Eyes, Memory

It has been established from early age that each gender plays a different role in society. Feminism is believing in the economic, social, political, and intellectual equality between both men and women, not female supremacy. In Breath, Eyes, Memory, Edwidge Danticat expresses the theme of feminism by creating characters for whom bravery, strength, and education are significant values.
Bravery is a powerful value for the characters in the novel. In Haitian culture, people view bravery as a characteristic that only men are able to possess but, Danticat accentuates braveness through the character of Martine. Danticat portrays Martine to be, "as brave as stars at dawn" ( Danticat 234) despite the traumatizing event that occurred in the past
such as being sexually abused and being tested by her own mother. Martine advertises feminism by breaking the female stereotype of being delicate and proving her resilience by being able to persevere through her hardships.
Even with the severe suffering from her disturbing experiences, she continues to work hard in New York to provide support for her family back in Haiti. Danticat also reiterates this fact by comparing Martine resilience to being brave as a star. Resembling Martine, a star is considered brave because its existence addresses to surviving the struggle against the forces of darkness and the unknown. Furthermore, Grandmè Ifé is also a character that shows braveness. Danticat conveys this by establishing Grandmè Ifé to be a fearless character. She is remarkably candid with her beliefs, is not afraid to speak her mind, and she strongly believes that “if a [woman] is worth remembering … there is no need to have her name carved in letters” (128). Grandmè Ifé’s outspoken characteristic portrays her braveness by being an advocate for women in the Haitian community. Ifé helps restate the theme of feminism by believing that women must
work hard or achieve something profound in order to be remembered. She is revealing that the true essence of being remarkable is more than having ones name written on a piece of paper. Therefore, Danticat proves through Ifé that women must be brave and show willingness to take bold risks in order to achieve gender equality. Thus, bravery is an important factor in leveling the gender injustice.
Danticat promotes feminism by emphasizing the importance of strength.
Specifically, the woman from the Haitian restaurant is able to demonstrate tremendous strength. She stands up in opposition to the "cowardly men speaking against women who [are] proving themselves" (55). Her actions show immense strength because she is able to gather the courage to stand up for women. Through her actions, she helps to renew the theme of feminism by being mentally and emotionally strong. In addition, Danticat uses the Haitian female goddess of love, Erzulie, to show the value of strength. After Sophie loses her virginity, she recalls the story of a bleeding women who, through Erzulie’s help is “transformed [to a butterfly] and never bled again” (88). Erzulie consoles and strengthens women who are vulnerable and weak. In the nature of gender stereotypes, feminine qualities include being gentle, soft, and powerless, while masculine traits include toughness, strength, and authority. Although being a feminist does not require a person to be a certain way, there must be a balance to achieve gender equality. When needed, women must break free from the stereotype of being “feminine” and maintain a strong and independent persona. Through Erzulie, Haitian women are able to gather the strength they need in order to socially survive in their environment. Being able to stand up for oneself and sustaining a strong image is a factor for women to be treated
equally.
Opportunities such as education are a fundamental part of female empowerment. Danticat stresses Martine’s perspective of the importance of education. Living in a male-dominated society, Martine believes that “if you get your education, there are things you won’t have to do” (58). Obtaining a certain degree of education shows character traits such as courage and discipline that are essential for most types of better paying jobs. Moreover, the unbalance of male to female ratio in the workplace proves the inequality between genders. For this reason, Martine and Tante Atie always dreamt of “becoming important women. [They] were going to be the first women doctors from [their] mother’s village… [they] were going to be engineers” (43). They believe that they are just as capable and competent of being successful in those careers as men are. Although they are unable to accomplish their career goals, Martine continues to persuade Sophie to become the kind of woman Tante Atie and Martine wants to be because if Sophie succeeds, “[they] will all succeed” (44). Not only is education a way to escape poverty, it is also a bridge to gender equality. Having the same intellectual and career opportunities will decrease the gap between men and women.
Humans should bear equal responsibilities, rights and opportunities regardless of gender. Danticat expresses the theme of feminism by establishing characters who value bravery, strength, and education. As seen throughout the novel, challenging the female stereotype is a significant factor in closing the gender gaps.