Breath, Eyes, Memory (Chpts. 21-27)

Breath, Eyes, Memory
By: Edwidge Danticat
Pages: 134-174

• Summary

In the beginning of the first chapter Tante Atie's change becomes more apparent when she starts drinking to forget her worries.
Sophie confronts her grandmother about the tests the mothers gave to their daughters. Her grandmother responds "if your child is disgraced, you are disgraced". This means that for whatever wrong doings a child has done then people will blame the parents not the child. Sophie explains her nightmares to her grandmother because she knows they will never go away. In the night both cry for each others pains.
Martine comes to Haiti to bring Sophie and Brigitte back to America. Before they leave Louise, Tante Atie's bestfriend, leave for America without telling her. Tante Atie is heartbroken and feels completely alone and betrayed.

• Quote

"The men in this area, they insist that their women are virgins and have ten fingers" (Danticat 151)."

• Reaction

This quote was said when Sophie decided to cook for her family in Haiti. She remembered something Tante Atie had said about the ten fingers. Each finger represents something: mothering, boiling, loving, baking, nursering, frying, healing, washing, ironing, and scrubbing. Also men have always wanted their women to be pure before they got married which is why mothers did the tests so their daughters would be married. I picked this quote because it was something that I thought wasn't right. Though those ten qualities are good for every one to have I don't think that they should be considered as a necessities by men.