. For example, Sophie is not familiar with her new environment and being a daughter to a stranger and vice versa since Martine is not used to being a mother.
ReplyDelete