Danticat, Edwidge: * 1969

Breath, Eyes, Memory, 1994 - Thematic Parallels: Resilience

Danticat, Edwidge: Breath, Eyes, Memory, 1994
The novel is about the pain and power in the shared memory of women, and how confronting the past is necessary for freedom and self-understanding.
The following books are thematically similar. They lend themselves well to being read in groups, compared with one another, or used to teach a similar topic over an extended period with a class:
- Adichie, Chimamanda: Purple Hibiscus, 2003, ~300pp
  The book focuses on family dynamics, trauma, and womanhood in a Nigerian context.
  The novels reveal how violence and pain are inherited and how healing often requires breaking cultural or familial silence. Gaining a voice becomes central to both protagonists’ liberation and growth.
- Hosseini, Khaled: A Thousand Splendid Suns, 2007, ~370pp
  The main topic of the novel is the resilience and strength of women in the face of oppression and hardship, particularly in Afghanistan during times of war and political turmoil.
  Both works emphasize how women navigate patriarchal societies, often in silence, and how their endurance becomes a form of strength. They highlight how cultural and societal norms restrict women.
- Thomas, Angie: The Hate U Give, 2017, ~440pp
  The novel deals with trauma, identity, and societal issues through the perspective of a young woman.
  In both stories, systemic injustice shapes the lives of the characters and the communities they belong to. Both characters must process personal and inherited trauma while seeking healing, truth, and empowerment.
- Walker, Alice: The Color Purple, 1982, ~300pp
  A novel portraying African American women dealing with trauma, sexual violence, and personal growth, very close in themes to Danticat’s novel on womanhood, trauma, and healing.
  Both novels are coming-of-age stories about Black women navigating trauma, silence, and cultural pressures to find their strength. Through nuanced portrayals of pain, memory, and resistance, Walker and Danticat celebrate the enduring power of female solidarity and storytelling as pathways to liberation.
List of general discussion questions on Resilience (pdf)
List of essay prompts on Resilience (pdf)