The Imagery of Fire in Edwidge Danticat’s “A Wall of Fire Rising”
The Imagery of Fire in Edwidge Danticat’s “A Wall of Fire Rising”
The imagery of fire in Edwidge Danticat 's short story “A Wall of Fire Rising” possesses a very powerful meaning and also continually changes throughout the entirety of the story. Fire was a very sacred thing to have, especially during the time this story has taken place. One example of how fire is used in the story "A Wall of Fire Rising" is the fire that is burning deep down inside of Big Guy. This fire is a metaphor of the build up of all of Big Guy 's emotions and frustrations that happen and are presented throughout his life. Big Guy struggles with his inner self a lot. He is also ashamed because he has not had a job in six months, and even that job is not guaranteed. The mere fact of having a job was important to Big Guy because all he wants in life was to be able to have his manhood back and support is able to support his little family. The only job he could get was scrubbing toilets at the sugar mill. This wall of fire is Big Guy 's ego, and it is very damaged. Big Guy also struggled with wanting to do the right thing by his family by supporting them but also wanting to make himself happy. He especially wants what he thought is right for his son, but Lili did not want what Big Guy had in mind: "I was thinking of putting the boy on the list now, so maybe by the time he becomes a man he can have the job." (pg 238) "I don 't want him on that list," she said. "For a young boy to be on any list like that might influence his destiny…" (pg 238) "Look at me," guy said. "If my father had worked there, if he had me on the list, don 't you think I would be working?" (pg 238) This argument is about how Big Guy wants Little Guy to be on the list for the sugar mill to be able to be set and possibly have a job when he is older. Lili, Big Guy 's wife, continually turns him down, making him feel helpless in life. These constant disagreements that Lily and he have throughout the
The imagery of fire in Edwidge Danticat 's short story “A Wall of Fire Rising” possesses a very powerful meaning and also continually changes throughout the entirety of the story. Fire was a very sacred thing to have, especially during the time this story has taken place. One example of how fire is used in the story "A Wall of Fire Rising" is the fire that is burning deep down inside of Big Guy. This fire is a metaphor of the build up of all of Big Guy 's emotions and frustrations that happen and are presented throughout his life. Big Guy struggles with his inner self a lot. He is also ashamed because he has not had a job in six months, and even that job is not guaranteed. The mere fact of having a job was important to Big Guy because all he wants in life was to be able to have his manhood back and support is able to support his little family. The only job he could get was scrubbing toilets at the sugar mill. This wall of fire is Big Guy 's ego, and it is very damaged. Big Guy also struggled with wanting to do the right thing by his family by supporting them but also wanting to make himself happy. He especially wants what he thought is right for his son, but Lili did not want what Big Guy had in mind: "I was thinking of putting the boy on the list now, so maybe by the time he becomes a man he can have the job." (pg 238) "I don 't want him on that list," she said. "For a young boy to be on any list like that might influence his destiny…" (pg 238) "Look at me," guy said. "If my father had worked there, if he had me on the list, don 't you think I would be working?" (pg 238) This argument is about how Big Guy wants Little Guy to be on the list for the sugar mill to be able to be set and possibly have a job when he is older. Lili, Big Guy 's wife, continually turns him down, making him feel helpless in life. These constant disagreements that Lily and he have throughout the
Cited: Danticat, Edwidge. “A Wall of Fire Rising.” The Norton Introduction to Literature: Portable Tenth Edition. Ed. Alison Booth and Kelly J. Mays. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2011. 232-244. Print.