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Siara Uddin

Ms. Lee

8th Grade English R3

10/23/17

The Children of the Sea Impact of Love on Colonialisms Victims

Love is like a soothing song set as the sound of an alarm, pushing you to wake up. This is

what Edwidge Danticat expresses about love in Children of the Sea. Love is what is most

important to the characters in the story, and it is a big motivation and impact to them and the

events in their life. In the Children of the Sea, the author conveys the theme that love is a

driving force in our life, by using the literary elements of characterization, symbolism, and point

of view.

Through the use of characterization, the author shows how love is a big effect on a

person and their character. In the story, the girl's father is very aggressive and uses lots of

violence. He is loud and acts very masculine. He doesn't seem to be too positive and is always

over-concerned. The figure that is portrayed by the father is quite threatening and fierce, but it is

driven by love and how he feels the need to protect his family. Danticat wrote, he pushed me

against the wall for disrespecting him. He spat in my face [Danticat 11]. Characterization is

presented when the father used violence against his daughter. Though he was aggressive and his

daughter disliked it, he did it out of love and protection for her. He was scared for her and angry

she didn't listen because she put herself at risk. The father feels that scaring her is what will make
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her comply. Another example of characterization is when the girl herself, rebels against her

father. However, she only acts like that because of the person she is in love with, who is aboard.

Danticat wrote, Papa found your tapes. He started yelling at me, asking if I was crazy keeping

them [Danticat 10]. Characterization is shown when the girl doesn't listen to her father and

keeps the radio tapes. She kept them because she deeply loves the guy that she is in a

relationship with. She wanted to keep the tapes of him talking so she could hear his voice. She

missed and loved him, therefore kept the tapes.The characterization of these characters and the

reasoning for their actions are highly influenced by love.

By using symbolism, the author expresses the impact of love on one another's internal

feelings. Symbolism is used when the girls lover states how he feels about the girl and how much

he loves her as he is on his journey, far away from her. Danticat wrote in the story, Maybe the

sea is endless. Like my love for you [Danticat 15]. Symbolism is clearly used as he symbolizes

the sea as his love for the girl. When he says this, he shows that he will never stop loving her and

his love is as big as the sea. Another example of symbolism is when the story talks about

distance. The lovers are separated and are very far away from each other. Danticat writes, So

many mountains that are like bare rocks. I feel like all those mountains are pushing me farther

and farther away from you [Danticat 26]. The mountains are what represent distance. They feel

disconnected because of the distance between them. It also represents the struggle to be informed

of loved ones. Since their locations are so far from one another, it is hard to know what their

loved one is doing or if they are safe or not. The symbolism used in the story shows the impact

of love on their emotions.

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The story is written through two people's letters, therefore shows two different points of

view with both characters expressing their love for eachother. In the story one of the points of

view is the girl and the other point of view is the boy. They both deeply love each other. The boy

has been separated from the girl and he is at sea. He writes to her from there telling her his

feelings. From the boy's point of view, Danticat wrote, I know your father might never approve

of me. I was going to win him over. He would have to cut my heart out to keep me from loving

you[Danticat 21]. Through this sentence, the author conveys the amount of love he feels for the

girl. He shows how strong and unbreakable their relationship is. From the girl's point of view,

she too expresses the same thing. Her life situation is different from the boys but she still shows

the same amount of love through her point of view. Danticat wrote, I told papa I love you, I

don't know if it will make a difference. I just want him to know that I have loved somebody in

my life. In case something happens to one of us, I think he should know this is about me, that I

have loved someone besides only my mother and father in my life. I know you would

understand. You are the one for large noble gestures. I just wanted him to know that I was

capable of loving somebody. He looked me straight in the eye and said nothing to me. I love you

until my hair shivers at the thought of anything happening to you. Papa just turned his face away

like he was rejecting my very birth [Danticat 22]. Through this long segment of the story, the

author expresses what the girl is going through only because she loves him. Even though this is

hard for her, she still loves him endlessly and is trying hard to put up a strong fight. The two
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different points of view show the different angles and the people's feeling but both perspectives

express one thing throughout the whole story and that is love for one another.

In the Children of the Sea, the author emphasizes the impact of love using

characterization, symbolism, and point of view. Characterization shows how love influences the

actions the characters take and how the characters are portrayed in the story. Symbolism

emphasizes the character's feelings towards love. It shows how strongly they feel. The two

different points of view shows how love is effective on many people. It gives two sides of two

characters and it helps the reader see the different emotions coming out that all points towards

the concept of love. In the current world, love is a strong encouragement of life that motivates

ones actions. Long-distance and personal obstacles cant stop one from loving. Whether it's

soldiers leaving to fight their battles or any other leaving their significant other, these people are

separated from their loved ones who are waiting for their return, which in turn makes the loved

ones and them feel a sense of nostalgia and loneliness.