Breath, Eyes, Memory

Why is it important that Martine dies at the end of the novel? What role does her death play in connection to the theme(s) of the novel and the character(s)?

Early on, Martine presents Joseph as a threatening presence—akin to an evil spirit that lurks, waiting to prey on young girls like Sophie. What is his real role in the novel and in Sophie’s life? Consider both direct and indirect characterization.

Discuss the theme of Desire versus Duty in the text. How does the novel use literary elements and techniques to convey the tension between what characters want for themselves and what they owe to one another?

In Chapter 3, Tante Atie tells Sophie that some people are chosen by God to carry a part of the sky on their heads because they are strong, and that whoever sees an usual degree of hardship in their life is one of these strong ones. How does this story relate to theme and character development in the novel?

Research Edwidge Danticat’s life and her other works. In what ways does the theme of Home as a Construct apply to her life?

Is Sophie a tragic hero in the text? Why or why not?

In her craft book, Create Dangerously, Danticat wrote: “The immigrant artist shares with all other artists the desire to interpret and possibly remake his or her own world” (Danticat, Edwidge. Create Dangerously. Princeton University Press, 2010). In what ways does this quote apply to Breath, Eyes, Memory?

What forms of privilege does Sophie have—despite the difficulty of her life—that other members of her family may not share? How does this relative privilege affect her character development and her relationships with the other characters?