45 pages 1 hour read

Edwidge Danticat

Krik? Krak!

Fiction | Short Story Collection | Adult | Published in 1996

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

“Children of the Sea”

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

“Children of the Sea” Summary

The first story in the collection is presented as a series of letters written between two anonymous lovers. In his letters, the young man describes the horrific conditions onboard his refugee ship from Haiti to Miami, Florida. He is one of 36 refugees on board, including a pregnant 15-year-old girl. The boat is old and full of leaks, which the refugees attempt to repair using tar. The group sings songs and tells stories in order to pass time and distract themselves from the smells of the boat and the unrelenting heat of the sun. His letters become gradually more abstract, as the young man comes to terms with dying far from his lover and Haiti. After a few days, the pregnant girl, Célianne, gives birth; the baby does not cry. As the boat takes on more damage, the passengers begin to throw off unnecessary weight, including dead passengers and clothes. The male narrator realizes that the baby is dead, and wonders why Célianne has not thrown it overboard. He learns that she became pregnant when Tonton Macoute officers entered her house and sexually assaulted her. As the situation grows more desperate, Célianne throws her dead child and herself off the boat.

Related Titles

By Edwidge Danticat

Study Guide

logo

Breath, Eyes, Memory

Edwidge Danticat

Breath, Eyes, Memory

Edwidge Danticat

Study Guide

logo

Brother, I'm Dying

Edwidge Danticat

Brother, I'm Dying

Edwidge Danticat

Study Guide

logo

Claire of the Sea Light

Edwidge Danticat

Claire of the Sea Light

Edwidge Danticat

Study Guide

logo

Everything Inside

Edwidge Danticat

Everything Inside

Edwidge Danticat

Study Guide

logo

The Dew Breaker

Edwidge Danticat

The Dew Breaker

Edwidge Danticat

Study Guide

logo

The Farming Of Bones

Edwidge Danticat

The Farming Of Bones

Edwidge Danticat