In this part of the story Sophie is returning back to Hati after not being there for many years. Immediately we learn that Sophie is different, she is now a woman and a mom. However despite being American and marrying one Sophie is still very part of her Haitian culture and the focus became on the people she left behind. Sophie honors her grandmother by giving her a daughter he grandma’s name.

I was very excited when I learned that Sophie’s aunt could read now. I feel that this was something she was ashamed to do and it showed a great deal of development in this character.

I found this part of the reading a bit sad. Sophie had grown and has lived with her mom for years. An important moment that I found in the beginning would have to be when Sophie speaks about the school she attended. I feel like this part gives a great insight to the people in Sophie’s life for the the past few years. We learn that she attended a special school for Haitian students where she was kept in her language but also learned english. I feel that this shows Sophie’s mother being maternal because instead of sending her to a public school where Sophie could get lost in a sea of students her mother found a place that could cater to her daughter and still keep her in her culture. I also feel that culture is very inporrant.

We also see that Sophie does not want to be engulfed in her culture but wants to fit in. This is shown when she says about the other kids in the public school discriminating against her.

In chapters 1-4 of breathe, eyes, memories we meet Sophie a young Haitian girl, who lives with her aunt in Hati. The town Sophie lives in full of culture and it’s own struggles. One thing that becomes evident in the text is the relationship of women amongst each other. We see several signs of women relationships such as, Sophie and her mother, Sophie and her aunt, and the women in the culture with one another.

In the text we see that Sophie’s mother is thousands of miles away trying to obtain a better life. Yet on this search she has lost the chance to raise her daughter and thus obtain the important bonds that mothers have with their children.

Another relationship is Sophie relationship with her aunt, a woman who has stepped forward in the role of caregiver and mother. Sophie struggles with these two relationships because she sees her aunt in the mother role and her mother as a stranger.

Lastly another relationship I find interesting is the relationship of woman in the culture. In the potluck scene we see the women gathering giving the feeling of a strong community bond. At the potluck the women gossip about one another and even give their opinions on one anothers lives. I found this interesting and feel it helps add to not only the culture but to the characters image.

I am interested to see how all of these relationships shape Sophie, and am interested in seeing how she develops.