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The Farming Of Bones Themes Essay

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“I knew he considered Joel lucky to no longer be part of the cane life, travay te pou zo, the farming of bones.” -Amabelle, The Farming of Bones After reading The Farming of Bones by Edwidge Danticat, I have concluded that there is a single underlying theme of the novel. This theme is the exploration of racial prejudice ,and a closer look into the inequality and discrimination against people of color. Though it seems to be quite broad, it can be broken down into two more specific themes. One of which is the smothering of a culture, and the other is physical violence towards those of color. In The Farming of Bones, these themes apply to the Haitian people in the 1930’s Dominican Republic. The story is presented by a Haitian worker named Amabelle, who shares firsthand her experience with both themes.
The novel begins with a …show more content…

No details are spared in the gory account of the violence. It begins with rumors, and when these statements prove to be true, everything becomes twisted. Haitian citizens try to run, but most are forced into trucks to head to prison, and ultimately, death. Those who survive are permanently affected, both mentally and physically. When it comes to the tolerance of the violence, the rules are modified to fit the actions that need to be done. This is especially so when the person in charge is of high rank or power. The Generalissimo tries to rationalize his actions by saying, “How can a country be ours if we are in smaller numbers than the outsiders? Those of us who love out country are taking measures to keep it our own (Danticat, 192)”. Today, this is still true. It seems that no one is ever punished for a wrongful act when they hold a place of power, though they should be treated just as everyone else

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