21033: O'Brien RE: 21010: Corbett: Bob Corbett review of Edwidge Danticat: THE DEWBREAKER (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Martha O'Brien <mmcpeob@earthlink.net>

Reading the end of Bob's review of "The Dewbreaker" (quoted below) brings
me to a subject which I have been struggling to put into words ever since
the current crisis broke upon us--that being the "human reality of such
suffering" of which he speaks.  This list provides all of us with a wealth
of articles, facts and opinions representing many different points of view,
for which I am most grateful.  The information presented is enlightening,
stimulating, and thought-provoking; I am interested in knowing as much as I
can about what is going on in Haiti; I find it very helpful in formulating
my own thoughts about the situation to have access to such breadth and
depth of thought.  But what I really find myself thinking about almost all
of the time is my friends and acquaintances--the ones I have no contact
with right now because they are peasants who have no phone or e-mail--or
the ones whose phone service has been interrupted--or whatever the reason
is.  What is their experience right now?  How hungry are they?  How
frightened are they?  Has anyone from their family been killed in the
crossfire?  Are their children back in school?  Can Jeanne get the medicine
she needs?  Is Yolene still able to travel to the neighboring town to go to
school--the secondary school she waited years to be able to afford?  Will
she be able to finish this year of her schooling?  How is "Minouche" doing?
And "Lelene"?  And what of their education?  What about those twin babies
we saw at the clinic?  Will they make it?  I have whole wall of pictures
smiling at me from where I sit at my computer--the faces of the very
special people who make Haiti what it is from my experience.  And my heart
aches for each and every one of them. And if I feel that way, how must
Haitian-American and Haitian-Canadian and Haitian-French families feel
knowing that their homeland and their blood relatives are suffering and
dying?  And that's what I can't get out of my mind--what is the lived
reality of these very real people?  Do they know that anyone cares?

Is anyone else out there feeling mighty sad, mad, frustrated, helpless,
depressed, and not able to find a voice to express all of it or an action
to take?

Anyway--here's the quote from Bob:

> One story
> of Danticat teaches me more than dozens of abstracted news stories which I
> happened to be reading daily at the same time taking out more important
> time to get in touch with the human reality of such suffering. As time
> goes on I know from my past I will forget the details of the uprising and
> overthrow. I think the lives of Danticats cast of characters will remain
> with me forever.