Dear Mr.Carpentier,
I have been reading your novel, "The Kingdom of this World." I have thoroughly enjoyed your writing! I have a question for you though. The second to last page of your boo has a beautiful revelation about people, what they want and their potential. Is the narrator implying in that section that no human will ever find complete satisfaction? It seems as if the narrator is saying, earth is the only place to measure greatness because on earth there is failure. At the beginning of the paragraph the narrator says, "man seeks happiness far beyond that which is meted out to him."Which I interpret as no complete satisfaction can be met on earth. The Kingdom of Heaven is described as a place of, "all rest and all joy,"nothing can be acomplished. Does this mean satisfaction can not be won in heaven? It seems as if the narrator separates joy and satisfaction. Joy is a feeling while satisfaction is both something that can be done and something that one can gain. Throughout the novel Ti Noel searches for satisfaction and never really finds it. Is that a comment on all humans?
Thank you for your time!
Sincerely,
Danielle Vogel
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Dear Mr.Carpentier,
I have just recently read your novel, The Kingdom of This World. It was a very interesting story and i also had the privileged of looking into the story further with our group project. I have really enjoyed your story and there is a few minor things that i wanted to ask you about it. In the story there is a part where Ti Noel comes back to Cap and is wondering around the old plantation. Then he is soon captured by his own people and is treated as an outsider. Why in the story is there always a oppression issue towards Ti Noel? I feel like he is constantly being the victim of every situation. Especially at the end of the story when he tries to join the geese and ends up transforming into a vulture. The geese do not let him join them because he is not one of them and is not equal to them. It seems like the good people in this story are constantly being treated bad by others. Another thing that i want to ask you is voodoo really that powerful of a religion? In the story it seems voodoo gives the slaves a whole new since of power. They feel like they are unstoppable and are extremely motivated to rebel against the plantation owners. I really didn't know that voodoo worked in such ways and it made the story a lot more interesting to follow. What I mean by that is wondering what transformation or sacrifice was going to occur next.
I have just recently read your novel, The Kingdom of This World. It was a very interesting story and i also had the privileged of looking into the story further with our group project. I have really enjoyed your story and there is a few minor things that i wanted to ask you about it. In the story there is a part where Ti Noel comes back to Cap and is wondering around the old plantation. Then he is soon captured by his own people and is treated as an outsider. Why in the story is there always a oppression issue towards Ti Noel? I feel like he is constantly being the victim of every situation. Especially at the end of the story when he tries to join the geese and ends up transforming into a vulture. The geese do not let him join them because he is not one of them and is not equal to them. It seems like the good people in this story are constantly being treated bad by others. Another thing that i want to ask you is voodoo really that powerful of a religion? In the story it seems voodoo gives the slaves a whole new since of power. They feel like they are unstoppable and are extremely motivated to rebel against the plantation owners. I really didn't know that voodoo worked in such ways and it made the story a lot more interesting to follow. What I mean by that is wondering what transformation or sacrifice was going to occur next.
Sincerely,
Michael Polascik
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Civilized versus Savage
Dear Mr. Carpentier,
I have had the privilege of reading your book "The Kingdom of This World" for a world literature class and would like to ask you some questions. If you don't mind of course. My first question is derived from a quote out of your book. It reads, "Should a civilized person be expected to concern himself with the savage beliefs of people who worship a snake?". I do not know the page that this quote is derived from, but it still holds a lot of uncertain meaning nonetheless. Are you asking this question while you have a particular answer in mind or is it more of a rhetorical question? This is how I interpreted it. I believe that civilized people should not be expected to learn about savage groups of people, but it is definitely interesting and helpful to learn about people from different cultures. Learning about other groups of people has greatly influenced me, and I would recommend it to everyone. Hopefully I will hear back from you soon, because I would really like to know how you feel about this subject matter. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Yours truly,
Hunter Davis
I have had the privilege of reading your book "The Kingdom of This World" for a world literature class and would like to ask you some questions. If you don't mind of course. My first question is derived from a quote out of your book. It reads, "Should a civilized person be expected to concern himself with the savage beliefs of people who worship a snake?". I do not know the page that this quote is derived from, but it still holds a lot of uncertain meaning nonetheless. Are you asking this question while you have a particular answer in mind or is it more of a rhetorical question? This is how I interpreted it. I believe that civilized people should not be expected to learn about savage groups of people, but it is definitely interesting and helpful to learn about people from different cultures. Learning about other groups of people has greatly influenced me, and I would recommend it to everyone. Hopefully I will hear back from you soon, because I would really like to know how you feel about this subject matter. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Yours truly,
Hunter Davis
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Dear Mr. Carpentier,
I recently ready your book "The Kingdom of this World," and I have one main question about the novel. I was wondering who the vulture at the end of the story represents. I believe that it may represent Ti Noel due to the fact that the vulture could be present to signify death, and the fact that Ti Noel has died. However, for various other reasons the vulture may represent Macandle, and he may have been the last one to see Ti Noel. I am not quite sure about the answer to my question, but if you could send me a letter in return to help me understand the representation a little bit better that would be greatly appreciated.
Thank You,
Bennett Chaney
I recently ready your book "The Kingdom of this World," and I have one main question about the novel. I was wondering who the vulture at the end of the story represents. I believe that it may represent Ti Noel due to the fact that the vulture could be present to signify death, and the fact that Ti Noel has died. However, for various other reasons the vulture may represent Macandle, and he may have been the last one to see Ti Noel. I am not quite sure about the answer to my question, but if you could send me a letter in return to help me understand the representation a little bit better that would be greatly appreciated.
Thank You,
Bennett Chaney
Thursday, March 15, 2012
March 15, 2012
Dear Alejo,
I just finished reading your book, The Kingdom of this World, for my World Literature class. I wanted to ask you about something from the very last page of the book, when you write about the vulture. “From that moment Ti Noel was never seen again, nor his green cat with the salmon lace cuffs, except perhaps by that wet vulture who turns every death to his own benefit and who sat without spread wings, drying himself in the sun, a cross of feathers which finally folded itself up and flew off into the thick shade of Bois Caiman.” Who is the vulture? What I’ve been thinking is that the vulture is Macandel. I think this because from the very beginning Macandel has the magical ability to metamorphose into other animals and beings. Also it is never actually clear that Macandel dies. When he is thrown in the fire, the slaves believe that he has been saved by the African gods. It is possible that he has transformed into the vulture. Macandel was a Mandigue whom you described as something devilish, and those characteristics can be seen in a creature like the vulture. Because Macandel was also responsible for the poisoning of Frenchman and others on the plantations this would account for the line, “who turns every death to his own benefit.” What does the vulture represent and why was it important for you to include this at the very end?
Sincerely,
Mackenzie Throne
March 13, 2012
Dear Mr. Carpentier,
Upon reading your book The Kingdom of This World, I was curious about your intentions with Ti Noel as the lead character. At first, he is simply observing the people around him, discovering who is considered good or evil, but at times he acts like a god-like character identifying what is the point of life, hence appearing to be a Jesus-like character for the audience. Is this intentional?
In my opinion, I definitely see this as a definite possibility, even if it was not your intent. Ti Noel, as a member of a lower class, is put down and ignored. Even when he is considered a free man, others pretend he does not exist: "When Ti Noel saw these suspicious characters going and coming on his domain, he spoke severely to them. But the Surveyors paid no attention to him" (169). This reminds me of the way many people ignored Jesus when He began preaching; they saw Him as a crazy man who had no real message. Also, at the end of the book, Ti Noel seems to come to an epiphany where he suddenly comes to an understanding about the meaning of life. The narrator, appearing to speak aloud what Ti Noel is thinking, says,
I mean no offense if this was not your purpose for Ti Noel at the end of the novel, but I personally can see a double meaning in your beautiful words.
Sincerely and respectfully,
Jamie Ferreira
Dear Mr. Carpentier,
Upon reading your book The Kingdom of This World, I was curious about your intentions with Ti Noel as the lead character. At first, he is simply observing the people around him, discovering who is considered good or evil, but at times he acts like a god-like character identifying what is the point of life, hence appearing to be a Jesus-like character for the audience. Is this intentional?
In my opinion, I definitely see this as a definite possibility, even if it was not your intent. Ti Noel, as a member of a lower class, is put down and ignored. Even when he is considered a free man, others pretend he does not exist: "When Ti Noel saw these suspicious characters going and coming on his domain, he spoke severely to them. But the Surveyors paid no attention to him" (169). This reminds me of the way many people ignored Jesus when He began preaching; they saw Him as a crazy man who had no real message. Also, at the end of the book, Ti Noel seems to come to an epiphany where he suddenly comes to an understanding about the meaning of life. The narrator, appearing to speak aloud what Ti Noel is thinking, says,
"In the Kingdom of Heaven... there is no possibility of sacrifice, all is rest and joy. For this reason, bowed down by suffering and duties, beautiful in the midst of his misery, capable of loving in the face of afflictions and trials, man finds his greatness, his fullest measure, only in the Kingdof [sic] of This World" (179).It is reminiscent of Jesus delivering a final message before being crucified, then risen. Because I believe that the vulture at the end of the novel is Ti Noel in his final form, I can see the similarity between him and Jesus. It is as if Ti Noel has given his final word-to-the-wise, then risen into a mightier creature, one "who sat with outspread wings, drying himself in the sun, a cross of feathers" (180).
I mean no offense if this was not your purpose for Ti Noel at the end of the novel, but I personally can see a double meaning in your beautiful words.
Sincerely and respectfully,
Jamie Ferreira
Letter to Carpentier
March 15, 2012
Dear Carpentier,
I was wondering aboutyour last passage in “The Kingdom of This World.” “From that moment Ti Noel wasnever seen again, nor his green cat with the salmon lace cuffs, except perhapsby that wet vulture who turns every death to his own benefit and who sat withoutspread wings, drying himself in the sun, a cross of feathers which finallyfolded itself up and flew off into the thick shade of Bois Caiman.” (180). Whois the vulture? I have a couple guesses, but mostly I think the vulturerepresents death. Death takes the life of everyone, including Ti Noel and“turns every death to his own benefit.” Death turns every death to his ownbenefit because that is his job. Or the Vulture could be the dead king who onceruled over France. I honestly do not know because the novel does not have anyreal evidence on who the vultures identity.
Thank you,
Iris Cochran
Dear Carpentier,
I was wondering aboutyour last passage in “The Kingdom of This World.” “From that moment Ti Noel wasnever seen again, nor his green cat with the salmon lace cuffs, except perhapsby that wet vulture who turns every death to his own benefit and who sat withoutspread wings, drying himself in the sun, a cross of feathers which finallyfolded itself up and flew off into the thick shade of Bois Caiman.” (180). Whois the vulture? I have a couple guesses, but mostly I think the vulturerepresents death. Death takes the life of everyone, including Ti Noel and“turns every death to his own benefit.” Death turns every death to his ownbenefit because that is his job. Or the Vulture could be the dead king who onceruled over France. I honestly do not know because the novel does not have anyreal evidence on who the vultures identity.
Thank you,
Iris Cochran
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