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Chapter 19
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Farming of Bones, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
The Power of Memory
Dreams vs. Reality
Language and Identity
Death, Grief, and Hope
Home, Family, and Belonging
Summary
Analysis
Back in the present, Señor Pico has granted his wife’s request and begins to bury Rafael’s clothes. Señora Valencia tells Juana she would like to attend the burial, and then pleads for stories of her “Mami.” Juana tells her that Doña Rosalinda was at first nervous to be a wife, but was happy to bear a daughter. Juana then says that Don Ignacio was “so very unhappy” when his wife passed away.
The grief of Rafael’s death prompts the señora to ask for stories of her lost mother. Juana shares these stories, as she is the one who has preserved the señora’s mother’s legacy. Juana’s memories of the mother are stronger than the señora’s own recollections: this fact reveals that it is not always the person closest to—or related to—the deceased that remembers them best. As in other scenes memory is a source of solace to someone who is dealing with grief and loss.
Themes
Juana continues, telling Señora Valencia that her mother was a “good-hearted lady” who treated the staff kindly. The señora then tells Juana that she has had dreams of what Rafael would have looked like throughout the various stages of his life. She adds that she has never felt like “a whole woman,” due to “the absence of Mami’s face.”
The señora finally reveals the extent of her grief for both her mother and son. The señora’s sense of loss is compounded because both her past and her future feel affected. She lost her mother at a young age, which impacted her childhood; she is also losing her visions of the future with her son. This grief diminishes her sense of belonging: her household feels emptier and less welcoming, and she does not feel a complete person.
Themes
Amabelle walks to the compound of Don Carlos, a mill owner. She observes the tired workers and poor working conditions, and then locates Kongo’s room. She notes that there are fresh clothes laid out on the floor “as though Joël had set them down.”
The clothes on the floor are a physical reminder of Joël’s legacy, and they preserve his place in his father’s memory. Kongo’s willingness to leave the clothes out—as if Joël will still have use of them—reveals the depth of his grief: he has yet to accept the death of his son, and his actions reflect the denial that he appears to be using as a coping mechanism.
Themes
Kongo explains that Sebastien retrieved the clothes that are laid out on the floor, and claims that they are for his son’s burial. Kongo also says that Sebastien brought a pile of wood for Joël’s coffin. Amabelle expresses her condolences, and then explains that Don Ignacio has requested to see Kongo.
Sebastien, working to preserve the memory of his lost friend, brings the clothes to Kongo, who says Joël’s clothes are for the funeral. His insistence on keeping the clothes in plain sight, however, suggests that he is not yet ready to part with anything that reminds him of his son. Kongo’s grief, still fresh, keeps him from moving on with his life.
Themes
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Kongo is surprised by this request. Amabelle explains that Don Ignacio wishes to pay for the funeral, but Kongo refuses. Kongo laments that he was not able to “bury him in [their] own land,” but says he tried to “give him back to the soil.” Kongo tells Amabelle that he will never forget how his son looked when he was first born. He instructs Amabelle to tell Don Ignacio that he and his son are both men.
Despite the amount of time they have spent in the Dominican Republic, Kongo wishes to bury Joël on Haitian land. His wish demonstrates how one’s conception of home can remain constant despite time, distance, or emigration. Kongo then reminisces about his son’s birth, and the memory is especially poignant when contrasted with his son’s death. Kongo’s thoughts reinforce how memory and death are intertwined: memory preserves the legacy of the deceased, but it also prompts painful recollections of the deceased’s former life.
Themes
After her talk with Kongo, Amabelle goes to Sebastien’s room. She relays the news about Señor Pico’s deceased son, and tells him not to rejoice in the death, as the Haitians “would not have wanted Señor Pico’s family to rejoice when Joël died.” Sebastien asks if Señora Valencia is like family to Amabelle, and she replies that she is.
Amabelle and Sebastien’s discussion illustrates two ways in which the ideas of home and belonging can develop. Amabelle’s concept of home has changed with her departure from Haiti: she considers her employers to be her family, and mourns for them as if they are related. For Sebastien, however, the Dominican Republic does not replace Haiti. Rather, his extended stay in the Dominican Republic only strengthens his affinity for his home country.
Themes
The next morning, Señor Pico and Señora Valencia finish arranging their son’s coffin; Señor Pico places him into the casket, and tells his wife that everything will be well. He does not offer any sign of affection to his daughter Rosalinda, and then drives away. The señora then cradles her daughter against her, as if to feel the “child’s breath against her cheek.”
The señor and señora’s discussion is stilted, as they are still processing the death of their son. The señor’s assurances, combined with his lack of fondness for his daughter, indicate that something is wrong: he is repressing his emotions in order to insist that everything is fine. This reaction reveals how death, a powerful force, can rob the living of their feelings and their passion.
Themes
The señora makes an altar for Rafael out of flowers and a candle. Señora Valencia then tells Amabelle to ask her acquaintances—cane workers—to come in from the fields and have coffee at the house. Amabelle relays the message to the group and Sebastien tells Kongo that the house is “not a place” where they should go.
Out of grief, the señora builds a tribute to her son. She then invites Amabelle’s acquaintances—who are Haitian—drink coffee together. The señora’s grief allows her to break the strict borders that divide higher-class Dominican aristocrats from Haitian field workers. She is so distraught that she no longer cares about maintaining the country’s cultural divisions. The Haitians, however, remain suspicious. Due to being persecuted for their identity, they do not believe that ingrained cultural divisions can be healed so quickly.
Themes
The group begins to talk amongst themselves and debate whether it is worthwhile to accept the invitation. They discuss rumors about “groups of Haitians being killed in the night,” because they cannot pronounce words such as “perejil”—parsley—in a certain way. One woman mentions “a border commission,” which gave “orders to have all Haitians killed.” She claims that Dominicans were told to catch and bring Haitians to the soldiers.
This discussion shows how language is used as a test of one’s identity—despite the fact that language does not dictate one’s nationality—and the results of this test allegedly lead to violence. As such, distrust between the two nationalities pervades everything, even an innocent invitation to share coffee. This interaction reveals how deep-seated cultural tensions have promoted violence and prevented individuals from breaking cultural barriers in ways that promote understanding or empathy.
Themes
Some people reject the invitation, but part of the group ventures into the garden. Juana and Amabelle pass around cups of coffee, and Kongo walks into the parlor to see Señora Valencia and Rosalinda. He raises a finger as if to touch the baby’s face, but the señora stops him; instead, he kisses the señora’s fingers, and expresses condolences for her loss.
This interaction shows two characters’ tentative first steps towards transcending cultural labels. Kongo and the señora, allied in their grief for their deceased children, show signs of sympathy towards one another. Still, the señora is not ready to eliminate the borders between Dominican and Haitian cultures entirely: when Kongo physically reaches out, she rebuffs him.
Themes
Kongo begins to speak of his son’s death. He claims that Joël’s passing taught him about the span of a lifetime, and how it can pass either very slowly or in an instant. He tells the señora to treasure the child that still lives. The group leaves the house, and Amabelle thinks that the señora has regretted her decision to invite the men in. Señor Pico returns later that night, and shatters the cups and saucers used by the visitors.
The shared moment of understanding continues as Kongo teaches the señora lessons he learned from grief. His advice, universal and sympathetic, allows them to commiserate together. This shared sense of loss further breaks down the cultural barriers between them. Unfortunately, this moment of cultural truce does not last: the señora regrets her decision to speak with Kongo—and thus rejects the idea of subverting cultural borders. Señor Pico’s decision to violently break the dishes further reinforces how easily the camaraderie between cultures can shatter.
Themes
