Emily Sander

ILS1 (Tuesday 12-2 pm)

WS 2022/2023

Dr. Preciado

January 19

Word Count: 554

The Consequences of Actions in “The Book of the Dead”

The short story “The Book of the Dead” by Edwidge Danticat illustrates the impact one’s

actions can have on the way one is perceived by others. The narrative relates the story of the

main character, Annie, who creates a sculpture of her father ,which he decides to throw into a

lake because his past contributes to his low self-worth. Annie’s father’s previous actions

strongly influence the way she perceives him.

After the protagonist realises her father is not who she thought he was, Annie struggles

with her image of him. For support she consults her mother and asks her :“How do you love

him?” (Danticat 198). This displays Annie’s frustration and helplessness. She does not know

what to believe about her father, now that she discovered he was never the prey hunted in

prison but instead he was the prison guard who hunted the prey. Annie’s mother tells her

daughter that “[she does] not know (…)” (Danticat 198), which does not offer the guidance

she looks for.

What further demonstrates Annie’s inner conflict with her father’s perception is the

impact he has on her emotions. The protagonist believes “[ordinary] anger (…) [is] a

weakness.” (Danticat 197). When her father confesses to his daughter that he threw Annie’s

sculpture into a lake, she appears to let anger control her. The protagonist paradoxically wants

to “beat the craziness out of his head” (Danticat 197). Despite her belief that anger is a waste

of emotions, Annie‘s reaction indicates that human beings are shaped by actions and the
effects of those on others. The result of that is the option to form one’s personality as well as

character but the possibilities are not infinite: “There is a limit to what we can make of

ourselves.” (Baggini 10:39). Annie’s father might have changed since then, but he will have

to live with the consequences of and remorse for his actions. He affects Annie in a way, which

seems to make her emotionally unstable.

Annie’s inner monologue illustrates how her father’s past has an impact on her

relationship to him. Because she discovers the truth about her father’s past, she appears to feel

as if she lost the connection to her once loved father figure completely: “I have lost my

subject, the father I loved as well as pitied.” (Danticat 199). This displays the inner conflict

Annie faces. The statue of her father meant a great deal to her: “[It] was my favorite of all my

attempted representations of him.” (Danticat 195). Annie’s father not only makes her realise

she has a dishonest view of him but also makes her lose a work of art from the person she

believed to love as well as respect.

The choices Annie’s father made in his past have a profound impact on not only

Annie’s perception of him but also their relationship. The decisions he makes in his life

influence the way he is perceived by others. The possibility to shape one’s identity relies

heavily on the actions one chooses to take. The short story ultimately exemplifies the power

of one’s actions and the impact those can have on the lives as well as the perceptions of those

around one. It highlights the significance of understanding and acknowledging the

consequences of one’s actions.

Works Cited

Danticat, Edwidge, The Book of the Dead, The New Yorker, 1999

Baggini, Julian, Is there a real you, Ted, 2014

 Plagiarism Declaration

I declare that this essay is entirely my own work and does not include any plagiarised

material.