The Farming of Bones Themes

The Farming of Bones recounts the stories of Haitians that have resettled in the Dominican Republic; this resettlement eventually prompts a mass killing of Haitians known as the Parsley Massacre. Amabelle Désir and other Haitians attempt to escape and return to Haiti, but many are brutalized or killed. Throughout the story, characters recount their memories to keep their legacy alive, and to testify to the atrocities they have witnessed. In this way, Danticat’s story illustrates…

In The Farming of Bones, Amabelle and her fellow Haitians work as manual laborers or domestic workers in the Dominican Republic, after leaving Haiti due to natural disasters. Due to their living conditions, many of the novel’s characters are dispirited, lonely, and homesick. As a result, they find solace and personal significance in their dreams, which feature their homeland or their family life. As these fantasies are often extremely tantalizing, they provide a means…

In The Farming of Bones, various characters die as a result of violence or misfortune, and these tragedies illustrate how widespread and sudden death can be. The lives of those left behind are inexorably altered by the deaths they have experienced; in fact, these characters’ lives often lose meaning and happiness. As the novel unfolds, Danticat illustrates how death has two victims: it impacts the deceased, as well as those who remain. Despite the…

In The Farming of Bones, Amabelle Désir and other Haitians have left Haiti to make new lives for themselves in the Dominican Republic. Many of these characters have lost their homes, or lack a sense of belonging; as a result, they attempt to make the Dominican Republic their homeland. The Haitians are eventually driven out of the Dominican Republic by violence and racism, and attempt to return to Haitithe ones who survive…