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Briana B. Ms. Arnold World History 3a 29 May 2009 =LIES meet PERCEPTION=

Author Biography:
Edwidge Danticat is the author of the novel the __Dew Breaker__. She was born in Haiti on January 19th, 1969 but was raised mostly in Brooklyn, New York. She was accepted into Barnard College majoring the French Literature. Her family is Haitian, she has a mother, a father, and three younger brothers. Some of the more significant elements of Danticat's life occured when she was twelve and moved to Brooklyn. This was significant because "not only did she have to learn a new language but she had to endure the sterotyping of Haitian people who were called Boat People." [|(Danticat])

Another significant piece in Danticat's was when she thrived in school, even though people did not accept her, proving to people that just because she is different, does not means he cannot do what others can. Maybe one of the most significant elements in her life was when she became the first African Haitian woman author to write in English. This lead to another significant element not only in her life but in her career. She became a finalist for the prestigious National Book Award in 1995 [|(Danticat]). Many significant elements have made Danticat's life become amazing even though she grew up in a rough place.([|Danticat)] Edwidge has not said anything regarding why she choose to become a writer or why she wrote __Dew Breaker__ other than the fact that it goes a little into her background. Others have said that her writing is "Breathtaking..."-//New York Times Book Review// and "stunning...beautifully written fiction...."- //USA Today//. Also, //Entertainment Weekly// has said that "Danticat has an emotional imagination capable of evoking empathy for both predator and prey." (Danticat,1st page in book)Edwidge Danticat's writing is an impeccable beauty of wit and excellence.

Author Motivation:
Edwidge Danticat has said that she wrote the Dew Breaker for her father and cousin Adonis. She also said that she wrote all her books surrounding the suffering and endurance of the Haitian people because that is what she was around most when she did live in Haiti. She wrote in the context of the immigrant experience and against the backdrop of the Haitian culture and traditions only because that is what she has encountered the most in her lifetime [|(Danticat]). Some of the elements of Danticat's life that parallel the events in the book were when Papa Doc fled the country because that was when her parents decided to move to New York. Another event is when Baby Doc begins his rule because for the twelve years that edwidge remained in Haiti she was under the control of Baby Doc.(Danticat)

Other than those events there was not more that paralleled the events in the book. She has said though that most of her information from other resources and other research. She based the book on the past and the stories she grew up hearing.Which she declared amazing because she did not have to do much figuring when it came to the truth and the perception[|.(Danticat.)]

Historical:
Haiti has had many historical deterrents. Even though the country of Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere[|(“ Haiti: Country overview”).] Haiti has had a long succession of military dictators and corrupt leaders. Haiti’s history includes violent crime of murder, sexual assault, and kidnapping. Eighty percent of the population lives in abject poverty [|(“ Haiti: Country overview”).]

The life expectancy is an early fifty-two years compared to America’s ninety-two years. Embargoes brought the economy to a virtual collapse. The main cash crop that has held Haiti up is coffee and America is their top trade partner of coffee. However most exports have ceased because of a the political crisis in the country. Haiti has a long and turbulent history that has almost constantly been plagued by political chaos[|(“Haiti”: The Modern Era]).

Being the second oldest republic in the western hemisphere I can see why they would have had political chaos. Haiti in the 15th century was known as Mole Saint Nicolas then the Spanish colonized it and it became Santo Domingo and finally in the 17th century France changed the name to Haiti in 1697. The French taking over Haiti was a significant point in Haiti’s history because they turned Haiti into a sugar and coffee producer this made the island one of France’s most affluent colonies in the Americas. Another significant point in history for Haiti was in 1791 when the slaves revolted and took control of the island. L’ Ouverture established himself as a governor-general of the island and abolished slavery[|.("Haiti": The Modern Era)] In 1804 Haiti declared itself an independent nation (“Haiti”: The Modern Era). Jean-Jacques Dessalines’ assassination in 1806 brought a division between the blacks and mulattoes. A change came in 1820 though when Jean-Pierre Boyer united Santo Domingo but in 1915 a big change arrived when the United States invaded and occupied Haiti. The U.S. occupation brought some degree of stability and economic prosperity but with that also came bitterness among the Haitians. The marines dissolved the legislature in 1918 and rewrote the nation’s constitution to allow foreigners to purchase land.("Haiti": The Modern Era)

The U.S. forces did not withdraw until 1934. In the 1940’s and 1950’s more coups came and this led to the ascendancy of Francois Duvalier who was aided by the Tonton Macoutes."we heard voices shouting, come out Macoutes!, come out Macoutes!" daring members of the Volunteers for National Security militia to appear from wherever they were hiding."( Danticat, 139) Duvalier’s presidency soon disintegrated into a dictatorship."Overnight our country had completly changed...we fell asleep under a dictatorship headed by a pudgy thirty-four-year-old man and his glamorous wife." (Danticat, 140)

After his death power was taken over by his 19 year old son Jean-Claude. He declared himself president for life. He promised Haiti a democratic government and better living conditions but little change was accomplished[|(“Haiti” : The Modern era).] By 1990 a priest became ruler but Haiti has not changed that much ever since[|.("Haiti": The Modern Era)]

Politics:
One of the most important politics of Haiti, Francois Duvalier. Duvalier’s life began on April 14, 1907. Duvalier was born into the middle class [|(“Francois Duvalier”).]No one knows what really happened in Duvalier’s childhood but many believe that what did happen affected him for the rest of his life. Duvalier was world-wide for his avid support of Black Nationalism. He also practiced voodoo[|.("Francois Duvalier")]

Duvalier was school savvy. Duvalier graduated from the University of Haiti School of medicine. After that in 1948 he became assistant sectary of labor. Six years later he seeked to overthrow the President. The overthrow plans of the President worked and his strategy ideas won the crowd, he won the elections by the greatest majority in Haitian history[|(“ Francois Duvalier”).] This went bad soon after that. Duvalier initiated presidency based on violent repression. That is when he created the Macoutes. “Thousands of disciples had sought silence…. the president’s followers circled entire neighborhoods with gasoline, setting houses on fire, and shooting fleeing residents.”(Danticat,79)

The Macoutes were created by Duvalier as a loyal, paramilitary force to balance power of army and terrorize political opposition and the country’s populace. By the end they had killed more than the enemy but they killed themselves. “ Ka, your father was the hunter, he was not the prey…I would never do these things now.” After they got older and had families they realized that they would never be able to kill a person again. Duvalier’s reign ended when the repression of Haiti got to be too much for him to handle and he fled with his wife to France. That was the last Haiti saw of Duvalier until his death in 1971. Most of the Haitian people were glad he was gone. The felt it was a big weight off their backs[|.((Francois Duvalier")]

Cultural:
The Taino people were the first to live in Haiti. Haiti became the world’s first black republic after a army of former slaves seized control of the territory and defeated the French army. Most of the Europeans either fled or were killed. Today 95% of Haiti’s population is black and only 5% is mulatto or white [|(“Haiti: People)."] But there, in Haiti or the Phillipines people see everything, even things they're not supposed to see...Because Americans dont have much faith." (Danticat, 73)

The Taino people lived in Hispaniola for almost 600 years before Columbus came. They were known as peaceful and cooperative. It is estimated that between 500,000 and 1 million people lived there. By the 1700’s they were wiped out by Spanish colonists, war, forced labor, and disease [|( Haiti: People).] Religion is one of the most definitive and ubiquitous aspects of Haitian culture." She loved going to Mass on Christmas eve, the only time she and her husband and daughter ever attended church together." (Danticat, 73) 80% of the population identifies Roman Catholic, 16% subscribes to Protestant Christian beliefs, and only 4% adhere to non-Christian faiths. Also many practice voodoo but most Haitians see no contradiction in dual practices[|.(Haiti: People)]

Geography:
Haiti is known for its rich natural resources. Even though only one quarter of the land is considered arable the high population density with mountainous terrain makes it a little harder for farmers they are still able to produce goods. They can make Coffee, Sweet potatoes, Bananas, Cassava, Sugarcane, Rice, Beans, Corn, Sorghum, Cacao, and Mangoes [|(Haiti: Natural Resources & Agriculture).] The forests in Haiti used to be endowed with many different types of wood including mahogany, and tindalo. Now nearly 89% is used for fuel. So much is used for fuel because most Haitian people do not have electricity. Haitian people use the wood for energy needs like lighting their houses and trails[|.(Haiti: Natural Resources & Agriculture)]In Northern Haiti (Massif du Nord, Lake Miragoane, and Cap-Haitien). Small deposits of gold, copper, chromate, iron ore, lead, manganese, silver, tin, and zinc can be found. You can also find small deposits of marble, and limestone there also [|(Haiti: Natural Resources & Agriculture).] Haiti once boasted their bounty of unique plant species which were lost due to slash-and-burn agriculture[|(“Haiti:Environment”]).”It was a hot and muggy morning, the humid air laden with the smell of the freshly mowed tropical grass and sprinkler-showered hibiscus bordering the parking lot”(Danticat, 7).

Personal Reaction:
__The Dew Breaker.__ An intriguing book of lies and the memories of a person. This novel makes it very easy for anyone to understand Haiti in the time of Papa Doc and the TonTon Macoutes. __The Dew Breaker__ tells the stories of not only the killer but his family and his victims desendants. This novel opens up to the reality of the past and the aftermath of being a TonTon Macoute. If there is a list of novels that people should read to learn the politic side of Haiti then __The Dew Breaker__ should definitly be in the top three. When reading you feel like you can relate with the characters because you find out things just as they do. In conclusion this novel is a must read for anyone who wants history with passion and concern. This novel commands the respect of people by showing them no matter what their famiy might have gone through there's always something worse. This novel displays the excellence of background knowledge put to work and shows us both sides of the conflict. It mostly shows the Macoutes and how there after math was. __The Dew Breaker__ conveys the simple fact that people that are made to do something horrible in life can change once they see that the horrible things that they did to other people people could easily do that to his/her family. This novel opens the eyes and the hearts of people no matter if they have personal background in Haiti or not..