Question

In Danticat's The Farming of Bones, the novel begins with an epigraph from the Bible; what does this epigraph establish?

1) The origin of the main character's name
2) The origin of the term "shibboleth"
3) The origin of the Dominican Republic
4) The origin of sugar cane harvesting

Answer 1

The epigraph from the Bible at the beginning of 'The Farming of Bones' establishes 2) the origin of the term 'shibboleth,' laying the thematic groundwork for the novel's exploration of language, identity, and ethnic divisions.

Step-by-step explanation:

In The Farming of Bones by Edwidge Danticat, the epigraph from the Bible serves a significant purpose at the beginning of the novel. It primarily establishes 2) the origin of the term "shibboleth".

This term has historical connotations of identifying one's nationality or ethnicity, often used to decide if one belongs to a particular group or not.

In the context of the novel, which deals with the 1937 massacre of Haitian workers in the Dominican Republic, the term is deeply symbolic of the ethnic strife and the horrific events that define the narrative.

Therefore, the epigraph not only sets the historical and thematic stage of the novel but also points to the pivotal role of language and identity in the plot.

The notion of a shibboleth becomes a central motif throughout Danticat's work, reflecting the divisions and tensions experienced by the characters.