KK Blog Post 3

Although Night Women were not respected as well as the day women, they all struggle, from places to places. We see the "shame" as a common theme in both Night Women and New York Day Women. Lily said there is no shame in an honest job, being a night women is shameful. However, someday women have their untold stories that they are ashamed of, too. In both of the stories, the mothers, no matter being a day woman or a night woman, tried hard to hide their identities from their child. The night woman, worrying if her child will loathe her finding out she is not a fairy but a prostitute. She built a pure and holy image of herself, she then has to protect the world she created to deceive her son. As time passes on, she knows that more lies will be built and her burden will be heavier. On the other hand, the day woman is afraid that her daughter would blame her for not caring. Because nanny is a special day woman job which the woman has to take care of other people’s children instead of her own. The day woman is afraid of her daughter’s ignorance. She is ashamed because she felt being a nanny naturally requires her to give up her responsibilities she has of her daughter. Both the day woman and the night woman sacrificed themselves, giving up their reputation, to earn money for their children. The general will of lifting their cherished child drives them to make this fearful scarification that only brings misunderstandings and reviles.

However, I noticed that New York City is always described as a better place than Haiti. It seems like the wonderland of all Haitian. In the story of New York Day Women, too. There are more opportunities in New York City indeed. And different from the Night Women, the result of the mother’s effort is shown: Suzette works for an advertising agency. This job is a result of high level of education. I think the boy night woman nurses might not have enough the same opportunity to get in touch with the same level of education. On the other hand, the day women in New York seemed to work less than the day women in Haiti. The mother is a nanny, but along with a cabby father, Suzette was able to afford college (possibly). However, the day women in Haiti have to work all day. Thus I think the day women in New York are also better paid than Haitian day women.

I think choosing between day and night women is depending on one factor: being a Haitian mother or not. Being a Haitian mother, in the book, seems to have a responsibility of nursing the children on their own. This is why the night woman chose to have the job so that she can have an opportunity of keeping the son around her. I think in this case the night woman is more like a classical Haitian mother. On the contrary, the day woman chose to give up her responsibility she is expected to shoulder as a Haitian mother.