Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Farming of Bones, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
The Power of Memory
Dreams vs. Reality
Language and Identity
Death, Grief, and Hope
Home, Family, and Belonging
Summary
Analysis
Amabelle Désir describes her lover, Sebastien Onius, and claims that his presence stops her recurrent “nightmares” about her parents drowning. Sebastien prompts Amabelle to think about her individuality and her body; he points out that “clothes cover more than [her] skin,” and tells her to shed her uniform. Amabelle grieves about “who [she] was,” but only when Sebastien is “not there.”
Sebastien’s presence allows Amabelle to escape her grief-stricken dreams; with his help, she is able to confront reality, instead of getting lost in fantasy. Sebastien also prompts Amabelle to think about herself specifically, reminding her of her Haitian identity and who she is outside of work. Even at this early stage, Sebastien is a catalyst for Amabelle’s understanding of both her reality and her identity.
Themes
Amabelle recalls how she used to play with her “shadow,” an activity that made her feel less alone as a child. When she was young, her real playmates did not feel “quite real” to her; rather, she thought the living children were “replacements” for her shadow. Her father, however, warned that playing with shadows would bring her nightmares. She explains how Sebastien both protects her fromand is one ofher shadows.
Amabelle’s recollections of her childhood with imaginary friends illustrate how, even when she was young, she was often lost in fantasies. She also hints, by referring to her childhood loneliness, that she has always been susceptible to sadness or feelings of loss. Amabelle’s memories preserve that sense of sadness for perpetuity: grief, which is already a powerful force in Amabelle’s life, is further strengthened when she remembers her past feelings. In this way, grief and memory are immediately established as important influences in Amabelle’s life.
Themes
