From the start of the book there became a repeating theme of the color yellow, especially in reference to daffodils. The book starts on page 3 with "dried yellow leaves". Throughout the first part of the book, while Sophie is still in Haiti there is talk of the sun, wildflowers, and yellow dresses. On page 21 Tante Atie states "Everything you own is yellow...wildflower yellow, like dandelions, sunflowers". Here Sophie interjects with "and daffodils". The only picture Sophie has of her mother is one in which she is wrapped in yellow sheets and has daffodils in her hair. This color yellow is a comfortable color for Sophie, one that represents home for her.
When Sophie first arrives in New York she gets into a "pale yellow car" and her bed in her new home has "yellow sheets". While Sophie is no longer in Haiti this is her new home. She is now with her mother for the first time in twelve years and while everything will take some time to get use to, the theme is still her safe warm yellow color.
When things started to take a turn for the worst for Sophie was when her mother "Started growing hibiscus. She had grown tired of daffodils. We decorated our new living room in red, everything from the carpet to the plastic roses on the coffee table" (65). Not long ofter this color chance Sophie becomes involved with Joseph. We don't see yellow again until Sophie is happy, putting on her "tight fitted yellow dress" to go out with Joseph. This is when she begins to get the annual testing from her mother and part two ends with red blood and Sophie being kicked out of her house. Red means no longer pure.
This is a very interesting observation. I can agree with the thought process of colors as in a lot of literature colors are very symbolic. Yellow typically means clear, pure, relief and wards against sadness. Red typically means anger, frustration, strength, love, and confidence. Sophie when in her yellow phase lived a "pure" life where you work hard and can see the fruit of your labors. When Sophie's life turns red she is frustrated in a new world, but has the strength to navigate in it and be successful in school.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Chelsea, this observation was one I found to be very prominent. Although Danticat wove it in very subtly, the theme of purity as represented by these two colors is key to understanding this mother-daughter relationship. When Martine starts to grow tired of yellow, we know that Sophie's sense of safety and home is going to be jeopardized. Not only is the presence of red marking a turn of events in relation to Sophie's purity, it is also showing that the demure nature of Martine has also been stripped away revealing a hostile side that has been dormant until now. I would hope that in the remainder of the book Sophie finds a new "yellow" in her life and can erase as much "red" as possible.
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