This book follows the hardships of those who were trapped by the French aristocracy and told they would be free, yet are still victims of poverty and oppression. Working in the sugar cane fields because it is their only source of income they are invisible to everybody else. I found this book extremely enlightening and different to how others have written about oppression before.

Zobel writes about the community, spirituality and culture that surrounds José and M’man Tine. A prevalent topic in this book is superstitions. We see that Jose from a young age has always listened to the superstitions he has heard, one being out how to never talk to someone on the road at night because they could be a spirit and are your voice to the devil. I found that very interesting because I know Hawaiian natives also have a superstition that follows along those lines. It made me curious as to where superstitions came from and how they travelled across the world.

This brings me to the next topic which is oral traditions and stories that are passed down. Jose was told many stories by Mr. Médouze who was trying to pass down certain words and phrases used in the West Indies. Without the use of oral transmission so many stories, practices an cultures would be lost and I think that Zobel was trying to emphasize the point that especially in your darkest times should you keep the memory of your ancestors because it will help motivate and guide you. One example of somewhat of a tradition or just a saying that Mr. Médouze uses is “Eh cric! Eh crac!” This is a storytelling method that originated in Africa to call attention to someone when they are about to tell a story or tale. You could tell that Jose really enjoyed these stories because they provided an escape from reality in which his was poverty and working in the fields. I related to this sense of escape not on a reality level but in the sense that I anticipate stories because of the feeling of getting lost in them.

There is also this dichotomy of how Jose loved the sugar fields so much because he had memories of eating them and memories with his community. However, this field represents the tie that bounds his community to the fields and how the fields are the only way to survive the poverty in his life.

Do you think the cane field symbolizes joy and happy memories or oppression? Can it be both?