Show:
Characters
Plot Summary
Themes/Symbolism
Passages/Questions (Part 1)
Passages/Questions (Part 2)
100
Who is Amabelle Desir and Sebastien? What is their relationship to one another?
Amabelle Desir
- Protagonist and narrator
- Haitian maid in the Don Ignacio household
- Orphan since the age of eight

Sebastien
- Sugarcane field worker
- Lost his father in a hurricane
- Handsome but scarred

Amabelle Desir and Sebastien are lovers.
100
List the major events of chapters 1 - 5. (HINT: Chapter one begins with the introduction of Sebastien. Chapter five is also about Sebastien and his family history)
Chapter 1
- introduction of Sebastien's character and his relationship with the narrator, Amabelle
- Amabelle's nightmares are a constant topic between the two characters and act as shadows that haunt her

Chapter 2
- Senora Valencia goes into labor
-Papi goes to fetch the doctor, leaving Senora and Amabelle on their own at the house
-Amabelle helps Senora Valencia give birth to a strong, healthy boy.
-Unexpectedly, Senora then gives birth to a weak baby girl with an umbilical cord wrapped around her neck and caul on her face.
-Senora is suspicious of these wary birth conditions and because the baby girl has a darker skin tones, she fears that her daughter will be mistaken for a Haitian.

Chapter 3
-Amabelle and Sebastien are talking one evening, and Amabelle talks about her parents, and then shares that she occasionally has dreams about her parents drowning.
-Doctor Javier arrives at the house to care for the babies and Senora. He comments on the skin tone of the girl and Papi takes offense to it.

Chapter 4
-Doctor Javier talks to Amabelle about how she learned how to deliver babies, and tells him about how her parents used to assist in deliveries as they were herb healers.
-Juana is introduced into the story, bringing Amabelle a mango. She is elated over the story of the birth of the twins and goes to visit them. She is thrilled that Senora named the baby girl after Senora's mother.

Chapter 5
-Amabelle describes some of Sebastien's family history, about how his father died in the hurricane, how his mother is alive in Haiti, and how he came to work at the sugarcane field.
100
Explain the significance in the theme of identify. Provide one example of this theme.
The significance of the theme of identity can be seen the struggle of all the characters to find themselves and establish their place in the world. The struggles of the characters can be seen in their ethnic diversity, language barrier, and social standing.

Examples:
- Amabelle = orphaned, asserts that she belongs to herself, struggles to be excepted as one of the Valencia family members
- Kongo = does not want to remember his past, struggles to find his identity after Joel's death
- Sebastien = assertive in his Haitian ethnicity, strong disdain for Dominican population
- Beatriz = feminist, wants to become a journalist
- Yves = struggles with Joel's death, cannot find purpose in his life, no will or determination
100
What is the significance of Don Ignacio's role in the novel?
- reflection of the past Spanish civil wars
- moral compass
- peace seeker
- literally bears a cross for Joel
100
Do you think Juana is happy for the birth of the twins or is she jealous?
There are two sides...

She is happy for the birth because
- witness Senora's birth herself
- prominent figure in household
- happy to see continuation of family life despite Senora's mother's death

She is unhappy for the birth....
- she knows Luis wants a kid
- believes that God is punishing her for leaving the church
- karma
200
Who is Pico and Generalissimo?
Pico
- the husband of Senora Valencia
- military leader
- strong love for his son, Rafael
- driven by his career

Generalissimo
- President of the Dominican Republic
- Indirectly influences the plot of the story and the characters' actions
- Idolized by many, but also hated by many
200
List the major events of chapters 6 - 10. (HINT: Chapter 6 begins with Juana reminiscing about Senora Valencia's birth, and Chapter 10 ends with Sebastien trying to soothe Amabelle after her nightmare about her parents.)
Chapter 6
-Amabelle lights a candle in memorium to Senora Valencia's dead mother.
-Juana and Amabelle talk about Juana's memories of bringing up Senora Valencia, her history in the church, and how her sisters became nuns. She believes her inability to have children is punishment from God for leaving the church.

Chapter 7
-Amabelle talks to Sebastien about her father, and how he was always going away to help people. She talks about being jealous for his time that he spent with other people.
-Amabelle asks Sebastien about his father, and how he had to carry his father's dead body through the dirt.

Chapter 8
-Senor Pico comes home to see his new babies. He decides to name his son Raphael, after Generalissimo Trujillo.
-Luis, Juana's husband, tells Amabelle and Juana how scared he was in Senor Pico's car, as three men ran across the road in front of them and one was hit by the car. Luis says that they stopped to see what had happened to the man, but could not find him.
-Amabelle is called over to talk to Papi, who tells her how guilty he feels for not saving or trying to help the man they hit.
-Sebastien comes to visit Amabelle, with a black eye, and tells Amabelle that his friend Joel, the son of Kongo, has been killed from a speeding car, and that he has to go fetch wood to bury his body.

Chapter 9
-Amabelle recalls the story of the day her parents died.
-She talks about how they had gone to buy some pots and pans, and when they came to the river, her father went to take her mother across when the current picked up and they were both swept under and drowned.

Chapter 10
-Sebastien returns to see Amabelle, he tells her that he has figured out it was Senor Pico who killed Joel with the car. He is very angry about it, but Amabelle warns him to be careful because Senor has guns in the house.
-Amabelle then shares that she had bad dreams about her parents again and Sebastien creates a different story about what became of her parents.
200
Explain the symbolism of parsley. (HINT: page 114)
The word parsley was used to distinguish the Dominican people from the Haitians. The pronunciation of the word could easily reveal which ethnicity a person belonged to. The Haitian people could not pronounce the "r" in the word. This word could separate life and death.
200
Why is the novel named "The Farming of Bones"? (HINT: Look at chapter 10)
- physical, emotional, and mental pain
- scars from labor and past life
- keeps people looking at the past with remorse
- literal translation for sugarcane farming
- cannot escape reality
- hardships of living under Dominican Republic
200
DOUBLE JEOPARDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The first team to have ALL members of their group stand up and name the two countries present in the book will receive 200 points!!!!!
Dominican Republic and Haiti
300
Who is Kongo, Joel, and Yves?
Kongo
- father to Joel
- respected elder of the Haitian community
- mask maker in Haiti

Joel
- killed by Pico's automobile and thrown into the ravine
- Sugarcane worker
- Relationship with Felice, disapproved by his father

Yves
- Sugarcane worker with Sebastien
- Guilty for living after Joel's accident
- Committed to the Haitian community
- Hardheaded and stubborn
300
List the major events of chapters 11-16. (HINT: Chapter 11 begins with Sebastien "re-writing" the story of Amabelle's parents and chapter 16 ends with Senora Valencia remembering the story of bringing Amabelle home with her and Papi)
Chapter 11
-Sebastien tells Amabelle an alternative story for her parents, and how they died of natural causes at an old age.
-Sebastien wants to leave the sugarcane business for a different sort of agriculture.
-Amabelle goes to the sugarcane and everyone is talking about Joel's death.

Chapter 12
-Sebastien's younger sister Mimi, and Amabelle talk about their jobs and the people they work for.
-Mimi wants to take revenge for Joel's death but Kongo, his father, won't let anyone do anything about it.

Chapter 13
-Sebastian talks in his sleep about a kite.

Chapter 14
-Amabelle meets up with some people who are walking their children to school.
-These Haitian people complain because the government is not giving their children the papers needed to attend a good school, even though the children were born in the Dominican Republic.
-The people continue talking about the various human rights that they are missing out on and how, without their papers, they could be sent back to Haiti.
-On arriving at her workplace, Amabelle runs into Doctor Javier's sister, Beatriz. Beatriz comes to visit Papi and talk about the Spanish war.
-Dr. Javier asks Amabelle to consider moving back across the river to help in a clinic, and she considers it.

Chapter 15
-Amabelle recalls a story of her mother cooking kidney beans, and feeling the burn of the steam. Her father tells her that one day she will be near a steaming pot every day, but for now she doesn't need to be.

Chapter 16
-Papi confesses to Amabelle that he feels very guilty for Joel's death and asks to go see his father, Kongo.
-Amabelle goes to check on the twins and Senora Valencia. She finds them all asleep, but Rafael is not breathing.
-Rafael dies, and is buried in a coffin his mother paints for him.
-Senora Valencia recalls the day they found Amabelle by the river and brought her home with them.
300
Explain the symbolism in the sugarcane woman. Use an example from the book.
- symbolic of Haitian workers and their hardships
- used in both work and personal lives (can be used for protection)
- scent lingers and reminds characters of their status quo and condition of life

Examples
- Amabelle dreams of sugarcane with muzzle = silences the Haitian workers, can see their labor but is never allowed to enjoy their works
- Scars on Sebastien
- Doctor Javier has cane leaf necklace for protection = importance for both Haitian and Dominican culture
300
PASSAGE ANALYSIS: Read chapter 21. Why does Amabelle want a mask of her father's face? What might the kite and lanterns and masks represent?
- holding onto her past life, wants to remember the good that use to be
- kite glows but does not fly, important human value
- endless amounts of effort
- facade
- hope, childhood love
300
What is the significance and symbolism of water in this novel?
- symbolic of death and destruction
- hurricane killed Sebastien's parents, flood separated Amabelle from her parents
- first place Amabelle and Sebastien made love in waterfall
- common background that brought lovers together
- described with tender and comforting attributes (irony)
- ravine
400
Name the characters native to the Dominican Republic (HINT: they're the friendly ones of the story).
Doctor Javier
- family doctor for the Valencia household
- offers Amabelle a midwife job in Haiti
- fervent supporter of Haitian rights and freedom

Beatriz
- sister of Doctor Javier
- feminist
- speaks Latin and strives to be a journalist

Don Gilbert and Dona Sabine
- couple who owns the villa that allows Haitian's a place to hideaway
- Haitian but disguised by their wealth
400
List the major events of Chapters 17-21. (HINT: 17 starts with Amabelle grieving in her room, and 21 ends with Amabelle's story of her father's lanterns.)
Chapter 17
-Amabelle is alone in her room, exhausted and full of grief over the loss of baby Raphael.

Chapter 18
-Dona Eva, Dr. Javier's mother, throws a birthday party that turns into more of a wake for Rafael.
-A radio broadcast from Generalissimo comes on and Senor Pico asks everyone to be quiet so they can listen to it.
-Senor and Senora further mourn the loss of Rafael, and Senora asks to bury his clothes with him.

Chapter 19
-Amabelle describes a cave by the waterfall, and the light and shadows it cast, and how she wishes the same light would be on the grave of her parents, Joel, and Rafael.

Chapter 20
-Senora is grieving on her bed and asks Juana to tell her stories of her mother. Juana tells of how kind and happy she was and how tragic her death was.
-Amabelle goes to see Kongo, and she asks him if it would be okay for Papi to come and see him. He wants to talk to Kongo about the car accident and Joel's death.
-Amabelle is upset with how Sebastien smiles upon hearing of the death of Rafael. He asks her if she thinks these people are her family. She responds that it is the closest thing she has to a family.
-Amabelle and Senora are watching Rafael's procession when Kongo and some other cane workers show up. Senora tells Amabelle to offer them a drink.
-Kongo offers his condolences to Senora and kisses her hand.
-When Senor Pico finds out about this happening, he gets mad and smashes her orchid tea set.

Chapter 21
-Amabelle recalls a memory of her father making lanterns for her. She asks him to make a lantern of his face so she can take it with her wherever she goes.
400
Explain the significance of the theme of dreams. Provide an example of this theme.
- function as a connection to the past
- circular cycle of destruction = chains character to the past and evokes fear for the future
- escape from reality
- emphasizes the hardship within the Haitian community
- influences the struggle to find one's identity

Examples:
- Amabelle = constantly dreaming about the day her parents died, fears for the future, cannot let go of the past
- Sebastien = dreams of the past, has an attitude toward transforming one's future, upholds positive outlook
- Yves = dreams about dad dying at the dinner table
400
Recall the death of Kongo’s son and the response of Pico to the accident. Who might Kongo be symbolic of? Who is Pico symbolic of?
-Kongo's son, Joel, was killed by a car as Senor Pico sped to get home to see his new babies. Kongo did not want to retaliate against his son's killer, and Senor Pico did not care at all that he had killed him.

Kongo may symbolize the country of Haiti. He tolerates the oppression from the Dominican government, as well as the death of his son.
Pico may symbolize the country of Dominican Republic. He does not care about the quality of life for the Haitians, and he does not give Joel a second thought after he kills him.
400
PASSAGE ANALYSIS: Read chapter 23. What is the importance sugarcane woman? Who does she represent?
- woman has a muzzle on
- symbolic of the Haitians and their submission to the bosses
- cannot taste products of their labor
- calls Amabelle "my eternity"
- shadow that haunts Amabelle
500
Name all the characters who live(d) within the Valencia household (excluding Amabelle). Give a brief statement about who they are.
Don Ignacio (Papi)
- head of the household
- father to Senora Valencia (his only child)
- veteran of Spanish civil war

Senora Valencia
- daughter of Papi
- married to the rising military man, Pico
- gives birth to twins
- has a close relationship with Amabelle
- lost mother at an early age

Juana/Luis
- married couple that have served the Valencia household for many years
- Juana is a housemaid and Luis contributes to the household responsibilities
- Higher in social standing than the Haitians

The Twins
- Rafael and Rosalinda
- Rafael was born stronger and bigger than his sister
- Rosalinda was born weak and frail with the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck
- A caul was on Rosalinda's face
500
List the major events of Chapters 22-26. (HINT: 22 begins with Rosalinda's baptism, and 26 ends with Yves and Amabelle leaving.)
Chapter 22
-Rosalinda is baptized and Juana prepares a large feast for all the atendees.
-Kongo shows up and gives Amabelle a mask resembling his son, telling her that he is very skilled in mask-making.
-Amabelle goes to see Sebastien and is warned by three men with machetes that she should not be walking alone at night, because there have been many more killings.
-Yves talks in his sleep and keeps Amabelle and Sebastien awake

Chapter 23
-Amabelle dreams of the sugar woman, and talks about a mask over her face that keeps her from eating the sugar cane.

Chapter 24
-Sebastien leaves for work in the cane fields, fearful for the future.
-Dominicans are guarding the houses more now, and Amabelle is almost hit by a bullet while Senor Pico is practicing his aim. He teaches Senora how to shoot. Papi decides to go out for a walk after talking with Senora about how he came to this place to escape war and armies, but how it is filtrating back into his life.

Chapter 25
Amabelle remembers a dust storm with her, her mother, and father, and how it seemed that invisible giants were guiding her through it.

Chapter 26
-Dr. Javier comes over to check on Rosalinda and tells Amabelle that she must leave at one, because the Dominicans are killing Haitians everywhere and the valley where they live will soon be under attack.
-Amabelle goes and reluctantly packs some of her things.
-Amabelle goes out to search for Papi and Sebastien. She finds Sebastien and tells him that she has a few places for them to stay as they try to make it out of the Dominican. He tells her that Papi went to go talk to Kongo, and told her that they found commonality in the deaths they had faced.
-Amabelle, Sebastien, and Mimi decide to leave that night, making plans and discussing their options.
-Army trucks begin to arrive in the valley. The Dominicans are foricing the Haitian workers into the backs of the trucks and Senor Pico is among the Dominicans. They are beating them and dragging them into the trucks, being told that they will be taken back to Haiti.
-In the chaos and violence of collecting the Haitians into the Dominican army trucks, Sebastien and Mimi go to a church, but they are then picked up by a truck as well.
-Amabelle asks Sebastien's friend, Yves, to go help her find them, and he agrees.
-When the night comes, Amabelle and Yves set out to find Sebastien and Mimi.
500
Birth vs. death is a common theme in this novel. Explain its significance and provide one example of this theme.
The significance of the theme birth vs. death affirms Danticat's depiction of the separation between the Dominicans and the Haitian people. Additionally, this theme is seen prominently in the lives of the Haitian workers whose profession is dangerous, yet rarely appreciated.

Examples
- Darkness = endless death or sleeping (pg 13)
- The twins = rise and fall of Dominicans vs. Haitians
- Joel's death = rise of Generalissimo's power and domination
- Juana = cannot have children, stuck in hierarchy
500
PASSAGE ANALYSIS: Please turn to page 19. Discuss the significance of this passage and its impact on the plot of this novel.
- foreshadow's the Generalissimo's plans to annihilate the Haitian population
- Doctor Javier cannot explain the significance of this event, emphasizing the fact that the people cannot understand the reasons behind their persecution
- Rumors of the killings and removal of Haitians
- Strong twin dies for the weaker one = symbolic of Haitian's sacrifice
- "Small legs of a baby.... grown male cadaver" = incomplete integration of Haitian population
500
What is the significance of the passage from Judges at the beginning of the novel? Provide one current day example that parallels this passage.
- similar to the word parsley, separating the Haitian from the rest of society
- Parsley used for internal and external cleaning
- Generalissimo's cleaning of the country
- Haitians have a hard time pronouncing the "r"
- people massacred alogn the border of Haitian territory
- language as a form of identity and empowerment
- language brings both life and death