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How are people’s worldviews shaped by culture? In ​Breath, Eyes, Memory​, the main
thematic subject is generational trauma. Another major theme is death and people’s
perspectives on it. These perspectives can often be influenced by one’s cultural surroundings.
In the book, death and generational trauma are tied together with interesting effects. Grandma
Ife sees death as a sort of travel to another place. This is the exact opposite of how Martine
approaches her own death, and this is partly because she is out of place in comparison to her
home culture.

Grandma Ife prepares for her death well in advance, which is evidence for the fact that
she sees death as a journey. This is supported when she admits, “I need to see about my
papers for this land and I need to have all the things for my passing. With all my children here,
this is a good time,” (Danticat, 165). It can be seen that she approaches her death with a sort of
acceptance. This signals that she has trust that a higher power will take care of things in the
end. This is most likely an effect of spending all her life in Haiti, a traditional (and thus religious
culture).

This is in contrast to Martine’s death, which people only know about after the fact, with
almost no warning.

One aspect of the novel, which is not directly stated but seen through its effects on the
characters, is the challenges that come with living in a turbulent nation. When Martine was
young, a Macoute (a member of the country’s military force at that time) raped her. The main
character, Sophie, was conceived through this act. Rape is known to be one of the most
traumatic experiences that a person can have, and it is this rape that is the source of all
Martine’s problems.

By the time of the novel, Martine suffers from constant nightmares as a result of her
rape. She has moved to New York (in the US and thus very different from Haiti), and has a
boyfriend named Marc. By the end of the book, Martine is pregnant, and is convinced that the
child will remind her too much of her rape. She then commits suicide.

Martine’s death comes out of suffering and isolation. This is supported when she admits,
“I am very scared. I don’t know. The nightmares, they’re coming back,” (192). She was barely
able to relate to anyone (especially Marc) because of her status as a foreigner and as a victim
of trauma. Life was confusing for her, which was an influence of the American worldview in
contrast to the Haitian one. Americans, being the product of an Enlightenment culture, are
inclined to view the Universe in a more atheist and materialist way. This means they may see
events around them as random, rather than being part of some grand plan as the Haitians
would believe.
 In conclusion, death and cultural perceptions of it play a strong role in the novel.
Grandma Ife, living in Haiti, has a teleological view of the Universe. Martine, living in the US
(and also because of her rape) views life as more random, where things just happen. Because
Martine had little trust in life, she saw no solution to her problems, which motivated her to take
her own life. Readers can apply this to their own lives by empathizing with trauma victims and
people who are put in unfamiliar situations such as moving to another country. They can also
understand that our surroundings (past and present) are a constant influence in our perception
of the world.