Edwidge Danticat. Krik? Krak! “Children Of the Sea” – This is an assignment to accompany the reading and practice literary analysis with the short story: “Children of the Sea.”

Edwidge Danticat. Krik? Krak! “Children Of the Sea” – This is an assignment to accompany the reading and practice literary analysis with the short story: “Children of the Sea.”

Instructions: Before you read the short story, take the time to read the questions below. Read “Children of the Sea” and answer the questions to the best of your knowledge. Answer the questions carefully, include page numbers as required. You will be graded on completion – answer to the best of your knowledge, based on what you understand in the short story.

True/False

1. This short story is set on a boat AND in Haiti.
2. This is partly a love story.
3. There are two first person narrators.
4. Manman means evil man.
5. Unlike in Reyita, the parents in this short story are not concerned with their daughter’s social advancement.
6. One of the narrators is pregnant.
7. One of the secondary characters is pregnant.
8. The boat is a slaveship; since the story is set in the 16^th century.

Comprehension questions—short answer.

Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences minimum. Include page numbers in your answers.

1. Based on a first reading of the short story, in what era or time period do you assume that the story is set? Refer to the text for evidence, use page numbers and direct quotes from the text in your answer.
2.  Using quote and page numbers, write down what you know about the narrator or narrators—personality, profession, family situation, political/economic/social situation, gender, passions and dreams, fears…. Be as specific as possible.
3. Why is Papa unhappy and frustrated? Refer to quotes from the text and page numbers. You should come up with at least two different reasons—one related to the social context, the other related to his daughter.
4. What is as “endless as the sea”? Explain.

Outside research to support reading comprehension.

For the following questions, take some time to go online and look up information. Each online search should be limited to ten to fifteen minutes.

Pick one question out of the three. You do not have to answer all three.

1. Google “radio Haiti, ” OR “dictatorship Haiti” OR another string of words of your choosing. See what comes up in your research. Does this search help you better understand the context of the short story, or not? Explain your search and findings (or lack of findings).
2. Google “Edwidge Danticat,” and write down what you find out about the author. Where is she from, where did she live, what else did she publish, etc.?
3. A) Go to www.scholar.google.com.

1. B) in the search box, type “Edwidge Danticat” see if any links to pdf articles pop up, write down the title and, if you find it, the abstract, of one article.
2. C) in the search box, type “Krik? Krak!” and see if any links to pdf articles pop up. Write the title and, if you find it, the abstract, of one article.
3. D) which search gave you more links to pdfs of scholarly articles? Why do you think one had more pdfs than the other?

Short Essay – Reflection and Interpretation.

Pick one of the questions below, and answer in 10 sentences minimum. Refer to page numbers. Include an introduction sentence and a conclusion sentence.

Pick one question out of the four. You do not have to answer all four.

1. What feelings came up for you in the first pages of the short story? Explain with specific references and quotes from the text.
2. The pronouns (I, you, we, they) in this short story are prevalent and purposeful. Collect evidence to explain who is “I”, who is “you,” and who are “we,” they”, in different parts of the text. You can jot it down in the margins of your book.
3. There is both suspense and romance in this short story. Describe how the author, Edwidge Danticat, builds suspense in this short story: what does she not tell us, and how does she hide it, and why? At the same time, how does she draw us into the story? What makes you want to keep turning the pages, if anything?
4. Describe the components of the love story. Who is in love with whom; are they together, why or why not, if not, will they be together? Refer to quotes and page numbers to support your answer.

EXTRA CREDIT: Long Essay – In-depth analysis question. Here, you can practice how to do a literary analysis. Write your analysis below. This counts as extra credit – and this question helps you practice for Quiz 5 and for the final exam.

1. Consider and prove or disprove a hypothesis, using evidence and quotes from the text.

Hypothesis: In “Children of the Sea” by Edwidge Danticat, the tragic love story mirrors the historical context in Haiti.

Try to outline how one would prove or disprove this hypothesis. Consider the following questions:

• What is tragic about the love story?
• What is the context of the short story?
• Is the couple together? Why or why not? Does this symbolize a component of the historical context?
• Is there a metaphor about love that could be a metaphor about Haiti as well?
• So, is it possible that the love story mirrors a specific component of the historical context? What makes this possible or impossible? What quotes, metaphors, or other aesthetic components of the text make it possible or impossible?

 

 

 

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