KK Blog Post 4

3. In the series, many generations were presented. What changes from generation to generation in Haiti? What stays the same?

4. What’s the similarity between the boy in the children of the sea and Guy?

Q3:

Generation is a well-discovered topic in Kirk? Krak! There is a well-extended timeline in the book: from the stories of great-grandmother to the stories of the newest generation. These interconnected stories were scattered all over places in the timeline, differing from each other. But when we look at these stories from generations to generations, we can see the similarity in our scope: unconditional sacrifice for the youths. 

Under the strict political environment, different generations behave differently in Haiti. The former generations tend to protect the local people, people whom they can reach. On the other hand, the later generations tend to rebel, aiming to benefit the country as a whole. For example, the father in the Children of the Sea protects his family. His family is under the scope of his influence. The father did not stand out for their neighbours although the girl in the story begged him to do so. The father made the choice also for protecting the family. On the other hand, the boy in the Children of the Sea joined the rebellions. His chose words as his weapon to fight for a brighter future for the Haitian people. The epilogue shows that the author has chosen this path, too. However, the path elder generation chose is more secretive. They formed an underground group to protect their community after the Dominican massacre. Differ from the newer generations, they did not rebel as the boy, but they fought in a more secret and a more safe way. 

Despite the differences, all these generations are willing to sacrifice themselves for the next generation. The legacy of protecting the youth unconditionally is best shown in the story of “Nineteen Thirty-Seven.” In the stories, Josephine did not understand the efforts her mother made to protect her, and she did not know the responsibility her mother have shouldered. However, she later found out that her mother belongs to a secret group that protects people including Josephine herself. The last line of the story: “‘Let her flight be joyful,’ I said to Jacqueline. ‘And mine and yours too.’” suggests Josephine not only realized what her mother has done but also decided to join the legacy of protecting others. “Let her flight be joyful” shows her awareness of her mother’s true identity. Flying is the crime her mother was accused, Josephine describes her mother’s death using the crime is actually taking the pride of the crime if protecting others was a crime. She uses this obscure description also suggests that her mother’s identity is somewhat secretive. “And mine and yours too” suggests that Josephine accepted her mother’s wing, a responsibility, to continuing protecting their community. From the stories, we can predict that similar events happened before Josephine’s mother and her grandmother. The same spirit of unconditional sacrifice passed down without changing.

Q4:

There are clues indicate the little guy is the boy in the Children of the Sea. Both of Guy and the boy in the Children of the Sea are dreamers. To achieve their untouchable dream, they abandoned people they love. 

They have some knowledge about how to chase their dreams, but they do not know how to achieve the dreams completely. For example, Guy knows how to fly a balloon, but he probably does not know how to land it with his intentions. Similarly, Little Guy knows about Miami, but he does not know the city and other parts of the country thoroughly. 

They are also cruel to the people they love, maybe they are obsessed about themselves only. In the story Between the Pool and the Gardenias, the narrator states that “Lili who killed herself in old age because her husband had jumped out of a flying balloon and her grown son left her to go to Miami.” The father and the son left Lili heartlessly. The father indeed left her without telling her the plan. Although we do not know if Little Guy left her without informing her, Little Guy only wrote to the girl in the Children of the Sea. He did not write to his mother, nor mentioning Lili. These two are cold-hearted people towards the people they love.