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The sugar cane and cotton plantation that the Planter owns symbolizes colonial rule in the Caribbean. Sugar cane and cotton were commonly grown on Caribbean plantations, and the cruelty with which plantation owners treated the people who worked producing these products was notorious. When Gros Jean goes to work for the Planter, his choice to work on the plantation represents more broadly Caribbean and black men’s choice to participate in the colonial system. Ti-Jean, instead of counting all of the sugar cane on the plantation as the Planter has asked him to do, demands that the plantation workers burn down all of the crops and the master’s house. This represents not just the destruction of the singular plantation, but rather is a cry to dismantle the system of colonialism that imprisons and mistreats the Caribbean population.
The Plantation Quotes in Ti-Jean and His Brothers
The Ti-Jean and His Brothers quotes below all refer to the symbol of The Plantation. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Act 1
Quotes
“Remember what the old son of a leaf-gathering beggar said? He said that working for the Devil was the shortest way to success. Well, I walked up through the bush then I come onto a large field. Estate-like, you know. Sugar, tobacco, and a hell of a big white house where they say the Devil lives. Ay-ay. So two next black fellers bring me up to him. Big white man, his hand cold as an axe blade and his mind twice as sharp.”
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“Other people want what I have, Charley, and other people have more. Can’t help myself, Joe, it’s some sort of disease, and it spreads right down to the common man.”
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The Plantation Symbol Timeline in Ti-Jean and His Brothers
The timeline below shows where the symbol The Plantation appears in Ti-Jean and His Brothers. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 1
...Jean, “Remember an iron army may rust, flesh is deciduous.” Gros Jean heads toward the plantation, warning the Old Man, “Next time don’t be so selfish.” As he walks away, the...
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...is money.” Gros Jean protests, reminding the Planter of everything he’s done successfully on the plantation with his “iron arm.” The Planter responds, “Sorry, sorry, Gros Jean, sometimes we people in...
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Act 3
...Ti-Jean the next task: to count each leaf on each sugar cane stalk on the plantation before sunrise. When he has finished telling Ti-Jean what he must do, the Devil says,...
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...waste of time!” Immediately, he calls out to all of the people working on the plantation, saying, “Hey, all you niggers sweating there in the canes! Hey, all you people working...
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...has done everything he had to do, and Ti-Jean says that he cleaned the entire plantation, drank some wine, and had curried goat for dinner. The Devil commends Ti-Jean for completing...
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As he reminisces, the Devil sees the plantation burning in the distance, and asks Ti-Jean what the fire is. Ti-Jean tells him that...
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