Breath Eyes Memory

In Breath Eyes Memory the story deals with attitudes of men in the society.
Some attitudes of men are

positive in the story but others are negative. The poem depicts the attitudes of men in society nowadays
and back then.
The Male World's Debilitating Obsession with Female Purity is a negative attitude of men in the story.
The dominant culture's problematic obsession with female purity is best witnessed by the pair of
Martine and Atie. Growing up, the sisters' purity was carefully guarded by the humiliating practice of
testing. Yet Martine was raped at age sixteen by the Ton Ton Macoutes, while Atie, betrayed by her
fiancé, never married. Neither achieved the womanhood for which she was groomed, suggesting at first
that this is the source of their unhappiness. But the ultimate force of their stories reveals a troubling
commonality between 'pure' and fallen women. The sisters' twin tragedies evidence the toll of a lifetime
of doubling, of living in an environment which keeps the woman uncomfortable in her body.
Joseph is free-spirited and passionate, in contrast to Sophie's more reserved personality. African
American spirituals and jazz music are an important part of his life and heritage. Joseph's need for
freedom and flexibility in his career surprises Sophie, who's been trained to follow the career path her
family chose. His desire for a physical connection causes friction in their marriage since Sophie is
resistant to sex. He's kind and tries to be patient in encouraging Sophie to heal from her past trauma.
Joseph proves to be a dedicated husband and father willing to work through problems. This is an
example of positive attitude.
The ton ton macoutes are menaces to the people of Haiti. Bestowed power by a cruel dictator, they do
what they want without any consequences. They strike fear in the hearts of anyone who may look at
them the wrong way or accidentally step on their foot, as in Dessalines's case. The irony is that their
name means "bogeyman," which is a supernatural—read, not real—figures that torments children. Sure,
there is fear there, but ultimately children release the fear when they grow up. Unfortunately, the
macoutes are still terrifying to adults, and their ironic name perhaps makes them even more so.
Martine’s long-term boyfriend. A Haitian lawyer who insists on introducing himself by his full name—
Marc Jolibois Francis Legrand Moravian Chevalier—Marc keeps the “old ways” in spite of having lived in
Brooklyn for so many years. When Sophie arrives in New York, Marc and Martine have already been
together for an indeterminate amount of time, and though Marc keeps pictures of Martine in his office
and often takes her and Sophie out to dinner, Martine never talks about her romantic feelings for Marc,
and never shares with Sophie any plans for marrying or moving in with him. By the time Sophie is an
adult; Marc and Martine are still together, though they still don’t cohabitate or have any plans for
marriage. When Sophie finds out that Martine is pregnant with Marc’s baby, she is shocked to realize
that her mother and Marc sleep together. She is sad when she realizes her mother has maintained a
sexual relationship with Marc by “doubling” or dissociating because Martine feels regularly submitting to
sex, in spite of the pain it causes her, is worth having someone sleeping next to her to help ward off her
night terrors. Marc is an upstanding man, a proud member of the Haitian community in Brooklyn, and
outwardly kind—but there is an undercurrent of control in his relationship with Martine, and Sophie
resents him for not taking better care of her mother or preventing Martine’s eventual suicide.
Foreshadowing is a device in the story. When Sophie first saw the Macoutes beating Dessalines in the
marketplace, it foreshadowed Dessalines’ death later on. Marc is presented in a paradoxical way: Marc
is placed somewhere in the middle of being a Haitian and an American. Marc is a successful Haitian who
makes a name and wealth for himself. Despite integrating himself easily in the American society, he
searches obsessively for the authentic Haitian experience, be it food or culture. Because he is successful,
Marc feels as if he doesn’t belong anywhere: he is not really an American but he is not a Haitian either.
Sophie had never had a male parental figure in her life. When Sophie meets Joseph, the man old enough
to be her father, Sophie sees in him more than just a lover. In fact, Sophie never describes Joseph from
the perspective of a girl madly in love with a man but rather from the perspective of a girl looking for
guidance and protection. Joseph is portrayed more like a father than a lover and this becomes
particularly clear from the scenes when Sophie falls asleep listening to Joseph play his saxophone,
alluding to the ways a parent would put his child to bed. The irony is that their name means
"bogeyman," which is a supernatural—read, not real—figure that torments children. Sure, there is fear
there, but ultimately children release the fear when they grow up. Unfortunately, the macoutes are still
terrifying to adults, and their ironic name perhaps makes them even more so.

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In Breath Eyes Memory the story deals with attitudes of men in the society.

Some attitudes of men are

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