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,

"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