Saturday, December 12, 2009
Subjectivity and Structure
The Dew Breaker is interesting to me, particularly because of the way it exposes the multiple layers of its characters' personalities, relative to the (subjective) opinions of the people around them. Although some of our actions have permanent consequences in our lives and the lives of others, the people we are when we carry these actions out may still be buried or hidden from view as we move away from the past...As such, although Ka has to reconcile the fact that her father did terrible things, remarkably, she was able to live for many years without recognizing even the slightest trace of the violent man he had been prior to living in the US, because his secret was unknown to her. With the structure of her novel, and the slow unpeeling of its layers, Danticat emphasizes this relationship between subjective and objective truths, and how there are various factors which shape and change the way we perceive others. The writing is really great, yes, but there is an extra dimension added simply in the deft way she has structured the story.
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In addition to emphasizing the relationship between objective and subjective truths, which Calgary mentions, I found that Danticat also highlighted how one can perceive themselves, and have others perceive them, as both a victim and victimizer concurrently. We are introduced to the Dewbreaker later on in life. He is a hardworking barber, a devoted husband and father. He is a kind landlord to his tenants. Although something didn't "smell right" with him, he had my sympathies. It was only towards the end of the book do we learn the degree of his ruthlessness and cruelty. (To be continued)
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