Krik? Krak! Questions
1. Danticat’s short stories are generally focused on the ways that female characters endure and persevere in spite of the suffering they experience, whether in Haiti or in NYC. Reflect on what we learn about perseverance from a female character in “1937”.
2. Characters in Danticat’s short stories rely on dreams, faith, and myth to make their experiences of suffering meaningful. For “Night Women” and “Between the Pool and the Gardenias”, consider how relying on dreams, faith, and myth to understand one’s suffering can be both helpful and dangerous.
Ruined Questions
3. We learn at the end of Ruined that Mama Nadi is “ruined.” Reflect on how this revelation might help to explain the ways that she treats Sophie.
4. In Ruined, how do Mama Nadi and Christian use joking and laughter? Using your answer, reflect on what the play suggests about using laughter to respond to our own pain and the pain of others. Please refer to at least one specific moment in the play.
